Foreign Language

[public-enemy1]

Next semester, I have to start a foreign language. I'm leaning towards German or French. I wanted to ask you guys for an opinion. Do any of you speak a foreign language? If so, which, and how difficult was it to learn?

[fahrenheit]

Learn american sign language.

[public-enemy1]

At 2/11/08 12:20 AM, fahrenheit wrote: Learn american sign language.

Good idea...no.

[ThePigeonMaster]

I was excited when i was goin to enter to the high school cause i was going to take french calsses... I'm from mexico so i speak spanish... French's cousin language... It has some similar things but the grammar rules are hard! and no telling about the pronuntiation of the words!

German is damn harder!

[Bolo]

If you're going towards practicality, neither of those are viable options, because nobody speaks them in America.

If you just want the credits, though, I'd say go with French. It's more bearable to have to sit through a class where the language sounds pretty.

[cellardoor6]

I prefer German. I took it in highschool and went to Germany as an exchange student. I think it's a more pleasant, satisfying language to speak when you get it right. I like the flow of it and the sounds a lot more than French or Spanish. Also, German is simply a more interesting country than France or any Latin American country.

But as far as practicality, it would be wiser to learn Spanish (even though it's a shitty-sounding language in my opinion). If you're American there's not much opportunity or incentive to speak German, French, Italian etc... Because of this, you'll lose your skills even if you do really well at first. I lost a lot of my German skills, I haven't spoken to anyone in German for like 2 years, at least not a German speaker.

The same probably wouldn't be true if I spoke Spanish because I have to deal with a lot of Mexicans and other Spanish-speaking people. I get put in situations almost every week where there's someone who doesn't speak English very well and I wish I could tell them off in their own language instead of having them looking confused when I say "no, I don't have any fucking 'molta', damn it".

[cellardoor6]

At 2/11/08 02:16 AM, cellardoor6 wrote: Also, German is simply a more interesting country than France or any Latin American country.

Or Spain for that matter.

[Bolo]

At 2/11/08 02:17 AM, cellardoor6 wrote:

At 2/11/08 02:16 AM, cellardoor6 wrote: Also, German is simply a more interesting country than France or any Latin American country.

Or Spain for that matter.

I'm not sure you can just categorically say that.

France and Spain have been around for a lot longer than Germany has (the German confederation was formed in 1814, after Napoleon's invasion, and I hardly think individual Germanic tribes from the Roman era constitutes a unified country), as individual countries. They've had quite a few more wars than Germany has, although perhaps the scope of the German-initiated 20th century wars renders them roughly equal with each other.

Of course, everything is very subjective, but I find a lot of French history (revolution, and art forms, especially) to be more interesting than equivalent German, up until the 1900s.

[Slizor]

Learn Spanish, it's more widely spoken than German or French. Plus, if you learn french all you can talk to is god damn Frenchies.

[KeithHybrid]

I'm currently learning Japanese. It's hard at first because it has links to Latin, like English. However, once you get a hang of grammar and sentence structure, it starts getting easier.

[Earfetish]

Arabic or Chinese.

I'd prefer German over French myself though, but both are equally good. German sounds more like English than French.

[EndGameOmega]

Well I learned a bit of Japaneses, Latin, and also klingon! Why klingon? Because I have no life :D

At 2/11/08 11:27 AM, KeithHybrid wrote: I'm currently learning Japanese. It's hard at first because it has links to Latin, like English. However, once you get a hang of grammar and sentence structure, it starts getting easier.

Uh, there are no grammatical or syntactical links to Latin in Japaneses. There are however some loan words, is that what you meant?

[Der-Lowe]

At 2/11/08 12:06 AM, public-enemy1 wrote: Next semester, I have to start a foreign language. I'm leaning towards German or French. I wanted to ask you guys for an opinion.

European languages aren't as useful as they used to be, I'd say go for Spanish, because of the geographical position the US has, Japanese or Chinese, since that's where the money's going.

Do any of you speak a foreign language?

English, and some German.

If so, which, and how difficult was it to learn?

I've studied English since I was very little, and I learned it playing, so it was never hard for me. I started studying German when I was 13 (after I managed to pass FCE), and it was a harder because I was older, and because it's a more complicated language.

At 2/11/08 02:16 AM, cellardoor6 wrote: German is simply a more interesting country than France or any Latin American country.

Well, that is rather subjective.

But as far as practicality, it would be wiser to learn Spanish (even though it's a shitty-sounding language in my opinion).

You like the language if you like the people who speak it.

"no, I don't have any fucking 'molta', damn it".

what's molta?

At 2/11/08 11:44 AM, EndGameOmega wrote: Why klingon? Because I have no life :D

Lol, I like your sincerity.

[jcorishas]

At 2/11/08 12:06 AM, public-enemy1 wrote: Next semester, I have to start a foreign language. I'm leaning towards German or French.

I'd say learn Spanish since it's the closest to English, has simple grammatical rules and a lot of the world speaks it. Watching a lot of Spanish TV would help you get the hang of pronunciation and the difference between formal and informal terms.

Do any of you speak a foreign language? If so, which, and how difficult was it to learn?

Well, my mother tongue is Spanish. I learned English in grade school and from watching TV. English was pretty easy to learn since it has a large number of similarities to Spanish. Immersing yourself in another language speeds up the learning process so I'd recommend listening to Spanish music, watching Spanish TV, maybe reading some Spanish children's books (not books like "Don Quixote" until your proficient). I'm currently teaching myself French but it's a bastard to get the hang of.

[Imperator]

At 2/11/08 12:06 AM, public-enemy1 wrote: Next semester, I have to start a foreign language. I'm leaning towards German or French.

Do you have any specific goals or desires to get out of your study, or do you just wanna fulfill the requirement and be done with it?

Do any of you speak a foreign language?

My Spanish is not fluent, but I can communicate ok. I can read it fine.

Latin has actually helped with my spanish and english.

If so, which, and how difficult was it to learn?

Spanish wasn't bad, the rules are fairly simple and it doesn't throw too many curves. You speak what's written, unlike French and English, where you have "silent letters".

I never got into Spanish though, I took it to fill the requirements. Nothing more.

Latin is nice because you don't have to speak it, but it's based on a case system, which is vastly different from most other languages.

I think it's rather fun to learn, and it's not terribly difficult, but it can throw some curves, especially in poetry. Helps with English and all Romance Languages though, and let's you understand all the Latin mottos and slogans you see everywhere.

In your case I'd probably prefer French. Prettier country, prettier language. Probably picks up chicks better too, although Greek or Italian are the best for that.

[Imperator]

Probably picks up chicks better too, although Greek or Italian are the best for that.

Apparently Latin hasn't helped enough with my Engrish....

Greek or Italian *is* the best for that.

Singular subject, singular verb......

[cellardoor6]

At 2/11/08 02:44 AM, Bolo wrote:

At 2/11/08 02:17 AM, cellardoor6 wrote:

At 2/11/08 02:16 AM, cellardoor6 wrote: Also, German is simply a more interesting country than France or any Latin American country.

Or Spain for that matter.

I'm not sure you can just categorically say that.

It's my opinion.

France and Spain have been around for a lot longer than Germany has (the German confederation was formed in 1814, after Napoleon's invasion, and I hardly think individual Germanic tribes from the Roman era constitutes a unified country), as individual countries.

You can't categorically say that either.

People have lived in what is today Germany just about as long as people lived in what is today France. Gaul might have been a civilization (a union of tribes) in an area more similar to the modern borders before Germanic tribes established themselves as any sort of union in its modern borders, but the France today is not older than the Germany today.

You said the German federation was formed in 1814, well the current 5th French Republic wasn't formed until 1958. If you want to argue about who existed longer based on the nomenclature, that doesn't really take into account you defending it being more interesting in that regard, both French and German culture extends beyond when they were officially referred to as such.

Highly subjective, because German culture isn't necessarily confined within the current borders it has, and the Holy Roman Empire (which existed in what is today Germany) was founded only about a century after France was founded, in 962 (France was dubbed as such 843). So one could reasonably attribute the Holy Roman Empire to what is modern Germany. And before then, civilizations in "Germania" were around almost back to 1000 BC as unified cultures, you could attribute their exploits to Germany today as well. Just like people tend to do with France, attributing the exploits of the Gauls to modern-day France.

Plus, Germany as a country is more than just what it inherited from indigenous people. Germany has had immigrants that have augmented their culture for centuries.

I've been to Spain, France, and Germany... I've been all around Europe and I think Germany is a more interesting place, and a more pleasant place for that matter.

That's my opinion, but I have a point of reference, I don't think you do.

They've had quite a few more wars than Germany has

Um...

That's not necessarily true, it depends on how you want to define what you can attribute to "Germany" or to "France".

although perhaps the scope of the German-initiated 20th century wars renders them roughly equal with each other.

Germanic tribes fought the Romans at about the same time the Gauls did. In fact, the final fall of Rome was caused by Odoacer, a Germanic general who led Germanic tribes.

To pretend that Germany doesn't have an interesting military history is odd. The only way you can discount it is to resort to semantics and refuse to attribute what Germanic tribes did to modern Germany, but then again according to that logic you'd have to refuse to attribute what the Gauls did to France.

Either way your argument holds no water. You can say you like France more as a matter of opinion, but you can't claim as a fact that French culture is older and therefore automatically more interesting.

[SmilezRoyale]

Consider the following;

1) What Country do you live in?
2) What Field of business do you want to get involved with?
3) What do you think will look best on your resume?
4) What do you think you will enjoy the most?

If i were you, i would take mandarin Chinese; a challenging course, and useful for business when the chinese take over the planet MUHAHHAHAHA!!!

[fli]

Let's put it this way:
Spanish can get you a job NOW because it's a practical language to learn. Your job opportunity opens twice fold because companies want to tap into the Spanish speaking communities in the US because it is still an untapped market right there for the most part. And you don't need to the very fluent... if you can learn the declension and a few choice verbs and nouns... you can be making money right now.

If you're in high school, you can learn simultaneously all the Latin (and some Greek) root words and score big on the vocab section of the SAT. German has only few practical morphemes for that section (although, it's grammatical structure may help your grammar overall.)

German is good... if you're a germanphile... or if you German speaking relatives... or you're going to Germany. But it's usefulness is limited pretty much right there.

[The-evil-bucket]

I took Latin. It's not as hard as people think. It's not much different from any other Romance languages, obviously.

[andrease]

Swedish :D?

You'll probably be the only one that knows some in your whole school :)

[Der-Lowe]

At 2/11/08 06:31 PM, SevenSeize wrote: I found Spanish to be MUCH easier to learn than French.

I took 5 years of Spanish and 2 of French.

And now you speak neither =P

At 2/11/08 05:14 PM, Imperator wrote: In your case I'd probably prefer French. Prettier country, prettier language. Probably picks up chicks better too, although Greek or Italian are the best for that.

Greek?

At 2/11/08 04:27 PM, jcorishas wrote:

At 2/11/08 12:06 AM, public-enemy1 wrote: Next semester, I have to start a foreign language. I'm leaning towards German or French.

I'd say learn Spanish since it's the closest to English,

Not really. German is closest.

At 2/11/08 07:30 PM, fli wrote: Let's put it this way:
Spanish can get you a job NOW because it's a practical language to learn.

I agree. It's like Portuguese here.

German is good... if you're a germanphile...

Like myself :D

At 2/11/08 07:59 PM, andrease wrote: Swedish :D?

You'll probably be the only one that knows some in your whole school :)

It's useful if you are a Chilean who wants to emigrate from his country, escaping from a totalitarian regime.

[Imperator]

At 2/11/08 08:45 PM, Der-Lowe wrote:

At 2/11/08 05:14 PM, Imperator wrote: In your case I'd probably prefer French. Prettier country, prettier language. Probably picks up chicks better too, although Greek or Italian are the best for that.

Greek?

yeah. Find a professor who speaks Greek (the ancient variety), and ask him to read the first 11 lines of Homer for you. Absolutely stunning sound, and in poetry almost has a life of it's own.

At 2/11/08 04:27 PM, jcorishas wrote:

At 2/11/08 12:06 AM, public-enemy1 wrote: Next semester, I have to start a foreign language. I'm leaning towards German or French.

I'd say learn Spanish since it's the closest to English,

Not really. German is closest.

I think it's classified as a Germanic language with a Latin vocab or something like that. Frankly, this means Latin actually "looks" the closest.

[v3ng3nc3]

At 2/11/08 12:06 AM, public-enemy1 wrote: Next semester, I have to start a foreign language. I'm leaning towards German or French. I wanted to ask you guys for an opinion. Do any of you speak a foreign language? If so, which, and how difficult was it to learn?

Take German for a fun language and spanish is definitely the easiest out there.

[Der-Lowe]

At 2/11/08 10:11 PM, v3ng3nc3 wrote:

At 2/11/08 12:06 AM, public-enemy1 wrote: Next semester, I have to start a foreign language. I'm leaning towards German or French. I wanted to ask you guys for an opinion. Do any of you speak a foreign language? If so, which, and how difficult was it to learn?

Take German for a fun language

What is a fun language?

and spanish is definitely the easiest out there.

Not really; although the reading is much simpler than in other languages, but there are some sounds that are difficult to pronounce for Saxons, and even to some Natives as well.

[catman03]

Learn something practical. If you live in Europe, learn german, french,or italian. If you live in north america learn spanish. If you live in south america learn spanish or portugese. It's always best to learn something you can actually use.

[MoinkMan]

Depending on what you want to do in the future.
but if you dont have plans to go to Germany or France learn English brail or sign language