Education I vant to Learn anuzzer Language!

Yep, I want to learn another one...

At the moment, I am fluent (Understand, speak, read write) in:

English (spoken since birth)
Bengal (spoken since birth)
French (100% at GCSE level)

and understand, and speak conversational Hindi/Urdu.

Now I could go three ways:

1) I think the best thing to do, for the near future, would be to learn another European language. I have an understanding of basic German, and could build on that, or otherwise, I would go Spanish, or maybe Portuguese.

2) Alternatively, I could go for something which works on a completely different system, and go for either Arabic, Mandarin, or Japanese.

3) I could learn something completely random, like Klingon or !Xóõ (not much use to me in the real world, but will make a brilliant conversaational piece )


So which do you reckon I should go for?

And what is your take on language? Which do you speak? And what are your experiences?

 

I only speak English, absolutely hate learning languages, probably one of my biggest hates in the world.

 

Japanese.


I'm only learning it cause I'm sick of subtitles on Anime.

 

Id go for spanish.

 

Mandarin / Spanish if you want a useful language.

I'm not great at learning languages - I've been trying to learn a bit of Russian recently but as soon as I try to learn some I realize that I can't really be bothered.

 

I'd love to learn Japanese, I want to spend a year or two living there so I can speak the language as that seems to be the best way to learn. If I was you, I would learn whichever language takes my fancy, always looks good on the CV even if it doesn't come useful in a job, the widest spoken language is obviously going to be most useful if you want it for "wordly use" so to speak.

 

Rubbish, learn German, Germany has a biig economy, think of the business connections we have with German companies and then think of the potential value as an employee you could add if you could speak German.

 

German +1

 

Mandarin if you really want a challenge and since in 20 years time we'll all have to speak it. Spanish if you want something equally as useful.

Between Mandarin, Spanish and English you can speak to 90% of the world in some way or another. If you don't want to leave Europe - then German, probably.

I HATE learning languages. I tried Mandarin recently and promptly failed massively since I have a mind with holes the size of a moon.

 

mandarin.

you already know english so thats most of the world covered, mandarin will be the next, shortly followed by the handful spoken in the lower eastern part of asia . french is lovely, the girls love it.

 

I hated learning languages at school, although Michel Thomas made it a lot easier for me. Should really dig out my French discs at some point and listen to them all the way through. I've got a sample Manderin CD as well so might give that a try, although my life should really be consumed with learning programming languages at this point in time.

 

Quenya. What?

 

Whoa - High Elvish. Fun but not easily written. Sindarin is a second choice if you wish to follow this path.

On Topic:
If it is for usability - Mandarin or Business Japanese. German or Russian.

If it it for an historical language that is written but no longer spoken go with hieroglyphic like Cuneiform.

Ancient Greek, ancient Hebrew, all could be fun. Tough to find a paperback in Olde English.
Many languages, so little time.
What is your end goal? Spoken or written that you can translate?
Chaucer in Middle English was required at one of my Universities.

John

 

Arabic. that combined with Hindi, Urdu, and English means you can work anywhere in the GCC.

 

madarin Cheesecake

 

If you want to stick with a Euro language, I'd say go German. For elsewhere, I'd say Japanese or Mandarin. As far as purely fun languages, something Klingon or High Elven would be great fun.

By the way, I agree with kingred, we do like French! Oh... and a British accented fellow who can speak French fluently... killer!

 

/makes note.

 

Anyone remember that advert with the sexy french lady asking for piles cream?
Can't find it atm

 

Yeah right

 

I was originally going to add something like: <drops panties now> but decided an august forum such as bit-tech warrants more decorum. (yeah, right!)