I think the first language most Yanks should learn to speak, read and write fluently is English. 
+1, although I don't think Theymos has any outstanding issues in this department. 
Topic: Which (natural) language should I learn? - page 2. (Read 10624 times)
I think the first language most Yanks should learn to speak, read and write fluently is English.
Quote from: (some guy in the second Matrix movie)
I love French wine, like I love the French language. I have sampled every language, French is my favorite. Fantastic language. Especially to curse with. Nom de dieu de putain de bordel de merde de saloperie de connard d'enculer ta mère. It's like wiping your arse with silk. I love it.
Most people that don't speak English as second language, usually speak German or French, but most likely German. Regardless which language you choose, learn Japanese as your third, for good fun and mental exercise.
The only places I can imagine where people would speak german but not english (besides old people in Germany/Austria/Switzerland that have already forgotten english or never learnt it properly) would maybe be some rural areas in the neighbouring countries of the native german ones...
As you said you don't know any other natural language so far, I'd really recommend you to watch a few movies you already know (or you don't know) in both french and spanish (maybe subtitled so you also see how it's written). Then choose the one that you like most. "I have to learn a language for college but actually want to learn japanese" is not a very strong motivator in my opinon and you'l need a LOT of motivation to learn a language from scratch.
Most people that don't speak English as second language, usually speak German or French, but most likely German. Regardless which language you choose, learn Japanese as your third, for good fun and mental exercise.
It might be helpful to know if you speak any other languages besides english (and which level)...
I don't speak any other languages.
At the age of 40-something, I started learning Japanese. I know enough to get me around the place and scare the locals. I also learn kanji and can read enough, but still enjoy the slow progress I'm making. If you're wanting to learn that later in life, starting now makes some sense.
I could have learnt Chinese, as may more people speak it, and in the future (a few decades) they will be a major international influence, however, my interest was in Japan, not China), While in Kyoto recently we met a student from Shanghai - amongst her amazing traits was fluent english, chinese and japanese and could simultaneously translate between the three. She was very smart - doing law.
I could have learnt Chinese, as may more people speak it, and in the future (a few decades) they will be a major international influence, however, my interest was in Japan, not China), While in Kyoto recently we met a student from Shanghai - amongst her amazing traits was fluent english, chinese and japanese and could simultaneously translate between the three. She was very smart - doing law.
Well, if you meet someone about your age that is native in german, there are very high chances (s)he'll be better in english than you in german...
Actually, the chances are that she'll speak better English than you speak English.
Well, if you meet someone about your age that is native in german, there are very high chances (s)he'll be better in english than you in german...
I never got why anyone would learn italian, after all it's only spoken in 1 country, this leaves french, spanish and chinese.
It might be helpful to know if you speak any other languages besides english (and which level)... chinese might be really interesting but is probably a pain in the ass to learn outside of China. between french and spanish it really boils down to what you consider more interesting - just learning a language for the sake of it has no real point in my opinion, so plan a nice trip to Canada/France/Haiti or the southern part of North America and below/Spain asap or at least hang out with some exchange students.
I never got why anyone would learn italian, after all it's only spoken in 1 country, this leaves french, spanish and chinese.
It might be helpful to know if you speak any other languages besides english (and which level)... chinese might be really interesting but is probably a pain in the ass to learn outside of China. between french and spanish it really boils down to what you consider more interesting - just learning a language for the sake of it has no real point in my opinion, so plan a nice trip to Canada/France/Haiti or the southern part of North America and below/Spain asap or at least hang out with some exchange students.
... so now theymos? What is your decision?
Not totally sure yet. Probably I'll make an impulse decision about it at the last moment. I'm leaning toward French, though.
I'll post here when I've made a final decision.
I'm from Quebec, Canada, my native language is french.
I would say that french and spanish are really similar, and when you know one, it's easy to learn the other. I've followed spanish courses a couple of years ago, and even if I've forgot almost everything of it and didn't practice it, I can still understand basic spanish. A lot of words are similar and sentences are written almost the same way. Sure, it's not the exact same thing, but going from english to french to spanish or english to spanish to french is going to be a lot easier than going from english to mandarin.
I don't know how many languages you want to learn, but tell yourself that if you learn french, you already know somes bases of spanish (or vice-versa).
Best way to learn a language is to immerse yourself in a country that speaks it. And since Québec is awesome, you should come here. We'll teach you hockey, beer and sacrer (because Tabarnak is the best word ever
). 
... so now theymos? What is your decision?
Not totally sure yet. Probably I'll make an impulse decision about it at the last moment. I'm leaning toward French, though.
I'll post here when I've made a final decision.
French school: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_E-MST5yvg
... so now theymos? What is your decision?
Not totally sure yet. Probably I'll make an impulse decision about it at the last moment. I'm leaning toward French, though.
I'll post here when I've made a final decision.
... so now theymos? What is your decision?
btw: This is german too!
I´d say at 0:24 there is a faulty german to german translation.
btw: This is german too!
I´d say at 0:24 there is a faulty german to german translation.
Also, the language will make literally make your ears bleed: it is very guttural and anything
but delicate. Wait till the hotties in the picture above start to actually open their mouth to say
something and you will run away scared.
My totally unbiased opinion, of course
How interesting. I've heard some other people say this, but my opinion is the exact opposite: I find German quite pleasant, but I just can't stand Spanish.
... and she spoke the one from Little Lithuania, whatever that meant.
I´d guess she came somewhere from Königsberg now called Kaliningrad and spoke Nehrungskurisch (don´t know the englisch translation). College doesn't offer Navajo?
Yá'át'ééh, E la na tte?
Dinéena bizaad doo shi?
Háadish yah anída'aldah góne'?
Ahéhee', Nizhónígo Nee Ado’ááł.
If you want to try some languages, here are some free courses:
http://fsi-language-courses.org/Content.php
I vote for Chinese. Guo Tie (gwo-tee-eh) is one of my favorites. No it's not a music artist.
http://mandarintools.com/chardict.html
The first Chinese phrase I learned: Doonay luo mu hi!
The only downside to learning to speak Mandarin is going into Chinese restaraunts and finding they speak Cantonese.
Yá'át'ééh, E la na tte?
Dinéena bizaad doo shi?
Háadish yah anída'aldah góne'?
Ahéhee', Nizhónígo Nee Ado’ááł.
If you want to try some languages, here are some free courses:
http://fsi-language-courses.org/Content.php
I vote for Chinese. Guo Tie (gwo-tee-eh) is one of my favorites. No it's not a music artist.
http://mandarintools.com/chardict.html
The first Chinese phrase I learned: Doonay luo mu hi!
The only downside to learning to speak Mandarin is going into Chinese restaraunts and finding they speak Cantonese.
I've always thought that Navajo was only a spoken language. Guess I was wrong.
My grandmother used to tell me that there were two different Lithuanian languages, and she spoke the one from Little Lithuania, whatever that meant.
Here's another attempt to convince theymos that German should be his choice.
Mijn luchtkussenboot zit vol paling, theymos.
~Cackling Bear~
More than 70 million germans don´t speak Low German: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOg_8A-Zfn0
College doesn't offer Navajo?
Yá'át'ééh, E la na tte?
Dinéena bizaad doo shi?
Háadish yah anída'aldah góne'?
Ahéhee', Nizhónígo Nee Ado’ááł.
If you want to try some languages, here are some free courses:
http://fsi-language-courses.org/Content.php
I vote for Chinese. Guo Tie (gwo-tee-eh) is one of my favorites. No it's not a music artist.
http://mandarintools.com/chardict.html
The first Chinese phrase I learned: Doonay luo mu hi!
The only downside to learning to speak Mandarin is going into Chinese restaraunts and finding they speak Cantonese.
Yá'át'ééh, E la na tte?
Dinéena bizaad doo shi?
Háadish yah anída'aldah góne'?
Ahéhee', Nizhónígo Nee Ado’ááł.
If you want to try some languages, here are some free courses:
http://fsi-language-courses.org/Content.php
I vote for Chinese. Guo Tie (gwo-tee-eh) is one of my favorites. No it's not a music artist.
http://mandarintools.com/chardict.html
The first Chinese phrase I learned: Doonay luo mu hi!
The only downside to learning to speak Mandarin is going into Chinese restaraunts and finding they speak Cantonese.
I advocate learning as many as one can. Neither German nor French should be particularly difficult starting points. Theymos is not likely to get very far with Chinese in a year while remaining on American soil. However, Chinese will help if he intends to learn Japanese later but not much. Except for a handful of characters and old cultural ties, the two languages are quite different (perhaps Japanese is grammatically and lexicographically closer to English than Chinese).
I personally think Germanic languages (which includes English) are ugly. For me the opportunities to speak and the pleasure of the spoken word are most motivating. I speak French and a few Germanic languages, and while not fluent, I enjoy forming words in Spanish more than any other language on Theymos' short list (others being Romanian, Pali/sanskrit, Hausa, any tonal language, and I imagine Khoisan languages).
Given the short timespan and indecision, it might be worth considering the British Foreign Office's categorization from easiest to hardest for native English speakers (diplomats) to learn:
Level 1
Spanish, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Italian, Portuguese
Level 2
Swahili, Icelandic, Malay, Indonesian, Romanian
Level 3
Finnish, Croatian, Serbian, Latvian, Czech, Hungarian
Level 4
Arabic, Russian, Persian
Level 5
Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Korean
Yay! I know a Level 2 and a Level 5 Language. That makes me a Level 9! I personally think Germanic languages (which includes English) are ugly. For me the opportunities to speak and the pleasure of the spoken word are most motivating. I speak French and a few Germanic languages, and while not fluent, I enjoy forming words in Spanish more than any other language on Theymos' short list (others being Romanian, Pali/sanskrit, Hausa, any tonal language, and I imagine Khoisan languages).
Given the short timespan and indecision, it might be worth considering the British Foreign Office's categorization from easiest to hardest for native English speakers (diplomats) to learn:
Level 1
Spanish, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Italian, Portuguese
Level 2
Swahili, Icelandic, Malay, Indonesian, Romanian
Level 3
Finnish, Croatian, Serbian, Latvian, Czech, Hungarian
Level 4
Arabic, Russian, Persian
Level 5
Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Korean
You're such an idiot! 2 and 5 make 8. Aren't you learned?
~Cackling Bear~
By bad, too. I concur.
~Cackling Bear~
I advocate learning as many as one can. Neither German nor French should be particularly difficult starting points. Theymos is not likely to get very far with Chinese in a year while remaining on American soil. However, Chinese will help if he intends to learn Japanese later but not much. Except for a handful of characters and old cultural ties, the two languages are quite different (perhaps Japanese is grammatically and lexicographically closer to English than Chinese).
I personally think Germanic languages (which includes English) are ugly. For me the opportunities to speak and the pleasure of the spoken word are most motivating. I speak French and a few Germanic languages, and while not fluent, I enjoy forming words in Spanish more than any other language on Theymos' short list (others being Romanian, Pali/sanskrit, Hausa, any tonal language, and I imagine Khoisan languages).
Given the short timespan and indecision, it might be worth considering the British Foreign Office's categorization from easiest to hardest for native English speakers (diplomats) to learn:
Level 1
Spanish, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Italian, Portuguese
Level 2
Swahili, Icelandic, Malay, Indonesian, Romanian
Level 3
Finnish, Croatian, Serbian, Latvian, Czech, Hungarian
Level 4
Arabic, Russian, Persian
Level 5
Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Korean
Yay! I know a Level 2 and a Level 5 Language. That makes me a Level 9! I personally think Germanic languages (which includes English) are ugly. For me the opportunities to speak and the pleasure of the spoken word are most motivating. I speak French and a few Germanic languages, and while not fluent, I enjoy forming words in Spanish more than any other language on Theymos' short list (others being Romanian, Pali/sanskrit, Hausa, any tonal language, and I imagine Khoisan languages).
Given the short timespan and indecision, it might be worth considering the British Foreign Office's categorization from easiest to hardest for native English speakers (diplomats) to learn:
Level 1
Spanish, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Italian, Portuguese
Level 2
Swahili, Icelandic, Malay, Indonesian, Romanian
Level 3
Finnish, Croatian, Serbian, Latvian, Czech, Hungarian
Level 4
Arabic, Russian, Persian
Level 5
Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Korean
You're such an idiot! 2 and 5 make 8. Aren't you learned?
~Cackling Bear~
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