Learning a New Language

[branau]

Currently, I speak English as my native language, Spanish with advanced fluency, and German and Finnish with conversational fluency. This year, I've decided to take on a new challenge, and learn a language that is not of European origin and doesn't use the Latin alphabet. Particularly, I've been thinking about learning either Chinese, Japanese, or Korean, since I work as a web developer, and these countries are influential in the tech industry. As far as personal preference goes, I enjoyed anime as a kid but nowadays I don't really have any interests related to their cultures outside of tech and history, but I find all three countries fascinating in those 2 aspects. The only preference I could possibly give is that I've traveled to Japan once, and it would be cool to go back again someday on vacation. Any thoughts?

[TheFu]

Learn python, Ruby, Perl6, C, C++ first. ;) I've learned about 30 languages in my career. Really only use about 10 these days - assuming you count CSS, HTML as languages (I usually don't).

You are well passed my spoken language knowledge. English as native, Spanish (not even conversational) and I took 3 yrs of German many decades ago. I know 3 sentences in German - all related to drinking bier. ;)

I've spent lots of time in Japan, about 3 weeks in China and a few days in Korea - each is amazing in their own way. Why not learn Hindi or Thai or Afrikaans? Just a thought. ;)
In Korea, I ran into natives with American-English accents - at least for the fluent English speakers. Usually, people seem to be taught (or learn) the British accents, IME traveling. Having the toll-free number to call a translator has helped when a phrasebook, pictures, pointing and my acting just didn't work. ;) Sounds like you've been there. I've only traveled to about 30 countries, so hope to get to another 100 before I die.

I'd probably learn Mandarin, just because it is by far the most used of those 3 choices. Cantonese isn't spoken by nearly as many Chinese. Of course, Mandarin has many different dialects with hundreds of different pronunciations based on location. Just read there are 7 officially recognized Mandarin dialects. The written language has been standardized, I understand the Beijing accent is considered "standard Mandarin Chinese."

Watching foreign movies and TV is a fun way to gain more exposure to a language. There are many great, funny, Korea movies. I didn't expect that. Culturally, those don't tend to be as subtle as either the Chinese or Japanese average cinema (IMHO), but there are some extremely funny Chinese and Japanese movies about foods. The love of the perfect noodle in "Tampopo" or "The God of Cookery" as examples. For gore, "Ichi the Killer" is fun and "Full-time Killer" is one of my all-time favorite movies for assassination flicks.

Oh ... and you should definitely go to Japan, Korea AND China for at least 2 weeks each - though 4 weeks would be better of you can wing it. OTOH, South Africa is amazing, so are Nepal, Thailand, Singapore, Canada (eh?), and Turkey and ...

[lisati]

I learnt some French and Latin at school, and have forgotten quite a bit. In more recent years I've picked up some Samoan (comes with having married into a Samoan-speaking family). I have just enough Māori to introduce myself and tell a little bit about where I'm from, but not enough for a conversation. Sadly, we rarely heard my Dad's native Dutch at home, other than when he was on the phone to family or when we had guests over.

[Bucky Ball]

Learn an Australian Aboriginal language (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Aboriginal_languages) and help it survive ... ? Go a step further and spend some time in the Australian outback helping to document it. Just a thought. ;)

[coldraven]

I can speak three languages, English, Yiddish and Rubbish! :)

Also, (true story) I met a man from Gibraltar who told me that his children speak a mixture of Gibraltese and English. Gibberish!

[shantiq]

Mandarin seems the best choice really considering China is the next master of the world barring God knows what
So logically learning Chinese makes sense for work/the future etc etc ...

But really you should see which one you are attracted to ... Thai or Laotian might draw you in more

If you want a challenge Cantonese is meant to be the hardest of them all [apparently Mandarin is a cinch after that]

When I grew up in France in the 60s and 70s English was the one and I learnt that at school then moved to UK aged 19 so good choice I also picked Russian
as they were the other giant; but learning it was a nightmare as there were NO Russians anywhere to be seen in the West in the 70s or 80s; so I can read Dostoevsky but cannot really speak it; later I learnt Spanish which is easy for a French speaker; can also read Portuguese as it is ALMOST Spanish :]

Really I would say look at a bit of all the ones you suggested and see which one grabs you most ... if you have no other reason to learn it than personal interest and challenge

[branau]

Thank you everyone for your replies! This is what I love about these forums :D


Learn python, Ruby, Perl6, C, C++ first. ;) I've learned about 30 languages in my career. Really only use about 10 these days - assuming you count CSS, HTML as languages (I usually don't).

Well, I started learning programming languages back in April 2015, and got my first job in web development in August, and since then I've worked with Python, PHP, a little Ruby, plenty of JavaScript, XML/XSL and HTML/CSS of course. Haven't really touched Perl or C/C++ but I'll make sure to add them to the list of things to study.


You are well passed my spoken language knowledge. English as native, Spanish (not even conversational) and I took 3 yrs of German many decades ago. I know 3 sentences in German - all related to drinking bier. ;)

I've spent lots of time in Japan, about 3 weeks in China and a few days in Korea - each is amazing in their own way. Why not learn Hindi or Thai or Afrikaans? Just a thought. ;)
In Korea, I ran into natives with American-English accents - at least for the fluent English speakers. Usually, people seem to be taught (or learn) the British accents, IME traveling. Having the toll-free number to call a translator has helped when a phrasebook, pictures, pointing and my acting just didn't work. ;) Sounds like you've been there. I've only traveled to about 30 countries, so hope to get to another 100 before I die.

I'd probably learn Mandarin, just because it is by far the most used of those 3 choices. Cantonese isn't spoken by nearly as many Chinese. Of course, Mandarin has many different dialects with hundreds of different pronunciations based on location. Just read there are 7 officially recognized Mandarin dialects. The written language has been standardized, I understand the Beijing accent is considered "standard Mandarin Chinese."

Watching foreign movies and TV is a fun way to gain more exposure to a language. There are many great, funny, Korea movies. I didn't expect that. Culturally, those don't tend to be as subtle as either the Chinese or Japanese average cinema (IMHO), but there are some extremely funny Chinese and Japanese movies about foods. The love of the perfect noodle in "Tampopo" or "The God of Cookery" as examples. For gore, "Ichi the Killer" is fun and "Full-time Killer" is one of my all-time favorite movies for assassination flicks.

Oh ... and you should definitely go to Japan, Korea AND China for at least 2 weeks each - though 4 weeks would be better of you can wing it. OTOH, South Africa is amazing, so are Nepal, Thailand, Singapore, Canada (eh?), and Turkey and ...

I'll definitely have to travel more, I've only been to the US, Mexico, Finland, Estonia, and Japan, so I'll be sure to get out and about as much as possible, and thank you for your tips! I keep hearing Mandarin is a good option, so it's rising higher on my list of possibilities.


I learnt some French and Latin at school, and have forgotten quite a bit. In more recent years I've picked up some Samoan (comes with having married into a Samoan-speaking family). I have just enough Māori to introduce myself and tell a little bit about where I'm from, but not enough for a conversation. Sadly, we rarely heard my Dad's native Dutch at home, other than when he was on the phone to family or when we had guests over.

My fiancée is Mexican, and she is pretty much the reason why I speak Spanish so well. We currently live in Mexico, so I have no choice but to speak it :p


Learn an Australian Aboriginal language (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Aboriginal_languages) and help it survive ... ? Go a step further and spend some time in the Australian outback helping to document it. Just a thought. ;)

That would be quite the adventure! I'm afraid I don't have the time nor money to get out there yet, though. That would be a great trek for the future though!


Mandarin seems the best choice really considering China is the next master of the world barring God knows what
So logically learning Chinese makes sense for work/the future etc etc ...

But really you should see which one you are attracted to ... Thai or Laotian might draw you in more

If you want a challenge Cantonese is meant to be the hardest of them all [apparently Mandarin is a cinch after that]

When I grew up in France in the 60s and 70s English was the one and I learnt that at school then moved to UK aged 19 so good choice I also picked Russian
as they were the other giant; but learning it was a nightmare as there were NO Russians anywhere to be seen in the West in the 70s or 80s; so I can read Dostoevsky but cannot really speak it; later I learnt Spanish which is easy for a French speaker; can also read Portuguese as it is ALMOST Spanish :]

Really I would say look at a bit of all the ones you suggested and see which one grabs you most ... if you have no other reason to learn it than personal interest and challenge

Good points, I'll see if I can't find some writings and youtube videos to get an idea of what some different languages sound and look like, and use that to help.

[TheFu]

Well, I started learning programming languages back in April 2015, and got my first job in web development in August, and since then I've worked with Python, PHP, a little Ruby, plenty of JavaScript, XML/XSL and HTML/CSS of course. Haven't really touched Perl or C/C++ but I'll make sure to add them to the list of things to study.

If you have the time, learn C next. Even if you don't use it much, the knowledge will be invaluable to your career for pretty much **every** other language. You seem to be limited to just scripted languages. Compiled languages bring a whole new set of capabilities, C being the next best thing to ASM. Plus, most other languages were actually created with C, lexx and yacc to do the parsing.

My LUG has a Beginning C group working through a book that just started 2 weeks ago. It would be easy to catch up. It is virtual - you are welcome to join. PM me if you are interested in the details.

[phinn2]

Just throwing in my 2 cents.. Russian is a great language to learn. I speak native English and picked up on it quickly. Once you learn the letters (which does not take long) things start moving quickly.

[Wadim_Korneev]

As an American, it took me about 5 or 6 years of consistent study and living abroad to become fluent in Mandarin - speaking and reading. Writing is the hardest skill to learn, the hardest to retain, and the least useful out of everything so I decided not follow through with it. I am debating on whether I'd like to learn Japanese or Spanish next, but it will probably be Spanish knowing how much a pain in the ass Chinese was/is.

[bashiergui]

Surprisingly the language Njerep is in growing demand. You wouldn't be wasting your time at all learning Njerep.
It might be due to Cameroon's exploding guano industry.
Americans can't get enough guano so they're shipping it in.
Cameroon is exporting it by the crapload.


I'll see myself out.

[albertgroply]

I think the praise for Westerners learning Asian languages is a bit inflated when compared to Asians learning English -- the challenges Asians contend with in English are just as immens.

[albertgroply]

Isn't Chinese or Japanese a LOT more influential than Korean in the tech industry?

[ChuangTzu]

I would say Mandarin will be the most helpful. It is the dominant language in Asia, and most likely will rival English as the most important "global" language.
Highly recommend "Fluenz".
http://fluenz.com/
http://fluenz.com/languages/learn-mandarin-chinese/

[phinn2]

If you don't mind me asking, What tools did you use to learn these languages? (Finnish in particular). I can find a lot of good resources, but my problem is finding a structured program.

[branau]

If you don't mind me asking, What tools did you use to learn these languages? (Finnish in particular). I can find a lot of good resources, but my problem is finding a structured program.

Well, Finnish I learned in Finland because I was an exchange student there for a year. Since I was in school and living with families there, I had to learn it.Spanish I learned from 2 semesters of classes in high school, and then just using it in every opportunity I had. I didn't just wait for opportunities either, I went out and found them. I spoke it whenever I could, I found native-speaking penpals, had skype and email conversations with them, whatever I could to practice. I now live in Mexico so the work paid off. German I learned from a 6 week class in Finland (in Finnish, mind you) and Duolingo. I took like 2 or 3 one on one classes with an Austrian girl but that was about it. Aside from that, I organize a German speaking Meetup in my city. Basically you just have to have a hunger to learn, and be patient. Don't be afraid to make mistakes either.

Thank you to everyone for your opinions and suggestions. I ended up going with Turkish, after a lot of thought. The culture and history fascinates me, and at this point I've decided to just learn languages for fun and not worry so much about possible career benefits.