[quote]Originally posted by ronin:
<strong>Thanks again for the extremely warm welcome!
(remaining off topic)
Yes, it is true. I got the basics at school and the rest was picking up magazines and carrying on by myself. I read a little MAD upgraded to another one i can't recall right now, same vein, then a brief stunt with Playboy and settled with Penthouse before start adventuring with my first novels. None of my friends have fared so well.
Guess there are two secrets to it, first: i'm gifted when it comes to languages (downside is i'm a total idiot when it comes to numbers, see them and my brain goes numb). The other more important secret is that you pick a subject of your interest and pursue it with your best shot, you'll learn a lot while doing it and without noticing or maybe without concentrating so much on the actual effort you make in your quest.
As mentioned above, i know plenty of expressions that i've picked along the way. I love them, since most expressions in english come from different lines of thought or images than the ones familiar to me.
I'm having a ton of fun with you lot <img src="graemlins/jumper.gif" border="0" alt="[jumper]" />
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Gruss Gott,Ronin!
You may have been somewhat off topic (as I remain here),but to have learned "American English" by your own efforts is no SMALL feat!! Most of us "native" speakers have some level of trouble (the spelling,sound etc.) with it.Good luck in your quest for a Luger!There must be some decent ones there.After all,there were a few Germans(and still are) in those parts.
Tschuss! Mark M.