What language would you learn?

Freefaller · 4 Oct 2006 at 09:04

This was prompted by reading Scuzi's thread about greetings in numerous languages I was wondering how many people here would be interested in learning another language. Or just wish they could speak. And if so what language would you want to learn/know and why?

Furthermore if you're not interested in learning another language - why not?

Also, would you make the effort to learn a few words of a language relating to the country you are visiting?

Do you feel a bit embarassed or irritated when you go abroad and are completely clueless?

For me, I'd love to be able to speak Russian and Italian. Russian has always had an appeal for me for some reason, there's something very interesting about the language and the sound of it and the structure in which sentences are formed as well as the interaction.

Italian is just SUCH a beautiful language - whenever I'm in Italy I just get weak at the knees hearing the people talk. Most of the time it's in a marina or a shipyard and it sounds like they are having a huge a fight all the time

but it's just fabulous to listen to.

I always make sure I learn enough in which ever country I go to to get by - i.e. order food, say please/thank you, ask for directions, basic questions (how are you/where is/etc....) Maybe I have an advantage owing to my multicultural /multilingual background and it makes me more interested in such cultural/language differences?

I guess languages aren't for everyone anyway but it's nice to know that people make the effort.

Freefaller · 4 Oct 2006 at 09:31

You see I travel a lot and I'm constantly surrounded by other languages. Obviously I'd never be able to learn all the languages of all the places I go (this is for work by the way, not just holidays). I'm currently spending a lot of time in Germany, and have picked up a bit of it, enough to get by VERY basically but I'm happy I've made the effort.

I can understand people's reticence in wanting to learn new languages especially if they don't travel - furthermore so many people speak english now it easy to be lazy about it.

Other than new languages I'd like to improve my other languages to higher levels... but that can only happen living in the countries and using it every day really.

Freefaller · 4 Oct 2006 at 10:40

cleanbluesky said:
Nail, head.

I think a lot of people still need to speak English properly as well.

Absolutely... I mean if I can... everyone should be able to!

Freefaller · 4 Oct 2006 at 10:50

@if ®afiq said:
Slightly OT, but which is the most common langauge in Europe (not including English)?

I'd say probably German, closely followed by French.

Freefaller · 4 Oct 2006 at 12:18

pyro said:
Italian and Arabic, I can understand some Italian but Arabic looks Chinese to me, I would most probably suck at it too! I would stay for another year in Italy, that place rocks, you have really nice pizza and ice cream and you can also make fun of the way Italians dress, like what more could you want from a country?

Μάγκα μου, όλα καλλά;

I'm the same, I can sort of get by listening to Italian (thanks to my French and Spanish). I do love Italy too - but then again like you, the Mediterranean is my kinda place

My Arabic used to be at least GCSE standard probably a bit more - unfortunately I've let it slide - it's a fascinating language wrapped up in one of the most interesting cultures the world has to offer. Hearing my lebanese friends talk it's so soft and gentle, almost like singing. Dammit I need to move back to the middle east

(well I would if the west would stop interfering

)

ti kanis Apostolis? Kalla?

Freefaller · 4 Oct 2006 at 13:02

pyro said:
Well if you know French (or Spanish and even Romanian) it's pretty easy to pick up the language, I just love the way it sounds! What puts me off in Arabic is the writting, I mean it's impossible for me to distinguish different letters, it looks like an artist drawing in loops for me

Mia xara file mou, pos pernas sti Germania?

The problem with Italian when you know french and spanish is that you get the lot confused - quite a lot too... well I do anyway

I like the arabic script, but yes it is confusing as hell. Futhermore they have no verb "to be" - so it's quite counter intuitive.

I Germani einai kourastiki ergasia, alla einai kala. Omos, poli boliasholos!

Freefaller · 4 Oct 2006 at 13:34

For an englishman German is easier - or so I've been told by friends who have studied both and are very much linguists.

Obviously I can't state what it's like to learn French from my perspective

Germany has a big IT industry but then again so does France - it's which ever appeals the most to you, having an additional European language is going to help you regardless. However with French and German you'd be pretty much sorted.

Freefaller · 6 Oct 2006 at 11:34

cheets64 said:
I'd only learn English, the English langauge is fast and I am proud millions and millions of people speak it, I can go to many countries and speak English, Ignorant No, Power of the British Empire YES to this day still.

Thanks for cheering me up - that was great!

Freefaller · 6 Oct 2006 at 11:51

I would love to improve my Greek - it's emabrassing being 1/4 cypriot and not really being fluent, I can get by fine, and have simple conversations, but I should be better.

My arabic I'd love to get back up to scratch but I seldom go there anymore

It's a fantastic language.