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He knows numbers and a few phrases (such as "This is nice, this is very cheap, this costs a dollar") in various languages. I heard Japanese (near the beginning), Thai, Chinese (the song), Spanish, English, German (numbers only), Tagalog and Malay (I believe numbers only in those two languages also).
It's an exaggeration to say he "speaks" all those languages; he definitely does not, but it's nice that he can say a few words to tourists in their own languages.
Note that he told several of the languages in Mandarin at the beginning of the video. Then, there are some languages mentioned directly in English throughout the video, so I have most of them.
In no particular order:
1. Cantonese
2. Mandarin
3. English
4. Thai
5. French
6. Spanish
7. German
8. Filipino/Tagalog
9. Malay
The other two I'm not sure of because I'm not at a native level in Mandarin, even in just speaking, although I am Chinese.
You can go on and on with this. The Philippines alone has about 12 different languages or dialects. Look them up if you’re curious. My wife is Singaporean and there’s Cantonese, Mandarian, Hokkien, Hakka and Malay not to mention Singlish.
When I was traveling, I learned ti say "I love you" in every country, szeretlek, mina rakastan sinua, etc, and could probably count to ten in a dozen languages. It's much easier for a child, I heard street urchins in touristy places like Turkey who could converse a little in 5 or 6 languages, begging depends on it for a livelihood. Bartenders in port cities can speak lots of languages. My wife can speak 5 converastionally, maybe 6 but she's forgotten Arabic.
When I was traveling, I learned ti say "I love you" in every country, szeretlek, mina rakastan sinua, etc, and could probably count to ten in a dozen languages. It's much easier for a child, I heard street urchins in touristy places like Turkey who could converse a little in 5 or 6 languages, begging depends on it for a livelihood. Bartenders in port cities can speak lots of languages. My wife can speak 5 converastionally, maybe 6 but she's forgotten Arabic.
You may be from Cebu?
I looked at the background in that video of the people walking buy and the rest. I am guessing the child is a Filipino. Anyone see any other clues as to the location?
He knows numbers and a few phrases (such as "This is nice, this is very cheap, this costs a dollar") in various languages. I heard Japanese (near the beginning), Thai, Chinese (the song), Spanish, English, German (numbers only), Tagalog and Malay (I believe numbers only in those two languages also).
It's an exaggeration to say he "speaks" all those languages; he definitely does not, but it's nice that he can say a few words to tourists in their own languages.
A Chinese-speaking journalist talked to him and it appears he can carry a conversation in Mandarin Chinese.
Moreover his tones are quite correct, so I believe he learned Mandarin systematically, not randomly.
A Chinese-speaking journalist talked to him and it appears he can carry a conversation in Mandarin Chinese.
Moreover his tones are quite correct, so I believe he learned Mandarin systematically, not randomly.
What do you think is his native language? I'm not familiar enough with Mandarin or any other Chinese dialect to tell if he sounds like a native.
The languages that I feel qualified to judge are Japanese, English, German, and Spanish. And he definitely has a non-native accent in all of those.
What do you think is his native language? I'm not familiar enough with Mandarin or any other Chinese dialect to tell if he sounds like a native.
Deep into the video he offers that he can speak Filipino. I doubt the Caucasian with him would need to know that if they were in The Philippines so he must not be Filipino.
That only leaves Vietnamese as my guess. Maybe Cambodian or Laotian.
Deep into the video he offers that he can speak Filipino. I doubt the Caucasian with him would need to know that if they were in The Philippines so he must not be Filipino.
That only leaves Vietnamese as my guess. Maybe Cambodian or Laotian.
Where do you see that the person with him is Caucasian? I can only see her hands. Her English is heavily accented, too, and sounds Asian-influenced. When he says that he speaks Malay, she responds immediately in that language, so perhaps she is Malaysian or Singaporean.
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