Forums > Social Discussion > What new language should I learn?

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pricklyleafSILVER Member
with added berries
1,365 posts
Location: Manchester, England (UK)


Posted:
OK, I really want to learn a new language, mainly because I'm fed up of conforming to the steriotype that English people can only speak English and expect everyone else to too. (I guess they have a point rolleyes).

But I really don't know which one to learn. I have a GCSE in German, but can't really remember much of it (it was 7 years ago), and I learnt a bit of French.

I do want to take a gap year, travelling round different parts of the world, probably mainly Africa, and I want to go to Peru among many other places. French being useful for North Africa, and Spanish for South America. My friend is learning Spanish, which could be slightly useful, but she lives a long way away so I don't see her very often...

Alternatively I could try to learn an African language, which doesn't have very wide useage but would be fun and quite random. I tried learning Swahili for a while...

I'm determined to do it properly this time, and I'm looking into adult education courses, but I can't decide which language.

Any ideas?! confused

Live like there is no tomorrow,
dance like nobody is watching
and hula hoop like wiggling will save the world.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson


PinkNigelPinker than thou
336 posts
Location: A little pink world all my own..


Posted:
 Written by: Invader Xan


Fishermen in little villages like Marazion have never really stopped counting things out in old Cornish.



Doesn't that go "one, two, shoal"? wink
Hey - I grew up in Norfolk, where it goes "one..er.. lots"

 Written by: Invader Xan


The UK is full of cool celtic languages though, it's true. Everyone knows about Scots, Irish and Welsh. Less people know about Manx and Bretton. Cumbric, alas, truly is long dead.


I'm sure that Brittany will be delighted to hear that it's in the UK..

I've heard that if you speak Welsh, you can get by in Breton.

Of course, some folk could do with spending their time learning English properly. How many folk here realise that it should be "Fewer people realise..."

 Written by: Poje

My vote goes towards Esperanto. Whats cooler then that?



It amuses me greatly that there are fewer speakers of Esperanto in the world than there are of Klingon.

A wise man once said: "You have two ears and one mouth, therefore you should shut the censored up and listen" (though, to be fair, he might not've put it _quite_ like that..)


shocked_prawnSILVER Member
old hand
865 posts
Location: Sunderland, UK


Posted:
learn africkaans, then once thats mastered learn swahili i will be mighty impressed if you can get the mid sentence clicking working properly. biggrin

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Owned by J.A.C


Invader XanSILVER Member
Your friendly neighbourhood mad scientist
479 posts
Location: Over the hills and far away, United Kingdom


Posted:
 Written by: PinkNigel



I'm sure that Brittany will be delighted to hear that it's in the UK..



I've heard that if you speak Welsh, you can get by in Breton.







Oops! My mistake. redface Sorry about that. Bit dumb of me. tongue





Though it's true about the Welsh/Bretton thing. Together with Cornish and a couple of extinct ones, they're part of the Brythonic group of gaelic languages.

Ditto; Scots, Irish and Manx are all part of the Goidelic group, so there are some similarities in them too. smile



Edit-- I have my stupid head on today... rolleyes

"Love the art in yourself and not yourself in the art."
--Konstantin Stanislavisky


pricklyleafSILVER Member
with added berries
1,365 posts
Location: Manchester, England (UK)


Posted:
shocked prawn, afrikaans (and Swahili) don't have any clicking, thats xhosa your thinking about.

Theres not really much point learning arikaans on a practical basis, as most afrikaans speakers can speak english better than native speakers. (The exception is in the townships, where most people can still speak at least some English).

I still can't decide, but I think I'm leaning more towards a european language. I really don't fancy having to learn a new alphabet...

Live like there is no tomorrow,
dance like nobody is watching
and hula hoop like wiggling will save the world.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson


shocked_prawnSILVER Member
old hand
865 posts
Location: Sunderland, UK


Posted:
aaahh i new Afrikaans had no clicking because my grandma is fluent and she says it very similar to dutch.
however i did think there was clicking in swahili, i stand corrected.!
but yea your right it isnt particularly practical

Proud Co-Owner of PoiBoi
Owned by J.A.C


Rouge DragonBRONZE Member
Insert Champagne Here
13,215 posts
Location: without class distinction, Australia


Posted:
i think there is a glottal stop. that could be where you're getting confused.

i would have changed ***** to phallus, and claire to petey Petey

Rougie: but that's what I'm doing here
Arnwyn: what letting me adjust myself in your room?..don't you dare quote that on HoP...


KyrianDreamer
4,308 posts
Location: York, England


Posted:
Portuguese, which not only works for Brazil but will make it much easier to understand spanish, though the reverse is not as true. Also, in argentina and uruguay, at least, many signs will be in portuguese and anyone who deals with tourists should be able to speak some. But spanish is possibly slightly easier and more useful, so think about what you want ubbrollsmile

Keep your dream alive
Dreamin is still how the strong survive

Shalom VeAhavah

New Hampshire has a point....


Invader XanSILVER Member
Your friendly neighbourhood mad scientist
479 posts
Location: Over the hills and far away, United Kingdom


Posted:
Don't forget in Portugal... wink

"Love the art in yourself and not yourself in the art."
--Konstantin Stanislavisky


nearly_all_goneSILVER Member
Pooh-Bah
1,626 posts
Location: Southampton, United Kingdom


Posted:
Swedish biggrin It's beautiful, very very easy to learn for an English speaker, and unlike most other languages (especially English) it follows a few basic rules and very rarely devates from them... so basically the grammar is easy, it's just vocabulary you need to remember.

Saying that I only speak a bit... I've been meaning to learn more for years and years and years now...

What a wonderful miracle if only we could look through each other's eyes for an instant.
Thoreau


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