NationStates Jolt Archive

I haven't started a thread in what seems like ages, so here goes nothing!

What are the merits of being, at very least, bilingual? What are the disadvantages, if any? How many languages should a person learn? How many languages should be taught to children in school? At what age?

Why would you need a reason? Language is like health - you can't get too much.

And there are no disadvantages. Honestly, I could never imagine being monolingual... do you people who are only think in one language? How limiting isn't that!

Why would you need a reason? Language is like health - you can't get too much.

And there are no disadvantages. Honestly, I could never imagine being monolingual... do you people who are only think in one language? How limiting isn't that!

I am only fluent in one language, but capable of getting by in several. I honestly know more programming languages than human languages,though. And I do strangely find myself thinking or dreaming in code, mostly when very stressed. However, I also find myself muttering or singing to myself in languages not understood by my current company. It doesn't seem to help or harm much, on a personal level.

Obscenities are more effective when your target doesn't understand what you're saying.

Obscenities are more effective when your target doesn't understand what you're saying.

QFT

My neighbor, who is about 80 years old and speaks fluent native French, finds it highly amusing to curse at me in French solely because I cannot understand a word of it. I pick up on the tone, and know enough to get angry, but retorts don't come out so well in English.

What are the merits of being, at very least, bilingual? It makes you a more well-rounded person.
If there's someone hot who doesn't speak English as a first language but speaks the language that you know, you would have an advantage in seducing them.

What are the disadvantages, if any? None that I can think of.

How many languages should a person learn? How many languages should be taught to children in school? At least two more.

At what age?Starting at 6. Perhaps earlier.

Because languages of all kinds are sexy

Because languages of all kinds are sexy

You must not have heard Dutch or Albanian. Total libido poison, both of them.

Understanding another language helps you better your grasp of your own. It improves your learning skills, and it gives you a valuable job-tool. All children should learn at least 1 second language, starting from a young age.

You must not have heard Dutch or Albanian. Total libido poison, both of them.
How can you not love a language with that many q's? It's like someone invented it for the sole purpose of cheating at Scrabble.

Very good thread.....as I am studying Japanese at this very moment!

My reason is to learn together with my fiance, so that we may communicate easily in both her native language and mine.


As far as being limiting in how you think.....not at all! An in depth knowledge of one language can provide at least as many ideas and concepts as an average person's knowledge of two languages.

I will agree that the fewer languages you know, the fewer potential friends you can meet!

Not to mention how loud it gets when a group of people are together and speaking 3-4 languages because they do not all share the ability to speak in one or even two languages. Was at dinner two months ago: two people spoke only italian, one person spoke italian-english, one person spoke only english, one person spoke english-russian, one person spoke english-french-italian-arabic-spanish, one person spoke english-french-african tribal language, and two more spoke japanese-french with only limited english

as a result, 9 people at a dinner table together, with italian, english, and french all being spoken as necessity for conversation.

despite the greatness of many languages, i hope that one day they will boil down to only 2-3 primary languages throughout the world, so that we may all speak together.

I don't like to think much of my French, but I have a desire to learn German and then possibly something Scandinavian or Dutch.

Dutch only to have an inkling of what the fuck is going on in a word. So many i's,j's, I just get lost.

Parsque le francais est le plus belle des langes!

You must not have heard Dutch or Albanian. Total libido poison, both of them.

Well it depends really on what one finds sexy. Some fail to find the appeal of the failing light of the failing day, but I guess it doesn’t matter because, I in a sense of the word fail…The word flies adrift in the failure and all the beauty is lost anyhow.

What are the merits of being, at very least, bilingual? Everybody loves you when you're bi ;)

Parsque le francais est le plus belle des langes!

Best reason to learn French-- so this isn't the only translation you get of the above quote: Parsque the francais is the most beautiful one of the flannel blanket

wtf

Parce que le français est la plus belle des langues!

Fixed.

Best reason to learn French-- so this isn't the only translation you get of the above quote: Parsque the francais is the most beautiful one of the flannel blanket

wtf

Try the corrected version I supplied.

Fixed.

Merci!

How can you not love a language with that many q's? It's like someone invented it for the sole purpose of cheating at Scrabble.

Eddie Izzard beat you to that quip, but it's isn't so much the q's, as it is the total lack of prosody, unless one counts a very grating intonation as such.

Parce que le francais est plus belle que les autre langues!

Fixed for understanding.

EDIT: Bugger, Fass beat me. Er, beat me to it.

Fixed for understanding.

You fixed nothing. In fact, you made it even more nonsensical.

Fixed for understanding.

EDIT: Bugger, Fass beat me. Er, beat me to it.

You just made it make less sense. You combined the superlative with the comparative. You just said "French is the most beautiful than the other languages."

You fixed nothing. In fact, you made it even more nonsensical.

drop "le" and its

Because French is more beautiful than the other languages (tongues).

Difficult? Is it that bad?

You just made it make less sense. You combined the superlative with the comparative. You just said "French is the most beautiful than the other languages."

Parce que le francais est plus belle que les autre langues!

Christ, I missed the "le." Okay?

Zoot alors!

Parce que le francais est plus belle que les autre langues!

Christ, I missed the "le." Okay?

I'll let you off the hook this time. Next time I won't be so forgiving :p

Zoot alors!

You mean "ZUT alors!"

I'll let you off the hook this time. Next time I won't be so forgiving :p

It's late, and I shut off my "French brain" after the final. I'm sorry. :D

drop "le" and its

Because French is more beautiful than the other languages (tongues).

Difficult? Is it that bad?

That was however not what he seemed to want to express. He wanted a superlative and not a comparative, so even with your latter correct version (you forgot to pluralise "autre", though), it isn't true to his original intent. There is a difference in meaning between "French is the most beautiful of the languages" and "French is more beautiful than the other languages".

That was however not what he seemed to want to express. He wanted a superlative and not a comparative, so even with your latter correct version (you forgot to pluralise "autre", though), it isn't true to his original intent. There is a difference in meaning between "French is the most beautiful of the languages" and "French is more beautiful than the other languages".

Of course. I already said my French is rusty once school is done.

Shit. I knew autre felt wrong.

You mean "ZUT alors!"
No, I'm quite sure that he meant "zoot", as in the suits that gangsters wear.

No, I'm quite sure that he meant "zoot", as in the suits that gangsters wear.

Well, swingers, anyway. They don't HAVE to be gangsters :p

No, I'm quite sure that he meant "zoot", as in the suits that gangstars wear.
Corrected.

I haven't started a thread in what seems like ages, so here goes nothing!

What are the merits of being, at very least, bilingual? What are the disadvantages, if any? How many languages should a person learn? How many languages should be taught to children in school? At what age?
Second languages are cool except French, because it is useless.

Meh! Everyone should learn English.

Second languages are cool except French, because it is useless.

Tais-toi.

Meh! Everyone should learn English.

hmm...came sooner than I thought it would...

Why would you need a reason? Language is like health - you can't get too much.

And there are no disadvantages. Honestly, I could never imagine being monolingual... do you people who are only think in one language? How limiting isn't that!

...err..yeah. Why wouldn't we?

I'm monolingual, and I'm fine with that. See, I have this problem with words and languages...I was barely able to learn English as a child, let alone any other language. Even now despite how often I try to learn another language, I fail miserably. Maybe I'll learn a word or two, but that's it.

So I'm monolingual, and I'm fine with that.

algonqin (http://www.native-languages.org/algonquin.htm) Try it.

Tais-toi.
NEVER!!!!

Second languages are cool except French, because it is useless.

Un jour, vous serez en France et n'aurez pas l'abilite de parlez avec l'homme qui vous tirera si vous ne lui donnerez pas ton portefeuille.

Un jour, vous serez en France et n'aurez pas l'abilite de parlez avec l'homme qui vous tirera si vous ne lui donnerez pas ton portefeuille.
Why would I go to France?

Why would I go to France?

You have nothing better to do?

You have nothing better to do?
I could get really high instead.

Going to France is just like child molestation. You only need to find something, anything, else to do to not do it.

Tais-toi.

Je préfère "ta geule". "Tais-toi", je le trouve trop soutenu.

Why would I go to France?

Le pain.

Why would you need a reason? Language is like health - you can't get too much.

And there are no disadvantages. Honestly, I could never imagine being monolingual... do you people who are only think in one language? How limiting isn't that!

Requesting permission to slap you for poor grammar, sir!

Le pain.

Money is a good reason *nods*

What? It's a colloquialism!

Requesting permission to slap you for poor grammar, sir!

You may slap me, but it would be misdirected for "poor" grammar as there was no grammatical error in the part you highlighted, just a lazily implied instead of repeated word.

Requesting permission to slap you for poor grammar, sir!

Requesting you /sarcasm on, sir!

Requesting you /sarcasm on, sir!

Requesting permission to beat you senseless for attempting to ruin a bait post, sir!

Un jour, vous serez en France et ne saurez pas parler à l'homme qui menacera de vous tirer dessus, si vous ne lui donnez pas votre portefeuille.

Fixed.

You may slap me, but it would be misdirected for "poor" grammar as there was no grammatical error in the part you highlighted, just a lazily implied instead of repeated word.
The second part is a question (rhetorical as it may be), but does not have a question mark. The first part is awkward, which is a style error.

Also, if we only know one language how the fuck are we supposed to think in others?

How can you not love a language with that many q's? It's like someone invented it for the sole purpose of cheating at Scrabble.

Sigged!

Requesting permission to beat you senseless for attempting to ruin a bait post, sir!
Too late! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhJQp-q1Y1s)

...err..yeah. Why wouldn't we?

I don't know. I've never been monolingual, I've always swapped and mixed the languages I think in, and keep filling in the gaps I find one language may have with expressions from another. Only one language? I don't know how I'd function.

The second part is a question (rhetorical as it may be), but does not have a question mark.

It wasn't even a rhetorical question, it was more a mix between an interrogative statement and an emphatic declaration, so it needed no eroteme. While it is generally preferred that interrogative statements take a full stop when one has chosen not to use a query, one may use an exclamation point at one's leisure if one wishes to emphasise an aspect of surprise or, as in this case, to put more weight on the declarative aspect.

The first part is awkward, which is a style error.

Style errors != grammatical errors.

Also, if we only know one language how the fuck are we supposed to think in others?

Invent a supplemental one?

It wasn't even a rhetorical question, it was more a mix between an interrogative statement and an emphatic declaration, so it needed no eroteme. While it is generally preferred that interrogative statements take a full stop when one has chosen not to use a query, one may use an exclamation point at one's leisure if one wishes to emphasise an aspect of surprise or, as in this case, to put more weight on the declarative aspect.
*all goes totally over my head*

nu-uh!
Style errors != grammatical errors.
Now is not the time for nitpicking.
Invent a supplemental one?
That is much to difficult to maintain. Unless you find some reason to use this language when your grasp of it is weak, you will only forget it as we do with any other language we fail to learn.

I don't know. I've never been monolingual, I've always swapped and mixed the languages I think in, and keep filling in the gaps I find one language may have with expressions from another. Only one language? I don't know how I'd function.

Really? Huh. That'd be nice to be able to do, wouldn't it? Once again I find myself envying you.

It wasn't even a rhetorical question, it was more a mix between an interrogative statement and an emphatic declaration, so it needed no eroteme. While it is generally preferred that interrogative statements take a full stop when one has chosen not to use a query, one may use an exclamation point at one's leisure if one wishes to emphasise an aspect of surprise or, as in this case, to put more weight on the declarative aspect.

Or, if one were so inclined, one might instead employ an interrobang.

*all goes totally over my head*

nu-uh!

Summary: Bitch, you don't want none of this.

Now is not the time for nitpicking.

It's whatever time I say it is.

That is much to difficult to maintain. Unless you find some reason to use this language when your grasp of it is weak, you will only forget it as we do with any other language we fail to learn.

Fail... to learn? That does not compute.

Or, if one were so inclined, one might instead employ an interrobang.

I loathe interrobangs with a fervour only rivalled by my distaste for boiled eggs.

Really? Huh. That'd be nice to be able to do, wouldn't it? Once again I find myself envying you.

Stop that, lest I be forced to be mean to you.

Stop that, lest I be forced to be mean to you.

Kay.

Summary: Bitch, you don't want none of this.
So I want some of it. I'm content.
It's whatever time I say it is.
What time is it doctor wolf?
Fail... to learn? That does not compute.
The memory blocks that stored grammatical and vocabular data where rarely, if ever, accessed, so the brain deemed the contents unneeded, and purged the data in order to conserve energy usage.

I loathe interrobangs with a fervour only rivalled by my distaste for boiled eggs.

I ♥ ‽'s. By virtue of its name alone, the interrobang is my favorite punctuation mark.

So I want some of it. I'm content.

You needs to watch more Tyra, girl. *z-snap and pose*

I ♥ ‽'s. By virtue of its name alone, the interrobang is my favorite punctuation mark.

Lout.

You needs to watch more Tyra, girl. *z-snap and pose*
I am a male, hence the penis.

I am a male, hence the penis.

I'm a male, hence that pressing sensation you've in your backside.

I'm a male, hence that pressing sensation you've in your backside.
I thought that was my wallet.

Lout.

A punctuation snob, is it? You'll be among the first against the wall and bombarded with superfluous commas when the revolution comes.

I thought that was my wallet.

Your wallet must be pretty thick, then.

A punctuation snob, is it? You'll be among the first against the wall and bombarded with superfluous commas when the revolution comes.

I am not a punctuation snob. I am just an interrobangophobe.

A punctuation snob, is it? You'll be among the first against the wall and bombarded with superfluous commas when the revolution comes.

Tell him to stick it in his semi-colon! :p

Because it's fun and educational!

I am not a punctuation snob. I am just an interrobangophobe.
Yet you are doing it to me!

Yet you are doing it to me!

I wouldn't interrobang my worst enemy, let alone you. So, stop begging for it.

I wouldn't interrobang my worst enemy, let alone you. So, stop begging for it.
Well, haven't I worked my way into a sticky situation.

Because it's fun and educational!
The words "fun" and "educational" don't go together, unless accompanied by a word/phrase like "dissection", "volatile chemicals" or "19th century literature."

The words "fun" and "educational" don't go together, unless accompanied by a word/phrase like "dissection", "volatile chemicals" or "19th century literature."

We could make up a word, like "funducational." But that sounds like something you'd find at the Creation Museum (http://rapidshare.com/files/33616670/OT2583.rar) :rolleyes:

The words "fun" and "educational" don't go together, unless accompanied by a word/phrase like "dissection", "volatile chemicals" or "19th century literature."

I dunno...I learned an awful lot of German whilst playing Euchre and eating donuts...that was both fun and educational.

I'm a male, hence that pressing sensation you've in your backside.

Iie, anata-wa ko jo desu.

KO JO!

Iie, anata-wa ko jo desu.

KO JO!

I am an old castle? Or, I'm a little girl?

I am an old castle?

I called you a little girl.

Did you use Babelfish or some similar translater? They often fuck up Asian languages like that. "Jo" is Girl, "Onna" is Woman. Both use the same Kanji character. "Shi" is Kid, "Ko" is Child (or a close approximation thereof)... Both use the same Kanji.

But yeah, it would've been funnier to call you an Old Castle. However, I never learned the Kanji for either, so it would've been rather impossible. :p

Isn't picking up foreign women while on vacation the usual motivation? :p

Isn't picking up foreign women while on vacation the usual motivation? :p

How about no?

I called you a little girl.

That's what I added later. A "kojo" is also an old castle.

Did you use Babelfish or some similar translater?

I used google image search and got either castles or little hentai girls. I already knew what "iie", "anata-wa" and "desu" meant, I didn't want to assume on "ko jo" (because "ko" can also mean old IIRC and "old girl" made no sense to me).

That's what I added later. A "kojo" is also an old castle.



I used google image search and got either castles or little hentai girls. I already knew what "iie", "anata-wa" and "desu" meant, I didn't want to assume on "ko jo" (because "ko" can also mean old IIRC and "old girl" made no sense to me).

1: Ah, didn't know that. I never studied the language long enough to find out.

2: Hentai... Yeesh. And yeah, "old girl" would've been a wee bit odd.

How about no?

Bah. It's the whole point, and you know it. :p

Bah. It's the whole point, and you know it. :p

Huh. I was under the impression that the whole point of learning another language was to talk with people you otherwise couldn't, and not trying to bang the first case of walking STDs you set your eyes on, though I guess I was wrong.

Huh. I was under the impression that the whole point of learning another language was to talk with people you otherwise couldn't, and not trying to bang the first case of walking STDs you set your eyes on, though I guess I was wrong.

I guess you were. :)

1: Ah, didn't know that. I never studied the language long enough to find out.

http://images.google.com/images?um=1&tab=wi&hl=en&ie=euc-jp&lr=lang_ja&q=%B8%C5%BE%EB

2: Hentai... Yeesh. And yeah, "old girl" would've been a wee bit odd.

http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&um=1&hl=en&inlang=ja&lr=lang_ja&safe=off&q=%E5%B0%8F%E5%A5%B3&btnG=Search+Images (Should be hentai-free).

Huh. I was under the impression that the whole point of learning another language was to talk with people you otherwise couldn't, and not trying to bang the first case of walking STDs you set your eyes on, though I guess I was wrong.

There are these things called condoms and you put them on your penis...

http://images.google.com/images?um=1&tab=wi&hl=en&ie=euc-jp&lr=lang_ja&q=%B8%C5%BE%EB



http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&um=1&hl=en&inlang=ja&lr=lang_ja&safe=off&q=%E5%B0%8F%E5%A5%B3&btnG=Search+Images (Should be hentai-free).

See, that's what's fun about learning Japanese. It's a true challenge, like English... So many words with the same sound and spelling (as far as Roumaji goes; Kanji is a different matter), yet with different meanings.

Though, I do wonder who, or what, ---santo is...

There are these things called condoms and you put them on your penis...

But didn't you know? All of the cool kids avoid teh condomz.

Well, of course you should learn another language. How else will you communicate with the help?

People in english speaking countries shouldn't learn any new language and forget any they have learnt. People in non english speaking countries should take a course to learn fluent written and spoken englishas quickly as possible.

And while we do this we invade Quebec for refusing to do anything.

Well, of course you should learn another language. How else will you communicate with the help?

Ah, sí sí... :p

But didn't you know? All of the cool kids avoid teh condomz.

It'll be fun to see all the cool kids go tertiary stage syphilitic...

It'll be fun to see all the cool kids go tertiary stage syphilitic...

Serves 'em right. Damn kids and their crack, I hate children.

Because then you can flirt with girls of another nationality?

I hate children.
Why?

Serves 'em right. Damn kids and their crack, I hate children.

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k284/kestra7_2006/syphilis.jpg

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k284/kestra7_2006/syphilis.jpg

That's classic.

Why?

It's a quote from one of the best magazines ever... I knew that nobody would get it.

It's a quote from one of the best magazines ever... I knew that nobody would get it.

Me, get a joke? You've got to be kidding. I'm far too serious to get any sort of joke.

...

Seriously. I am.

It'll be fun to see all the cool kids go tertiary stage syphilitic...

Maybe if they can lounge around, doped up, fishing for goldfish in their backyard pools. That'd be a way to go! :p

I think that the best reason for learning languages is that it helps keeps your mind active, can always be improved upon, and doesn't tend to go out of date - think how much technical know-how is out of date now compared to 5-10 years ago...
I'm currently trying to learn Latin (only got as far as French at school, and forgotten most of that now)

BTW - great pic Fass :D

yeah learning languages is great! I currently have a working knowledge of German and a semi-fluency in Sign Language (sign language btw, very fun to learn, and very useful!!)

Obscenities are more effective when your target doesn't understand what you're saying.

Agreed. Although it's only funny when it's a language that nobody else can understand. My Dad seems to believe that nobody else can understand French, which is a bit risky... Speaking Irish in other countries on the other hand works a treat!

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k284/kestra7_2006/syphilis.jpg

Wow, that really is bad poster design. The bit before the SPREAD SYPHILLIS AND GONORRHEA could easily go unnoticed... Then it just looks like your country is commanding you to spread STDs like good citizens...

In college, I heard the saying that "The best way to learn a language was two heads on one pillow." This was at a conference in New York City attended by people from what was probably all over the world. (No, I didn't get any, but there was one girl I hung out with the first evening who was Bulgarian who might have been something special if I ever saw here again...this came on the heels of a Thai girl I had a crush on and a Nigerian I had been interested in at another conference. I should be the most language-literate person in the world at the rate; instead, I married a white American from my own hometown. How's that for irony?)

yeah learning languages is great! I currently have a working knowledge of German and a semi-fluency in Sign Language (sign language btw, very fun to learn, and very useful!!)

Surely not more so than spoken languages?

I think the best thing about learning other languages is that it helps you understand your own language more.

I think the major disadvantage is that I often think in other languages and it becomes difficult to stop. For example while I was in high school I was taking Spanish and the teacher would ask me something in Spanish and I would answer in French.....I was very tired and didn't realize.

The other day I was at the grocery store and was carrying on a full conversation with my child in Spanish not realizing that we weren't speaking English and I think the person we were with thought we were talking about her. :eek: I didn't realize that I wasn't speaking English, I heard English, and I thought I was responding in English, but according to both of my kids and my friend the 5 year old and I were speaking Spanish. :p weird.

The other day I was at the grocery store and was carrying on a full conversation with my child in Spanish not realizing that we weren't speaking English and I think the person we were with thought we were talking about her. :eek: I didn't realize that I wasn't speaking English, I heard English, and I thought I was responding in English, but according to both of my kids and my friend the 5 year old and I were speaking Spanish. :p weird.

Yeah i've had that happen to me but in German. I spent a couple of months in Berlin when I was 16 and had a lot of trouble when making calls home after the first month. Stupid phrases like "Yeah ich habe es gedone" kept coming out. I wish i'd kept it fresh in my mind but other studies make it difficult to keep practiced. Well that and a lack of German speakers nearby

Yeah i've had that happen to me but in German. I spent a couple of months in Berlin when I was 16 and had a lot of trouble when making calls home after the first month. I wish i'd kept it fresh in my mind but other studies make it difficult to keep practiced. Well that and a lack of German speakers nearby

I think that's what's happened to my husband and Japanese. He came back from Japan and had trouble speaking English for a few months, his thoughts were all in Japanese, but there just aren't that many opportunities to speak Japanese in Oklahoma. He has gotten better at remembering since he is trying to teach it to me and the kids now.

I think that's what's happened to my husband and Japanese. He came back from Japan and had trouble speaking English for a few months, his thoughts were all in Japanese, but there just aren't that many opportunities to speak Japanese in Oklahoma. He has gotten better at remembering since he is trying to teach it to me and the kids now.

Yeah if you try to teach something you have a much better chance of remembering it. All the same I think Japanese could break my fragile brain

greek, french, english. i get bored of one language, so I move on to the next when I can.

Yeah if you try to teach something you have a much better chance of remembering it. All the same I think Japanese could break my fragile brain

it's really a fun language. I can't read it....but I can speak and understand some now....well, I can read it, sometimes, depends on the characters.

increases your range of obscenities, which is always a good thing.
Let's face it: swear words are the first thing everyone wants to know when learning another language.

it's really a fun language. I can't read it....but I can speak and understand some now....well, I can read it, sometimes, depends on the characters.

Yeah I think its the characters that put me off it. Why can't Esperanto be more useful. Thats my kind of language. Nice and simple.

I only remember the basic japanese words from Jiu-jitsu as a kid but I doubt i'd have much use for telling people about a mat or ordering them to bow, etc

increases your range of obscenities, which is always a good thing.
Let's face it: swear words are the first thing everyone wants to know when learning another language.

I have a friend who knows how to order a beer in 18 languages, he doesn't know anything else in any of them though......I guess he learned all he needed. :p

I don't speak any languages other than English, but I can read and write in Latin (and can speak some), and sometimes I think in it a little bit. I'd love to learn another language someday, but I'm not good at speaking and it makes me nervous so I'm not sure I could.

I have a friend who knows how to order a beer in 18 languages, he doesn't know anything else in any of them though......I guess he learned all he needed. :p

And I can say Cheers in about as much languages :) Beer ordering is still a bit behind though :( Only something like 7 :D

I don't speak any languages other than English, but I can read and write in Latin (and can speak some), and sometimes I think in it a little bit. I'd love to learn another language someday, but I'm not good at speaking and it makes me nervous so I'm not sure I could.

if you are pretty good at Latin, then the other romance languages should be easy for you......start with Spanish, it's the easiest language I have ever learned, it's much easier than English when it comes to reading and writing, and once you learn Spanish, French is easy (I actually learned French first but became better at it after I learned Spanish)

What are the merits of being, at very least, bilingual? What are the disadvantages, if any? How many languages should a person learn? How many languages should be taught to children in school? At what age?

Monoglots are cut off from the majority of the world, because there is no common speech spoken by at least 50% of humanity.

Of course, learn as many foreign languages as you can. At the very least, two. The sooner a kid begins studying foreign languages (including ancient ones, like latin), the better.

I don't speak any languages other than English, but I can read and write in Latin (and can speak some), and sometimes I think in it a little bit. I'd love to learn another language someday, but I'm not good at speaking and it makes me nervous so I'm not sure I could.

Start with italian. It's the modern form of latin.

Irish is great for slagging tourists and generally having something of a thieves' cant. In primary school the teachers would speak to each other in Irish when they didn't want us to understand.

if you are pretty good at Latin, then the other romance languages should be easy for you......start with Spanish, it's the easiest language I have ever learned, it's much easier than English when it comes to reading and writing, and once you learn Spanish, French is easy (I actually learned French first but became better at it after I learned Spanish)

I wish I had had an opportunity to study a foreign language at a younger age. The earliest opportunity I would have had would have been to take Spanish in eighth grade, but by then I had my heart set on taking Latin in ninth grade, and I wouldn't have been able to take both Spanish and Latin as well as all the other required classes. I'd love to learn French but I'm afraid to learn a spoken language because I know I won't be good at it. Latin will help me with learning to read it, and Latin has already helped me significantly with English. Now I'm afraid of learning another spoken language, though. I'll be bad at it for sure.:(

travel and the possibility of living and working in another country for me. i feel really embarrassed if i'm in a foreign country and i have to try to get people to speak english with me. i speak a bit of french but i'm not confident with it at all, i understand far more than i can speak, and i have rudimentary german, enough to read signs and menus and order a beer. i find simple spanish reasonably easy to decipher too although i've had no actual training in it. i'm no natural linguist and i would really like to impove my skills.

I wish I had had an opportunity to study a foreign language at a younger age. The earliest opportunity I would have had would have been to take Spanish in eighth grade, but by then I had my heart set on taking Latin in ninth grade, and I wouldn't have been able to take both Spanish and Latin as well as all the other required classes. I'd love to learn French but I'm afraid to learn a spoken language because I know I won't be good at it. Latin will help me with learning to read it, and Latin has already helped me significantly with English. Now I'm afraid of learning another spoken language, though. I'll be bad at it for sure.:(

that's kinda why I suggested Spanish, all of the vowels always make the same sound (not like in English)

however a word is spelled, that's how you say it. There are only 3 or 4 extra sounds to learn that aren't part of English (like the rolling rr) after that it's just "what does it look like it says?" and saying it.

The more languages you speak, the more people you'll be able to say dirty things to while you shag.

that's kinda why I suggested Spanish, all of the vowels always make the same sound (not like in English)

however a word is spelled, that's how you say it. There are only 3 or 4 extra sounds to learn that aren't part of English (like the rolling rr) after that it's just "what does it look like it says?" and saying it.

My friend makes fun of me because I pronounce the words either the way I think they look or as they would be pronounced in Latin, and I'm usually wrong.:(

The more languages you speak, the more people you'll be able to say dirty things to while you shag.

Best argument so far :D I'm still trying to find the best language for talking dirty... I like French for that, no matter how dirty you get, it never sounds like it

It is a good idea to learn another language. Although the benefits of simply forcing children to take a few courses in a language seem to me to be quite limited.

I am against forcing children by the government (via government schools) of learning any particular foreign language which is the case in Florida where everyone is forced to learn Spanish. What if I don't want to learn Spanish, what if I'd rather learn Japanese instead? It should be my choice what languages I learn, not the State of Florida.

And as far as that goes foreign language departments in the US are still stuck in the 1950s. The departments continue to have a bias toward languages that are less and less important (e.g. French and German) and ignore languages that are much more important such as Chinese. I am not saying that French shouldn't be taught at all but there should be more sections of Chinese (and Arabic and Farsi) and fewer sections of French.

My friend makes fun of me because I pronounce the words either the way I think they look or as they would be pronounced in Latin, and I'm usually wrong.:(

in Spanish you will usually be right.;)

I am against forcing children by the government (via government schools) of learning any particular foreign language which is the case in Florida where everyone is forced to learn Spanish.

I live in Florida. We are not forced to learn Spanish here, at least not in my area of Florida, unless it's something that was just recently implemented and only affects elementary schools or something. Which languages are offered vary from school to school in my area. My school offers Spanish, Latin, and French. I think my school is the only public one in the area that offers Latin.

in Spanish you will usually be right. ;)

She said I was wrong and laughed. I mess up words in English too, though. I think it's because I gained most of my vocabulary through reading and didn't usually hear people use the words, so when I try to use them they sound weird because I have to guess about how they are supposed to sound. I didn't know how to read the pronounciation guide things in the dictionary until fairly recently, either.

I am against forcing children by the government (via government schools) of learning any particular foreign language which is the case in Florida where everyone is forced to learn Spanish. What if I don't want to learn Spanish, what if I'd rather learn Japanese instead? It should be my choice what languages I learn, not the State of Florida.
On the other hand, I wish that, rather than wasting time on PE and such crap, my early (elementary and middle) schools had shoved Spanish through my thick, prepubescent skull. Once students start getting old enough to make such choices (in High School and such) the primary window of opportunity for becoming fully fluent has passed.

I can only speak english. Is this bad?

I would like to learn at least 3 languages in my life. So far, my English is fine and I'm in my third year of Spanish, needless to say my Spanish could make some drastic improvements. However, I don't know what I eventually want the third language to be?

Eh, I wouldn't mind learning another language, but I don't think we should have to learn more. The US is so big there's really no need. You go 500+ miles from where I am and your still in the US, so why bother?

I took four years of Spanish in high school, and man, I forgot most of it a month after getting out. I never used it, so now its basically gone. A

You must not have heard Dutch or Albanian. Total libido poison, both of them.
Maar Nederlands is lekker.

I am fluent in English, but can speak German and Spanish and getting better with both all the time. I'm working on Dutch.

Puedo hablar y pensar en Espanol.

Ich kann auf Deutsch denken und sprechen.

Okay, you know how I said I was fine with being monolingual? I'm not fine. I'm not fine at all.

But, the problem is, as I said, I have an extreme difficulty with words and languages, so learning a new language will be difficult. (Though it might turn out that learning said new language will help me with my word problem. How's that for irony?) So how should I go about it, peeps? I'm twenty years old and I'm out of school, and I can't exactly afford classes at college right now.

Okay, you know how I said I was fine with being monolingual? I'm not fine. I'm not fine at all.

But, the problem is, as I said, I have an extreme difficulty with words and languages, so learning a new language will be difficult. (Though it might turn out that learning said new language will help me with my word problem. How's that for irony?) So how should I go about it, peeps? I'm twenty years old and I'm out of school, and I can't exactly afford classes at college right now.

Rossetta stone software/books. I've heard good things about them, and I have even contemplated buying some to see if they work, even though I'll probably never use the language...

It is a good idea to learn another language. Although the benefits of simply forcing children to take a few courses in a language seem to me to be quite limited.

I am against forcing children by the government (via government schools) of learning any particular foreign language which is the case in Florida where everyone is forced to learn Spanish. What if I don't want to learn Spanish, what if I'd rather learn Japanese instead? It should be my choice what languages I learn, not the State of Florida.

And as far as that goes foreign language departments in the US are still stuck in the 1950s. The departments continue to have a bias toward languages that are less and less important (e.g. French and German) and ignore languages that are much more important such as Chinese. I am not saying that French shouldn't be taught at all but there should be more sections of Chinese (and Arabic and Farsi) and fewer sections of French.

My school is teaching French, Spanish, Chinese, and Latin. And there are still places that teach German in America?

Rossetta stone software/books. I've heard good things about them, and I have even contemplated buying some to see if they work, even though I'll probably never use the language...

Hmm...neat. I'll give 'em a look.

Johnny B Goode: Yes.

Because languages are fun! And then you find people who are native to those languages and you talk to them, and they laugh at you for your crappy bastardizing of their language, and you laugh at them for the crappy bastardizing of your language. It is awesome!

I took 5 years of French and 2 years of Japanese and I ended up knowing about the same amout of both by the end of highschool. French is too complicated for me, but I quite like Japanese. I really do think that everyone should know at least one other language, or at least study one other language, as painful as that can be. I find, that when I can't find the word I want in Japanese, my mind puts a French word in it's place. Funny how that works. ^^

Honestly, I could never imagine being monolingual... do you people who are only think in one language? How limiting is that!
What about before language.:eek:

What about before language.:eek:
...

Holy crap he may have stumbled upon something!

...no, wait, no he hasn't.

By the time we as a species were able to communicate complicated ideas such as discussing foreign languages, we had already developed primative versions of language and taught them to our offspring. As such, there was no time where we were thinking about complicated ideas without a language to think in.

...

Holy crap he may have stumbled upon something!

...no, wait, no he hasn't.

By the time we as a species were able to communicate complicated ideas such as discussing foreign languages, we had already developed primative versions of language and taught them to our offspring. As such, there was no time where we were thinking about complicated ideas without a language to think in.
What evidence could we have to possibly indicate what people were thinking millions of years ago?

Edit: I'm not meaning to thread jack... but he made me do it.

Okay, you know how I said I was fine with being monolingual? I'm not fine. I'm not fine at all.

But, the problem is, as I said, I have an extreme difficulty with words and languages, so learning a new language will be difficult. (Though it might turn out that learning said new language will help me with my word problem. How's that for irony?) So how should I go about it, peeps? I'm twenty years old and I'm out of school, and I can't exactly afford classes at college right now.
Well, engulf yourself in it anyway you can.

For instance, for Spanish I live in South Florida so that's a non-issue.

For German. I listen to German rap, I speak with my bro (he's Swiss-German)...I speak to my friends who either live in Germany or are Germans studying here, watch movies in German, read articles in German...ect

There are tons of ways.

Or...there's always the "Listen-To-Rammstein-Over-And-Over-Again" way.

Try some music in German...see if you like it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSXvFx7sxA0&mode=related&search=
Or..in German: "Probier dieses lied. Sag mir wenn du es magst."
(Literally: "Try this song. Tell me if you like it.")

What evidence could we have to possibly indicate what people were thinking millions of years ago?

Edit: I'm not meaning to thread jack... but he made me do it.

Study of the evolution of the human brain so far as I know. Hell, I wasn't even thinking that far...I just made a logical assumption that might actually be incorrect.

Besides, most animals with reasonable levels of intelligence--such as, say, wolves--tend to develop primative languages of sorts to indicate pack behavior and whatnot. It's not that hard to presume that something sentient would have developed a more advanced but still primative by our reckoning language.

Well, engulf yourself in it anyway you can.

For instance, for Spanish I live in South Florida so that's a non-issue.

For German. I listen to German rap, I speak with my bro (he's Swiss-German)...I speak to my friends who either live in Germany or are Germans studying here, watch movies in German, read articles in German...ect

There are tons of ways.

Or...there's always the "Listen-To-Rammstein-Over-And-Over-Again" way.

Try some music in German...see if you like it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSXvFx7sxA0&mode=related&search=
Or..in German: "Probier dieses lied. Sag mir wenn du es magst."
(Literally: "Try this song. Tell me if you like it.")

Well that's true...I did learn quite a few Japanese words after watching seven seasons worth of subbed Ranma 1/2...

I guess I could combine the Rosetta software bit with exposure. Problem is, living in rural Colorado as I do, all I have around me are White America USA people. That's it. :(

Problem is, living in rural Colorado as I do, all I have around me are White America USA people. That's it. :(
Don't take that forgranted! You know, as much as I love other cultures/languages, it gets quite depressing to live in an area that has more allegiance to Latin-America (culturally, racially, lingustictly) than to its proper country.

I love eating hispanic food, conversing in Spanish, scoping out latina ass, but at the end of the day, I wish I could do it by visiting these things in THEIR respective countries/cultural areas....and not by stepping outside my house.

Don't overlook living in an American section of America. There is plenty of opportunity to learn a new language, it just starts with yourself and your motivation. Also, its a bit extreme but do the most you can to try to study abroad some way.

I can't think of a good reason not to know multiple languages. Not only does it only for proper communication with those who do not speak English (or whatever) as a first language, but some languages have unique poetic qualities.

that's kinda why I suggested Spanish, all of the vowels always make the same sound (not like in English)

however a word is spelled, that's how you say it. There are only 3 or 4 extra sounds to learn that aren't part of English (like the rolling rr) after that it's just "what does it look like it says?" and saying it.
Can't speak Spanish. I lack the ability to properly pronounce (the English) R, much less that trilled (Spanish) RR. "Caro" and "carro" would sound the same if I pronounce them.

And Tagalog is like that too. It's pronounced as it is spelled; it is spelled as pronounced. No more faux pas.

Can't speak Spanish. I lack the ability to properly pronounce (the English) R, much less that trilled (Spanish) RR. "Caro" and "carro" would sound the same if I pronounce them.

And Tagalog is like that too. It's pronounced as it is spelled; it is spelled as pronounced. No more faux pas.
German, beleive it or not, is also pretty "sounds as it looks"....once you know how to pronounce the foreign to English sounds like the umlauts, the SS, and the "ch"'s.......It's fairly simple, even more so when compared to like...let's say...French, the bastard child of the language family.

Are there any languages any of you find intimidating, due to pronunciation, the alphabet, etc?

Personally, I'm scared shitless of Cherokee. The alphabet baffles me and the pronunciation doesn't seem to come out of my throat at all.

On the other hand, I've been dying to learn Gaelic languages -- much of the music I was exposed to as a young child was in Irish, so it has stuck in my head to some extent.

Are there any languages any of you find intimidating, due to pronunciation, the alphabet, etc?

Personally, I'm scared shitless of Cherokee. The alphabet baffles me and the pronunciation doesn't seem to come out of my throat at all.

On the other hand, I've been dying to learn Gaelic languages -- much of the music I was exposed to as a young child was in Irish, so it has stuck in my head to some extent.
Not a big fan of the Indian languages. Finnish is terribly challenging to me, written, but I love its sound in person.
Finnish: Hyväntahtoinen aurinko katseli heitä. Se ei missään tapauksessa ollut heille vihainen. Kenties tunsi jonkinlaista myötätuntoakin heitä kohtaan. Aika velikultia.

Also, I love how French sounds when women speak it, but I think I sound sooo gay when I speak it, and I find it terribly intimidating to learn because of the grammar/pronounciation.

Okay, you know how I said I was fine with being monolingual? I'm not fine. I'm not fine at all.

But, the problem is, as I said, I have an extreme difficulty with words and languages, so learning a new language will be difficult. (Though it might turn out that learning said new language will help me with my word problem. How's that for irony?) So how should I go about it, peeps? I'm twenty years old and I'm out of school, and I can't exactly afford classes at college right now.

I took Spanish in high school, but I didn't really learn anything until I started teaching ESL* at the library. They almost always need people to help, lots of immigrants want to learn English, and one teacher can't work one on one with all of them. You don't really need to know much Spanish, and what you don't know you pick up teaching them English.



*English as a second language

I agree with seeing messing up in speech or even chat as a disadvantage, albeit a small one. When I hear something in German or English or when I still had some skill in it, French, I might remember what was said later, but have no clue about the language.
Another disadvantage is that you are tempted to edit your keyboard layout to something no one except you can understand :)

I am now learning Turkish out of interest and because I think it is a beautiful language.