Latin or Mandarin?

Question

I am a highschool freshman currently taking French, and am hoping to switch over to another language next year. I speak broken Cantonese, and am fluent in English; which would be easiest for me to pick up? Which of the two languages have you had a better experience with, personally?

Answer 1

I'd pick Mandarin for practicality, and Latin for geek points.

Answer 2

Take Mandarin. Latin is essentially a dead language and while very useful for understanding the roots of words, etc., is not all that helpful once you graduate from school. Mandarin, on the other hand, is spoken by the bulk of people in China, and with the opening of the economy there and ongoing focus on growing Pacific Rim businesses, the ability to speak Asian languages fluently will be immensely useful in the future. It will lead to more opportunities (a non-Asian friend who took Chinese in high school was able to parlay that interest into a full scholarship at Duke!) for higher education as well as higher pay and in some cases make you a more attractive candidate for choice jobs post graduation.

Good luck!

Answer 3

That is awesome. I speak some Mandarin. Beijing dialect which is standard. I've heard from Mandarin speakers that Cantonese is tough. I took french for several years. It is easier to understand Chinese to me. I always got language lab wrong when it came to listening. I wouldn't take Latin at gunpoint.

Answer 4

I would think that with your experience in Cantonese, Mandarin would be possible. However, French is somewhat similar to Latin in many ways. I have greater experience with Latin, but would wish to have a greater experience with Asian languages in General.

Answer 5

Mandarin does no longer equivalent chinese language. it incredibly is one among distinctive chinese language languages. Cantonese is yet another chinese language, and there are countless others. besides, i might think of that maximum faculties could be greater inspired with Mandarin. although--in case you're no longer doing nicely in Latin, how do you anticipate to do nicely in Mandarin?

Answer 6

Better experience: Latin.
Important as one base of European and Western culture and civilization.

No experience with Mandarin. Since you have knowledge of Cantonese, why not go for Mandarin???

Either choice is a wonderful experience, fully worth the effort!!!

If you are really privileged, you will pursue both!!!

Answer 7

Latin is the base of many languages, so if you can speak english you will be able to somewhat understand it, and be able to understand other European languages as well

Answer 8

I find Mandarin is simple to learn. Stick with your French class too!

Answer 9

Mandarin it's really easy and catonese is ur native language

Answer 10

if you speak english and french already, take latin, as english and french both come from latin--i speak english, spanish, italian, german and french and they are all derirved from latin so it was really easy to pick them up! Good luck!