Kind of depends on where you go though, right? If you're planning to be around the Asia/SE Asia corner of the world, then hell yes, learn Chinese, it's everywhere (and so are the Chinese Diaspora). But If Europe/Latin America/S. America is more your style, then no, I guess Chinese won't work that well (although I bet you could get through Vietnam with some French)
What language should I learn?
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T
Twitch
It used to be. There was a time that French was THE language of diplomacy.
--Patrick[/QUOTE]
Personally I speak Spanish to God, Italian to women, French to men, and German to my horse.
I'd suggest Hindi since the Indian economy is rising, and their population is friggin' huge, but they all learn English while growing up. I'd go for Mandarin or Spanish, as well. Though, Arabic wouldn't hurt either.
J
JCM
Believe me, it hurts.
For an american speaker its already hard to grasp having masculine, and feminine forms of nouns (in addition to singular and plural) in Latin-derived languages, imagine having to learn a language where every word has three singular, double and plural forms (masculine-neutral-feminine).
The only thing harder would be Latin.
Don't forget Africa. A great many African countries are francophonic--France was right down there imperializing with the best of them.
in the constraints of the OP's question, it's really hard to to suggest that Chinese isn't very useful on the global business scale, especially given the country's purchasing parity. From that standpoint, it's a strange notion to ignore the third largest economy in the world. Yes, French is widely used, but a language sector behind a 4.4 trillion (USD) GDP (nominal) is not inconsequential.[/QUOTE]However his point still stands.
If you want to be a businessman and deal with the Chinese, its a great language, but if you just want a language that will be useful while travelling, Spanish and French will help more, after English.[/QUOTE]
HIS point?!
North_Ranger
Staff member
Believe me, it hurts.
For an american speaker its already hard to grasp having masculine, and feminine forms of nouns (in addition to singular and plural) in Latin-derived languages, imagine having to learn a language where every word has three singular, double and plural forms (masculine-neutral-feminine).
The only thing harder would be Latin.[/QUOTE]
"Finnish, motherfucker. Do you speak it?"
That would be the Parisians. They somehow think that there rich arts culture justifies them being obnoxious twits to anyone who enters the country, mainly as a reaction to France's decreased influence in a world that is becoming less Euro-centric. Once you leave Paris, people stop being assholes.
Hear, hear!
I've also had Quebecois tell me how France speaks french wrong. With french, there is no winning. Which explains all the surrendering.
J
JCM
Believe me, it hurts.
For an american speaker its already hard to grasp having masculine, and feminine forms of nouns (in addition to singular and plural) in Latin-derived languages, imagine having to learn a language where every word has three singular, double and plural forms (masculine-neutral-feminine).
The only thing harder would be Latin.[/QUOTE]
"Finnish, motherfucker. Do you speak it?"[/QUOTE]Nope.
*looks at Finnish wiki page*
Puts Finnish in his "never want to learn" list
What is Shego's preferred language? Find out and learn it, she may then let you live when she takes over. Either that or kill you last.
C
Chazwozel
Shego's too lazy to even end her loveless relationship in order to maintain financial stability enough to not have to work fulltime and play video games all day. What makes you think she's taking over anything anytime soon.
Shego's too lazy to even end her loveless relationship in order to maintain financial stability enough to not have to work fulltime and play video games all day. What makes you think she's taking over anything anytime soon.
[/QUOTE]Wow, thank god you winked.
J
JCM
Shego's too lazy to even end her loveless relationship in order to maintain financial stability enough to not have to work fulltime and play video games all day. What makes you think she's taking over anything anytime soon.
[/QUOTE]Wow, thank god you winked.[/QUOTE]
Shego's too lazy to even end her loveless relationship in order to maintain financial stability enough to not have to work fulltime and play video games all day. What makes you think she's taking over anything anytime soon.
[/QUOTE]Your wit, sir, is a finely honed rapier. Carry on.
North_Ranger
Staff member
J
JCM
My adsense box reads -
Kamasutra para elas
Saiba tudo sobre sexo Hindi
20 posições para você escolher
www.bolsademulher.com/sexo
[/QUOTE]I already speak 7 languages... I´d hate for something confusing to traumatize me like Arabic did.
Kamasutra para elas
Saiba tudo sobre sexo Hindi
20 posições para você escolher
www.bolsademulher.com/sexo
Pansy
Puts Finnish in his \"never want to learn\" list
[/QUOTE]I already speak 7 languages... I´d hate for something confusing to traumatize me like Arabic did.
Ebonics.
What?
What?
North_Ranger
Staff member
W
Wasabi Poptart
igpay atinlay
The thing is, even that's not universal. Your American Sign Language is different from what they use in, say, the UK or France. Or Finland, for that matter.[/quote]
I believe there are two types of SL American and then there's the universal sign language (I think) just don't learn American, the difference with it is the slang that the ASL uses[/QUOTE]
Well, that's in the States, of course. There's like a gazillion sign languages all over the world, I think. For instance, we have at least two here in Spain. As for the universal one, I don't know how widely it is used in other places, but I can tell you that here no one uses it (I think it is better known in northern Europe).
Although apparently when you're 'fluent' with one of them, you can easily communicate with other SL signers ('speakers'). Kinda like learning Spanish an talking to a portuguese, or dutch and going to germany, but with the whole world and the limited comunity of deaf people who sign.
Also, answering to the OP, learn German. It's kinda useful, shouldn't be too difficult for a native English speaker, and it's cool to learn a declinative language without getting into fucking Finnish
---------- Post added at 07:45 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:40 AM ----------
Or Spanish. More useful... but German's cooler, just for the cases and whatnot.
North_Ranger
Staff member
Sleep with one eye open.*sniparoo* --- fucking Finnish
Sleep with one eye open.[/QUOTE]*sniparoo* --- fucking Finnish
...Or you'l get finnish fucked!
North_Ranger
Staff member
Sleep with one eye open.[/QUOTE]*sniparoo* --- fucking Finnish
...Or you'l get finnish fucked![/QUOTE]
Actually, that would be a Swedish response.
But, should someone somewhere be bludgeoned to death in their sleep with a deep-frozen salmon... *shrug*
Hey hey! Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it's cool, but I mean, it's only for real men, right? Like, anyone would go crazy from trying to learn it with 15 cases? C'thulu crazy?
That's what I meant with fucking Finnish. C'thulu Finnish. Goddam, we normal people need to be careful or we'll lose our sanity if we think about this things too much, arright? I understand it is no problem for you, but we could all use some sympathy thank you.
EDIT: Ha! More like an unfrozen, stinky salmon here in the hot weather!
That's what I meant with fucking Finnish. C'thulu Finnish. Goddam, we normal people need to be careful or we'll lose our sanity if we think about this things too much, arright? I understand it is no problem for you, but we could all use some sympathy thank you.
EDIT: Ha! More like an unfrozen, stinky salmon here in the hot weather!
Shannow
Staff member
Shego's too lazy to even end her loveless relationship in order to maintain financial stability enough to not have to work fulltime and play video games all day. What makes you think she's taking over anything anytime soon.
[/quote]Wow, thank god you winked.[/QUOTE]
Why?
Shego's too lazy to even end her loveless relationship in order to maintain financial stability enough to not have to work fulltime and play video games all day. What makes you think she's taking over anything anytime soon.
[/quote]Wow, thank god you winked.[/QUOTE]
Why?[/QUOTE]
Go wander the earth a little longer.
C
Chazwozel
Really? Cause every time I go to Atalanta I don't understand a goddamn thing anyone says.
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