If you could instantly be fluent in another language....

[fwan]

I found German easy to learn as it has very similar words to English, it's just the grammar that does not make sense

Italian is a romantic language, although hubby makes me speak to him in German and make me teach him some words in Italian.

I would love to speak French, I picked it up quite easily in Paris, but its just hard to speak it.
And I would also want to learn Spanish, I loved listening to it when my friends spoke amongst each other.

 

[tierre0]

I guess I would have to say Spanish. Being Canadian I have a fairly good understanding of French although my pronunciation is not always perfect. So I am thinking that Spanish is most likely the next most commonly spoken language(??????) maybe.

 

[strange_wings]

Originally Posted by tierre0

So I am thinking that Spanish is most likely the next most commonly spoken language(??????) maybe.

Nope, it's Mandarin. Spanish is third.

Originally Posted by GoldyCat

I've actually been accused of belonging to the grammar police at times. Incorrect grammar and incorrect word usage make me just a little crazy (maybe that should be "crazier"

). I've studied German, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. Part of the fun is learning how the language works and how the grammar is different from English. As far as Dutch goes, I'd like to be able to pronounce the words properly as well as read it.

You've learned several languages already, surely it wouldn't be too hard for you to pick up another.

I say go for it! Make that '09's project.


And for those wanting to learn Japanese, it's not that hard. It's just a lot to remember. There are so many resources available now online that one can easily find help learning. If I wanted I have a Swedish friend who is nearly fluent (he's over in Japan right now at uni) who would probably help me.
If you have a good memory you should be able to learn hiragana and katakana in a couple nights and at least 50-100 kanji a week as you start getting a hang of it.

 

[loubelia]

For me it would either be Korean or Russian. I just think Russian sounds neat, and Korean is the language the country I was born in speaks (I was adopted at 8 months by an American couple and grew up with English as my first language). I'd love to go back to visit Korea one day and knowing that language would help.

 

[starryeyedtiger]

Originally Posted by Denice

I have heard that Polish is extremely hard for English speakers to learn how to pronounce correctly. There are two women from Poland where I work and I have heard them speaking to each other in Polish and it does seem like it would be hard to get the pronunciation correct.

My grandmother (on my father's side) is from Poland. I never did learn how to speak Polish, but I used to love to listen to her talk in it when I was little

 

[Moz]

I'd like to speak French, as I live in Canada, and because I listen to a lot of music from Quebec and I have no idea what they're saying!

I've dabbled in a bit in German and Norwegian too, but sometimes I think English is hard enough as it is.

 

[clixpix]

Spanish, hands down. It would make my life so much easier at work. Right now I can speak a butchered "Labor Spanglish", which in the real world will get me strange looks, and little else.

 

[wellingtoncats]

Maori for me!

 

[trouts mom]

Originally Posted by Yosemite

French - it would increase my earning potential considerably. Naturally, once you learn French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese would be very easy to pick up.

Same here. French is important in this area even though I HATE it.

 

[mrblanche]

Definitely Japanese, with one of the two versions of Chinese second.

The reason is a funny one, though. Some years back, I found the perfect job for me. It would be driving a tour bus in Alaska in the summer and in Hawaii in the winter. The problem is that you have to be fluent in Japanese to get the Hawaii job.

 

[pushylady]

Originally Posted by mrblanche

Some years back, I found the perfect job for me. It would be driving a tour bus in Alaska in the summer and in Hawaii in the winter. The problem is that you have to be fluent in Japanese to get the Hawaii job.

OMG go learn Japanese already!!!

For me, I would love to be fluent in just about any other language. I tried learning Russian, and I seem to be able to grasp a lot about languages when reading them, but I have this mental block when it comes to listening to them.
I think Latin would be a great one to know, it would give you an insight into several modern languages and you'd understand a lot of scientific names.
I love the sound of German and think it would be fun to speak.

 

[alleygirl]

Cherokee! I know a few words, but that's it. They had classes at the college I went to in Oklahoma, but I moved before I was able to take one.

 

[catsallaround]

Urdu. My fiances language(Pakistan) and then Hindi cause its very close.

 

[captiva]

Korean for me. I have been taking lessons and trying to learn on my own but it's a slow process, especially when I'm not a big fan of reading anything.

I'm surprised to see how many people know or want to learn Japanese. I didn't know it was that popular.

 

[spudsmom]

Nowegian. It was my grandparent's native language and my mother's 2nd language. I wish she had immersed us in it when we were little. It would have been much easier to learn that way. I know a few phrases, mostly insults!