What language should I learn next and why?

[SFRL]

4 hours ago, SuperLuigi said:

@SFRL Thanks for the info! Very interesting... I'm not sure how you could learn those languages though... as you said, everyone would just start to talk with you in English

Altough it's true I meant it as a joke. 

Still though if you want to really learn a language you should go live there. 

I live in America. I could speak English already when I got here. But it still got a lot better over the years. 

The accent won't go away though even after 8 years. 

Edited January 12, 2018 by SFRL

[h inandout]

I love you all! I miss the like button :,(  

It will probably be basic Chinese for now because I just signed on to teach English online to kids in Beijing.  

But my deeper interest, more recently has been Ayurveda, so I did get rolling on the Hindi for a hot minute, and wouldn't be opposed to Sanskrit (which would be most fun studying through Kirtan! - or even Tibetan through chanting).  

I never really used Spanish except to get over my stage fright (because I can easily enter an alternative personality).  The process of learning it, however, is one of those slow cooking style experiences.  The slow simmer brings out subtle notes in the psyche.  It should be for a purpose, but not too much purpose!!  Otherwise you'll lose the fun and freedom of it.

[Koyaanisqatsi]

Unless you just want to dabble in a language, if you don't plan to actually use it (by living in a foreign country, not visiting), learning a language is mostly a waste of time and effort. If you can't apply knowledge, you will forget it. I'd recommend learning something that will be more useful, and not just a 'feather in your cap'. But it's your life--do what you are called to do.

This is just my two cents--I spent 10 years teaching ESL, and I've talked to a lot of people about languages and learning them. I find that most people want to learn a foreign language just to say they know another language. At least you've already learned one other language, so you can check that box. Also, I have learned Spanish, Nepali, German, French, and Japanese, but Japanese is the only language I really 'know' because I lived in Japan for years. By the way, Japanese is not a language I recommend you play with or try to pick up casually. If you speak English as your native language, you will need to forget almost everything you know about language and start over. But maybe you're into that... 

[Joseph Maynor]

1 hour ago, Koyaanisqatsi said:

Unless you just want to dabble in a language, if you don't plan to actually use it (by living in a foreign country, not visiting), learning a language is mostly a waste of time and effort. If you can't apply knowledge, you will forget it. I'd recommend learning something that will be more useful, and not just a 'feather in your cap'. But it's your life--do what you are called to do.

This is just my two cents--I spent 10 years teaching ESL, and I've talked to a lot of people about languages and learning them. I find that most people want to learn a foreign language just to say they know another language. At least you've already learned one other language, so you can check that box. Also, I have learned Spanish, Nepali, German, French, and Japanese, but Japanese is the only language I really 'know' because I lived in Japan for years. By the way, Japanese is not a language I recommend you play with or try to pick up casually. If you speak English as your native language, you will need to forget almost everything you know about language and start over. But maybe you're into that... 

It’s fascinating from a linguistics standpoint even to dabble in other languages.  It puts your own language in high-relief.  It’s kind of like being able to see your own culture better by traveling.  I have much more of a perspective on English from dabbling in other languages.  Without this kind of contrast, you don’t really see the difference between language and thought.  You also don’t see what language is until you travel through other languages — just like you don’t really see what culture is until you travel through other cultures.

 I recommend the Pimsleur Conversational audios.  They are affordable and good for doing this kind of work.

Edited January 12, 2018 by Joseph Maynor