Foo - What language should I learn?

I've always wanted to learn another language, and I think it would look great on my law school application in two years. So which should it be? I took French in high school, but I've forgotten it now.

I don't want to go with something like Chinese or Japaneses, nothing too complicated. Since I moved from Texas, I no longer need to learn Spanish just to order a cheeseburger, or any other product that is sold by minimum wage employees.

Is there any one language that is widely spoken across Europe, other than English?

What software programs would you recommend? I know Rosetta Stone is a popular choice, but it cost $200! I tried an online demo and I was actually about to learn different phrases right away, so it must be worth it.

Three of my four grandparents were born in Germany, including my dad, so I am leaning towards German. But I think Italian would be cool too.

Mandarin. Don't learn Spanish because it won't make you stand out, unless you want to deal with immigrants all the time.

But since you refuse to learn something Chinese, I'd suggest Russian. They're going to take over someday anyway.

Klingon. Definitely Klingon.

Russian. The CIS is where it's at.

I don't want to go with something like Chinese or Japaneses, nothing too complicated.

...

Is there any one language that is widely spoken across Europe, other than English?

Well if Japaneses are to complicated, maybe you could just start with 1 Japanese and go from there.

I would think German and French would be good language choices.

Mandarin. Don't learn Spanish because it won't make you stand out, unless you want to deal with immigrants all the time.

But since you refuse to learn something Chinese, I'd suggest Russian. They're going to take over someday anyway.

I'm just under the impression that Chinese would be extremely difficult. I do think it would be highly beneficial since I want to become a business lawyer. It would open a lot of doors.

Japanese isn't all that hard to speak.. writing and reading?!? Errr fuggetabudit.Reading, especially. You can always write in Hiragana and Katakana. Those are easy enough to learn. It's learning the several thousand Kanji that will kill you dead. :)

I'm just under the impression that Chinese would be extremely difficult.

That's exactly why it would make you more valuable should you decide to learn it.

Learn Spanish. Spanish is the predominant language in the Western Hemisphere. Three countries speak English: Belize, Canada, and the US. 1.5 countries speak French: French Guyana and Quebec. One Country speaks Portuguese, Brazil. Everyone else speaks Spanish.

The opportunities in Latin America are amazing. Many of the nations are progressing very well now and so having the grasp of the Spanish language is a big plus. I read somewhere that being bi-lingual in Spanish is considered one of the best things on your resume.

Also, realize that the illegal immigrants are a fraction of the population - some of the richest people in the world speak Spanish.

The opportunities in Latin America are amazing. Many of the nations are progressing very well now and so having the grasp of the Spanish language is a big plus. I read somewhere that being bi-lingual in Spanish is considered one of the best things on your resume.

Also, realize that the illegal immigrants are a fraction of the population - some of the richest people in the world speak Spanish.


Actually, The Richest person does. Some guy in Mexico just passed Gates in the latest estimates.

Spanish...not to mention once you learn a langauge based on latin all of the other latin languages become very easy to learn. I was able to get around Italy quite easily knowing Spanish. There is a lot of cross-over.

The first language you should consider is one you WANT to learn, you will have more motivation to keep at it.
Then again I have to support Spanish as a choice. You will have more chances in the Western hemisphere to use it and many european countries speak a smattering of it.
Steven

if you can get rid of your thinly disguised prejudice against spanish speaking people, i would suggest that. it makes no sense learning a language that you won't have the opportunity to practice on a regular basis.

Actually, The Richest person does. Some guy in Mexico just passed Gates in the latest estimates.

Yes, I think he owns a big telecom company - but I might be wrong.

As for learning a language, supposedly Pimsleur (http://www.simonsays.com/content/index.cfm?sid=128) is very good, at least conversationally. It's just audio CDs, so you wouldn't even need to be sitting at your computer to use it.

if you can get rid of your thinly disguised prejudice against spanish speaking people, i would suggest that. it makes no sense learning a language that you won't have the opportunity to practice on a regular basis.

I only have prejudice against those people who work in customer service oriented jobs and don't speak English. I will keep Spanish as an option.

I would be able to use German regularly by talking to my grandmother. 92% of the population here in Colorado is white, so I really would not have an opportunity to use another language regularly. Its something I would have to be self-disciplined about and keep with it. Self-discipline is one of the reasons I want to teach myself another language.

How about Ryanese?

Yes, I think he owns a big telecom company - but I might be wrong.

I think its more like all of Mexico. :D

English...it's the only language that actually matters. Everybody will be speaking it in the future.

I'm just under the impression that Chinese would be extremely difficult. I do think it would be highly beneficial since I want to become a business lawyer. It would open a lot of doors.
You're thinking of Chinese Algebra. That's really hard.

since you can't decide...why not study latin? it would be a good base no matter which direction you end up taking.

I have the same delimma.

I probably will work on Spanish, as in Texas, most everyone speaks it.
After that, its a toss-up between Russian, and Mandarin.

Chinese is hard, but not so much as people make it out to be -- the grammar, for instance, is quite simple. However, because it seems so fundamentally foreign to English speakers, it's also that much more rewarding when you do figure stuff out.

BUT do not go into it thinking that you will be able to speak and read comfortably after a few months (which you might be able to do with Spanish or French). Also, if you're non-Asian, be aware that no matter how well you speak and immerse yourself in the culture, you will always be an outsider. This may or may not be an issue for you -- it is for some, less so for others.

Japanese is far easier to pronounce, but the grammar is a pain. Reading is perhaps easier than Chinese because they do use phonetic alphabets (kana) along with Chinese characters (kanji). Same deal applies with the eternal outsider status of non-Japanese people.

If you're set on a useful European language, definitely go for Spanish. French, German, and Italian are wonderful languages, but they're relatively localised. That said, go with what you're interested in. It will make your life a lot easier, and you will be able to speak the language that much better.

As for Russian, I have heard much about how hard it is to learn. Can't say from experience if it's true or not.

Finally, look into an immersion program. Being surrounded by the language is by far the best way to learn it, IMHO.

In terms of usefulness in the future, I'd say Chinese (Mandarin) comes first, followed by Spanish and Arabic. Japanese and Russian might be useful, but less so.

My own plans are to continue working on my Chinese, and attack both French and Spanish. French because I believe that, as a Canadian, I should speak it; Spanish because my mother is originally from Chile, and I want to connect with my family there.

What do you want to do with your chosen language? If I may say so, learning a language to look good on a law school application isn't the best way to approach it.

I would suggest French. While France and French Guyana openly use it, it is used or accepted by the US, Vietnam, Canada, and other countries.

Chinese is hard, but not so much as people make it out to be -- the grammar, for instance, is quite simple. However, because it seems so fundamentally foreign to English speakers, it's also that much more rewarding when you do figure stuff out.

BUT do not go into it thinking that you will be able to speak and read comfortably after a few months (which you might be able to do with Spanish or French). Also, if you're non-Asian, be aware that no matter how well you speak and immerse yourself in the culture, you will always be an outsider. This may or may not be an issue for you -- it is for some, less so for others.

Japanese is far easier to pronounce, but the grammar is a pain. Reading is perhaps easier than Chinese because they do use phonetic alphabets (kana) along with Chinese characters (kanji). Same deal applies with the eternal outsider status of non-Japanese people.

If you're set on a useful European language, definitely go for Spanish. French, German, and Italian are wonderful languages, but they're relatively localised. That said, go with what you're interested in. It will make your life a lot easier, and you will be able to speak the language that much better.

As for Russian, I have heard much about how hard it is to learn. Can't say from experience if it's true or not.

Finally, look into an immersion program. Being surrounded by the language is by far the best way to learn it, IMHO.

In terms of usefulness in the future, I'd say Chinese (Mandarin) comes first, followed by Spanish and Arabic. Japanese and Russian might be useful, but less so.

My own plans are to continue working on my Chinese, and attack both French and Spanish. French because I believe, as a Canadian, that I should speak it; Spanish because my mother is originally from Chile, and I want to connect with my family there.

What do you want to do with your chosen language? If I may say so, learning a language to look good on a law school application isn't the best way to approach it.

I took Russian when I was living in Kazakhstan about 10 years ago. I took an hour a day of tutoring and it was very difficult at first. The grammar was very difficult for me. But the best practice was just to try to carry on a conversation about ordinary stuff.

I would say that Russian is a lot like English in that it is pretty easy to speak poorly but be understood and it is very difficult for a non-native to speak well. The day that I was asked for directions on the street and the person just left without making a comment about my foreign-ness was a great day.

Of course, now that I'm not immersed in it, I feel like I've lost it all.

Of course, now that I'm not immersed in it, I feel like I've lost it all.

Yup, that's my Japanese right there. I could actually have conversations with people at some point, but haven't spoken it since 1995. It's almost as if I never studied it :(

Klingon. Definitely Klingon.
The courier at one of the copy centers I used to work at had Klingon language tapes in the car. It was some funny $#!+. Michael Dorn reading lines like, "You have stepped on my foot. Prepare to die! SoH ghaj [stepped] Daq wIj qam ghuH Daq Hegh"

Russian.

I've always wanted to learn another language, and I think it would look great on my law school application in two years. So which should it be? I took French in high school, but I've forgotten it now.

I don't want to go with something like Chinese or Japaneses, nothing too complicated. Since I moved from Texas, I no longer need to learn Spanish just to order a cheeseburger, or any other product that is sold by minimum wage employees.

Is there any one language that is widely spoken across Europe, other than English?

What software programs would you recommend? I know Rosetta Stone is a popular choice, but it cost $200! I tried an online demo and I was actually about to learn different phrases right away, so it must be worth it.

Three of my four grandparents were born in Germany, including my dad, so I am leaning towards German. But I think Italian would be cool too.

C++ ............. or maybe Java.

Sign language?

Deutsch. Learning German helped my English as well.

Hindi or Punjabi. India will soon possess the largest population on the planet. As it stand these are languages 4 and 5 in terms of number of speakers.

Anybody ever use the Rosetta Stone system for learning a new language? Looks intriguing

Hindi or Punjabi. India will soon possess the largest population on the planet. As it stand these are languages 4 and 5 in terms of number of speakers.

True, except English is so widely spoken in India that I doubt it would be worth the effort unless you planned to live there for a long time.

True, except English is so widely spoken in India that I doubt it would be worth the effort unless you planned to live there for a long time.

Agree.. Even if you wanna live there for a long time, I wouldnt worry much about learning Hindi..

I have been thinking about learning Spanish(for usefulness) or Chinese( maybe for work)..

Pick up Russian. The chics love the accent.

With English, Spanish and German, you'll be able to make yourself understood in almost all parts of Europe. English works fine in most places, I should think, but along the Mediterranean, Spanish would be better (Italian is similar enough for Italians and Spanish to be able to understand each other generally). In much of Central and Eastern Europe, German was taught as a second language for a long time, so at least older people have some German. Apart from the fact that around 100 million Europeans have German as their native language, and that the Dutch learn it too.

My list of languages I would like to learn:
1. better German (basic grasp right now)
2. Spanish
3. Russian
4. Finnish
5. Irish

+1 Hindi. Then all those Bollywood movies are accessible :)

I've wanted to learn it for ages but have too many other study issues on my plate as it is.

Otherwise I'd be tempted by Danish because I've got a couple of friends over there and it sounds good.

Learn Spanish. Spanish is the predominant language in the Western Hemisphere. Three countries speak English: Belize, Canada, and the US. 1.5 countries speak French: French Guyana and Quebec. One Country speaks Portuguese, Brazil. Everyone else speaks Spanish.

Is this a joke (seriously it reads like sarcasm but sometimes you just can't tell)?...just curious because most of canada has french speaking people across it. And I don't think I have met a single person that can speak spanish in Canada beyond those 2 or 3 people that learned it to visit Mexico.

Personally I would go with French or spanish. Both languages cross over themselves a bit and I found it very easy to transition from french (and boy do I such at french) to understanding enough spanish to get by.

Deutsche Welle and The Goethe Institute produced a series of lessons in beginner and intermediate German in MP3 and companion PDF files available free of charge for you to download. Go to this link (http://www.dw-world.de/dw/0,2142,2547,00.html). Some culture and history is included in the context of the lessons. The focus is the type of dialogues a tourist would encounter.

Several mentioned that a language slips away if not used. One option is to get the Bible in that langauge in audio form and listen to it on a regular basis. Download the complete audio Bible in German (MP4 for iPod) at this link (http://www.sermon-online.de/search.pl?d1=H%F6rbibel+f%FCr+den+iPod+kostenlos&lang=de&id=0&searchstring=ipod). It is available in MP3, too; but the link is more difficult to find. If you are interested in it, send me a private message.

Find audio Bibles in other languages here (http://www.audiotreasure.com/).

Penguin

Spanish is the only one that makes sense to me. I might be biases because I speak it fluently, but I use it all of the time and it is the language that has gotten me jobs. Nobody would have cared if I spoke any other language, but Spanish you'll use at least some in almost every part of the U.S.

Two of the truck drivers at work started talking in Hindi and I started laughing - they stopped and eyes bulged and said you can speak it? I said no, but I just knew what they were talking about (they were *****ing about my supervisor)

My wife has answered some Dutch people who were talking about something... they thanked her and then asked where she learned to speak Dutch.... but she doesn't and didn't realise they weren't speaking English. Of course, she has also answered someone when they hadn't even said anything - he was just sitting in the lunchroom and she answered him as she walked past - "how did you know what I was thinking?"

I second the Sign language suggestion, if you want to stand out on your resume. Also cool for being able to speak when you aren't near someone or things are too loud.

:eek:

I vote Python. If you're not going into anything IT-related, it'll be one of the easiest languages to pick up.

On a more serious note, I wish I had been able to take German in high school. Unfortunately, all that was available was Spanish, which I hated.

At this rate, though, with everything moving to India, take your pick of Indic languages... (Hindi et. al.)

Danish. Utterly useless in America, but you'd learn to make some really funny sounds.

Pick up Russian. The chics love the accent.

cf (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095159/).

Pick up Russian. The chics love the accent.

i think itd be easier just to 'pick up' irish, scottish, british, or australian.

I've always wanted to learn another language, and I think it would look great on my law school application in two years.
If you are doing this solely as a BTR ("build that resume") exercise for applying to law school, then focus on English. I'm not kidding. Getting into law school, getting through law school and practicing law depends in huge part on your ability to communicate effectively in English. I have yet to hear a judge conduct court in Spanish, German, Japanese, Yiddish, Bantu or anything other than American English.

If you want to learn a language for other reasons, too, fine. If, for example, you see yourself as going into Pacific Rim international deal-making, then by all means, take up Japanese or Mandarin. But if you are going to devote hours and hours of time and effort to developing a skill with the idea of impressing faceless, nameless admissions people, you are far better off spending that time developing your writing, comprehension and critical thinking skills - in English.

Look at it this way: The person who looks over your application (assuming they get beyond looking at your numbers - GPA and scores on the LSAT or whatever its called now) will be spending their entire time reading your essay, application, etc., being influenced by how well or how poorly you present yourself in English. (And that's written English, which is not the same as spoken English - reading one deposition transcript will drive that lesson home.) On the other hand, that person will be influenced for about 1.3 seconds, tops, noting that you have taken Swahili (or whatever) for the past two years in what will no doubt look to them like a transparent BTR exercise.

At best, your two years of a foreign language will be the eighth or ninth tie-breaker between you and another "on the bubble" case. I think it's a far better use of your time to focus on your English and logical reasoning skills so you aren't "on the bubble" in the first place.

If you are still in college, take some classes solely for the joy of learning something you didn't know before and are curious about, not because it will look good to law schools. Almost without exception, law schools do not care what courses you take, so long as they (1) are challenging, not gimme's, (2) help develop your communication skills and (3) help develop your reasoning skills. They couldn't care less whether you majored in Poli Sci, History, Math, Chemistry, Film or Antarctic Civilations. They want people who can think, who can write and, to a much lesser degree, who can speak. They want people with a track record of success in challenging academic pursuits. (Which is kind of funny, considering law school is a white-collar trade school, not really an academic endeavor, but that's a different rant.)

Now before I am accused of being an ethnocentric jerk, I am not talking about the world as it ought to be, I'm talking about the world as it is.

Good luck.

Well I said Spanish and someone else mentined Sign Language and I would almost change my mind. Sign Language is a very good language and very usefull, and it is offered in college as a language.
If not, then pig latin might come in handy. :)