Best Foreign Language

idude · February 20, 2002 8:25PM

I'm an eighth grader and right now I'm planning my freshman year. I know about everything I'm gonna take (Geometry, English, History, Choir, Biology, and a Business class) but I'm still not sure what foreign language to take. The High School offers Japanese, French, Spanish, Latin, and German. My mom wants me to take Latin to help improve my English. My dad wants me to take Japanese because I'm going to go into a business/tech relatesd field and he thinks it would help. My question to you is what have you taken or are taking now? Do you like it? And, which do you think would be best for an honor student like myself who plans to go into business? Thanks.

sizzle chest · February 20, 2002 8:32PM

You'll get a lot of the benefit of Latin (helping you to understand the roots of many English words and prefixes and suffixes) from any romance language. French or Spanish would probably come in handier in the "real world" than Latin, though you could really wow the chicks in college by spouting off some Latin stuff at a party.... so that's a consideration.

timo · February 20, 2002 8:41PM

[quote]Originally posted by sizzle chest:

though you could really wow the chicks in college by spouting off some Latin stuff at a party.... so that's a consideration.<hr></blockquote>

<img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" /> Je doute.

Spanish would give you access to a world of culture already here in America.

I like French. Certain French phrases pop up all the time in English.*

German actually would help your English, perhaps more than Latin. German grammar is more explicit, and knowing it well really illuminates English grammar.

Japanese...it might be hard to get into this language, since it is so distant from English.

I studied German in school, and then a little French later on. If I were to do it again I'd be seriously tempted to study Spanish.

Whatever you study will be good -- access to another language is a real useful gift.

*If you want to hang out with girls they seem to always study French.[/gross generalization]

buonrotto · February 20, 2002 9:21PM

It's a dead language, but Latin is incredibly useful and versatile. Once you know Latin, you have your foot in the door to a lot more languages, more so than learning one of its derivatives (French, Spanish, Italian, some aspects of German and English, etc.). Plus you can read your science texts and have some clue about what they're saying. Now if you can eventually recite Cicero, look out!

[ 02-20-2002: Message edited by: BuonRotto ]

glurx · February 20, 2002 9:32PM

[quote]

The High School offers Japanese, French, Spanish, Latin, and German.<hr></blockquote>

I'd go with Spanish. Nearly all of the countries south of the border speak it. America is doing an ever increasing amount of trade with these countries and an ability to talk to clients/customers/suppliers/etc in their native tongue is always helpful.

If you could find a way to take Chinese instead that might be even more useful.

corvette · February 20, 2002 9:32PM

see my signature

[ 02-20-2002: Message edited by: corvette ]

ghost_user_name · February 20, 2002 9:35PM

I took Latin and I don't think it helped my English that much. Any romance language would be just as good wrt that.

Here's a hint. Take the one you're most interested in. That way you'll study it.

groverat · February 20, 2002 9:49PM

Spanish is a beautiful language.

And if you take Spanish I can give you many Chilean mp3s to jam to and impress your teachers with.

agent302 · February 20, 2002 11:02PM

I actually learned a lot about English grammar from taking Spanish. Gerunds, past participles, direct and indirect objects are a lot clearer and more defined in Spanish, which helped facilitate better English understanding. Also, it's prettier than any of the other offered movies, and you can slightly understand cool movies like El Mariachi and Mujeres al borde de un ataco de nerviosos.

krazyfool · February 20, 2002 11:06PM

ASL = American Sign Language, not really *foreign*

outsider · February 21, 2002 7:29AM

If it was me I would go with either German or Japanese. They would probably prove most useful in business. Spanish would be a good choice too, especially living in America.

ghost_user_name · February 21, 2002 10:50AM

IMO Spanish is the business language. Most people in Europe that you would do business with know English. Japan is not the dominate power house it once was. China has the largest number of second language English speakers. Considering everyone, almost, to our south speaks Spanish it would be the way to go.

the toolboi · February 21, 2002 2:37PM

Japanese. Uses the opposite side of your brain, plus then you can understand animes

I remember a story about some guy hwo knew some pictographic language (Chinese, japanese, etc.)and english. He had a stroke and couldnt write in english any more, but the pictographic language gave him no problems.

Other than that, maybe spanish

eat@me · February 21, 2002 3:09PM

if you live in the US, the most practical and useful is spanish---same hemisphere. latin is dead--waste of time. if you need latin for improving english, focus on your english classes. name one country that speaks it.

my own opinion is that german is not a very pretty language and useful if you are planning on living in germanic countries later on. french, well, if you are american and the french hear you speaking french, they will reply back to you in english and insult you along the way for being, well, american. you can't win with them.

all of south american and many in us as well as spain. it and chinese are the languages of the future along with english

japan is going down hill. their impact is declining while chinese is increasing.

either study what you are passionate about and find interesting or study what you feel will be practical as a second language.

unlike our european counterparts, you will have little opportunity to speak a european language.

when you get older, study abroad and learn a language there.

best

soulcrusher · February 21, 2002 4:12PM

I speak spanish, english and french, so if you were to ask me I would say latin.

Learn spanish, best literature in the world

matsu · February 21, 2002 4:22PM

Avoid Japanese.

Of the languages listed, it is the one that will give you the least access to their culture. It isn't just the distance. They don't want you there, and they're a highly closed off/suspicious business culture. Trust me. If you've got round eyes, don't waste your time.

edit: However, the left brain right brain stuff is cool.

[ 02-21-2002: Message edited by: Matsu ]

solishu · February 21, 2002 4:26PM

Out of a French 101 class of 25, I am one of three guys :cool: Rock on.

I'm taking French mostly because a summer of construction work ruined my taste for Spanish. I know that's a bad reason, but it's true. I just can't think of Spanish without thinking of all the lazy Mexicans whose trash I had to pick up last summer

Also, the number of people in Europe who speak English, is in my experience, highly inflated. My family stopped off in Paris for a day and it was hell trying to get around without knowing French. It's also the most widely used language in Africa.

idude · February 21, 2002 4:39PM

I've heard a lot of girls take French. I like that aspect, but again, I don't. Solishu's comment about spanish really inspired me. NO to Spanish. After all, I'm ALWAYS complaining that if you live in America, you should speak our language, so by learning Spanish, I's be going against that thinking. German is a language that I'm sure is good, but my dad took it and hated it. Learning Animes doesn't matter at all to me. I'll probably go with Latin. I know it's a dead language, but after going over to the High School yesterday and learning about all the electives, Latin appleals to me most. Both because of the help in vocan, but also because it seems that after hearing all the other languages after latin, I feel Latin roots are at the root of a lot more languages than any other, so by learning Latin, it's be easier to learn another language later on.

hmurchison · February 21, 2002 4:48PM

[quote]Originally posted by iDude:

I've heard a lot of girls take French. I like that aspect, but again, I don't. Solishu's comment about spanish really inspired me. NO to Spanish. After all, I'm ALWAYS complaining that if you live in America, you should speak our language, so by learning Spanish, I's be going against that thinking. German is a language that I'm sure is good, but my dad took it and hated it. Learning Animes doesn't matter at all to me. I'll probably go with Latin. I know it's a dead language, but after going over to the High School yesterday and learning about all the electives, Latin appleals to me most. Both because of the help in vocan, but also because it seems that after hearing all the other languages after latin, I feel Latin roots are at the root of a lot more languages than any other, so by learning Latin, it's be easier to learn another language later on.<hr></blockquote>

"Our Language" in another 40 years Latino's will be the second larges mass of people in the US. You better keep some Spanish books around. Personally my goal is to learn Spanish and French(So I can harass French Canadians LOL)

imacfan · February 21, 2002 4:52PM

I would suggest to you either Spanish or Japanese. Latin (Which I did study) does give you some insight into English, but as you will hardly ever use it, you will forget it soon.

Spanish, you will use alot, as it is common round the Americas.

Japanese will give you the greatest advantage and bragging rights, but you will use it less and it is incredibly hard to master ( believe you me - I have tried!)

David

macaddict · February 21, 2002 5:42PM

Latin gets you chicks? :eek:

Going for my third year of Latin...

Best Foreign Language

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