+- Online Degrees and CLEP and DSST Exam Prep Discussion (https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb)
+-- Forum: Miscellaneous (https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Forum-Miscellaneous)
+--- Forum: Off Topic (https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Forum-Off-Topic)
+--- Thread: Which language would you learn? (/Thread-Which-language-would-you-learn)
Which language would you learn? - ironheadjack - 03-10-2014
I recently read an article that said studying/knowing a second language can help to stave off dementia in old age. And that got me thinking about learning a second language while I'm still young.
I thought it would be a fun Off-topic discussion if people shared their choices for foreign language study.
My first obvious choice would be Spanish, then French. My "random choice" would be Afrikaans, ever since I learned about the language it has intrigued me.
So, what language would you guys and gals choose to learn?
Which language would you learn? - dewisant - 03-10-2014
I took 2 years of Spanish in high school, lived for 4 years in West Germany, and always wanted to learn to speak French. Watch some foreign films and see what you like!
Which language would you learn? - sanantone - 03-11-2014
Spanish - At least half of the social service jobs in South Texas require or prefer someone who is fluent in Spanish.
Farsi - It's the easiest language I've found that's needed by the federal government.
I took 3 years of Spanish in high school. I was even in honors and pre-AP Spanish and still can't speak it. I've studied Farsi a little using Pimsleur, but they only offer one level. The only other option is Rosetta Stone, but I've tried that and it was terrible.
Which language would you learn? - publius2k4 - 03-11-2014
On a semi-related topic (not trying to hijack your thread),
but Kentucky is working on legislation that would allow for computer programming languages to count as foreign language credits!
Kentucky law could let kids swap foreign language classes for coding lessons
Which language would you learn? - sanantone - 03-11-2014
That's kind of cool, but I think every state should have a technology requirement. I had to take a tech course in high school. I chose the easiest one, but now I wish I would have chosen Java.
Which language would you learn? - HorseManiac - 03-11-2014
My first choice would be Spanish. Don't really know why, but I've always enjoyed it. I took like 4 years of Spanish in high school, but just like sanantone, I can't speak it.
Which language would you learn? - mrs.b - 03-11-2014
Spanish, for the very reasons sanantone described; it's not always a mentioned job preference or requirement around here, but talking to other HR peeps, there's usually a slight pay bump for individuals who are bilingual in Spanish. It's one of the courses my kiddo requested for next year's homeschool curriculum, so his daddy and I are going to learn alongside him and we'll speak as we learn. Found a nice, kiddo-friendly curriculum for it.
My second choice is a tie between Italian or Portugese. I love the cultures of the countries and would love to travel to each sometime to see historical sites, and I'm against the idea of being an "arrogant American" that ventures into a foreign country without knowing at least the basics of the native language.
Which language would you learn? - ShotoJuku - 03-11-2014
tlhIngan jatlh vIneH !!!
Which language would you learn? - LaterBloomer - 03-11-2014
Don't know what I want to learn, but I know I couldn't learn ANY language that was...tonal? In Chinese, "ma' can mean one of four things depending on the tone. I'm tone deaf. I'm glad I wasn't born in China or no one would understand me!
Which language would you learn? - Johann - 03-11-2014
I hope studying languages DOES stave off dementia, as someone here said! I'm 71 and over the years, I've "been to school" for a few languages - French, German, Latin, Italian, Spanish, Chinese (hardest of ALL by far!) and Ukrainian. In recent times, I've learned a bit of Bible Greek and picked up some Yiddish. Yiddish wasn't that difficult as it has a lot of German vocabulary content. It's properly written in a slightly modified Hebrew Alphabet - which, believe it or not, my Latin teacher taught me when I was 12. He was a wonderful teacher, who knew over a dozen languages and taught us the Hebrew and Greek alphabets, to show us the story of our own Roman alphabet.
You may laugh and say that Latin isn't very useful but
(1) 65% of English comes from Latin words and there's nothing like Latin to help improve knowledge of English
(2) It sure helps a person know how French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Romanian got to where they are.
(3) If you've learned Latin grammar - you've pretty much learned grammar - period. You have a framework to apply to other languages.
I just decided the other day I should learn Polish. I've downloaded some videos and a free grammar.
Trzymajcie kciuki za mnie! (I hope) that means "wish me luck."
Johann