What language to learn?

Ricochet J · 16 Jul 2009 at 23:36

I’m studying engineering and I’m going to learn a language in September. I've got a choice between:
Mandarin
German
Italian
Spanish
Japanese

I've narrowed it down to:
1. Mandarin - Very useful as it's commonly spoken in China and the capital city. It's an emerging country that will no doubt be a super power in the future.

2. German - I was told this is an easy language to learn. The engineering sector there is immense and I would favour this as the "easy" option.

3. Japanese - Once again, engineering here is a big industry so learning the language would be great. Not as hard as Mandarin but much harder than German.

Which one do you think I should consider? I want to learn Mandarin but after doing a lot of reading - it's bloody hard!

Any advice would be great, thanks!

theleg · 16 Jul 2009 at 23:37

As an engineer, id suggest you learn mandarin.
but it really depends on your own ambitions and future plans...if youre gonna be working in europe, one of the euro languages would be best..

Van Hellseek · 16 Jul 2009 at 23:37

Japanese women = hot.

/thread.

Ricochet J · 16 Jul 2009 at 23:38

seek said:
Japanese women = hot.

/thread.

Very tempting.

Viper² · 16 Jul 2009 at 23:38

German.. but it isn't that easy. There are 16 words for 'The'.

Ricochet J · 16 Jul 2009 at 23:41

I was told it's a lot closer to English than any other language. I was also told they don't use different feminine or masculine words. Oh and we have different word for "the" too!
1. Da
2. Tha
3. Thee
4. Ta
5. Dat
Etc

Edit: Why German?

RandomTom · 16 Jul 2009 at 23:46

I want to learn a language at the moment, and really want to live out in other countries. I'm going to go for Mandarin; because if it's good enough for 20% of the ever increasing in wealth persons on the planet then I'll give it a go.

It may help in future business relations too.

chloe_20081 · 16 Jul 2009 at 23:49

I'd say German my friend learns it and it's supposed to be easy pronunciation most of the words look like that they are said.

Viper² · 16 Jul 2009 at 23:50

Ricochet J said:
I was told it's a lot closer to English than any other language. I was also told they don't use different feminine or masculine words. Oh and we have different word for "the" too!
1. Da
2. Tha
3. Thee
4. Ta
5. Dat
Etc

Edit: Why German?

Der Die Das Die
Den Die Das Die
Des Der Des Der
Dem Der Dem Den

(I think.

Long time since I did it)

But it's probably really easy once you have mastered the annoying bits.

Burnsy2023 · 16 Jul 2009 at 23:52

I need to do more German. As a German passport holder, I feel I should at least be able to hold a decent conversation

Chojin · 16 Jul 2009 at 23:56

German, in preparation of the Nazi's return from the moon.

CBJ · 17 Jul 2009 at 00:01

The Germans have an expression "Deutsche Sprache, Schwere Sprache" which translates literally as "German language, difficult language". The things that are hard in German are generally the things that are easy in English and vice versa. So the grammar and strict word ordering rules take some getting used to, but the spelling and pronunciation are a doddle. However difficulty is relative. Learning an Indo-European language which shares many of its roots, not to mention a fair bit of vocabulary, with English is always going to be easier for an English-speaker than learning something wildly different. With Mandarin and Japanese you're starting with a totally new script, you've got tonal pronunciation to deal with (in Mandarin at least), and little or nothing in the way of familiar grammar or vocabulary.

If you want the easy option the German is absolutely the best choice. However, if you want the language that's most likely to be useful to you in the future then you have a tougher decision.