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which language ?
why ? the purpose ?

2007-02-03 01:45:25 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture Languages

14 answers

Within the next decade there will only be one language worth learning apart from English.Mandarin Chinese! Their influence in the world will be huge.

2007-02-03 07:02:40 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1 0

My kids and I are learning Esperanto. We use it every day, and believe it or not, Esperanto represents the best chance for the survival of the multitude of dying languages since it's purpose is to forestall the monopoly of any one National tongue to the disadvantage of another.
Consider if you will, Esperanto is an easily learnt AUXILIARY language. This means that myself and that German fellow over there needn't sink a lot of time and effort into learning each others mother tongues if we don't wish, where whose ever tongue we settle to communicate in will hold the advantage in any discussions; since the likelihood of having a mastery of the second language will be remote at best. Each partner has exerted a similar effort in order to communicate; a linguisticly neutral hand shake if you will. Yet we are still free to talk in our mother tongues when and where we choose.
Further, I am now in a position to visit just about every country in the world and with the help of my new found Esperanto speaking friend (2 million plus) learn of his / her culture and language. This second facet is possible because in learning Esperanto I now have a firmer grip on linguistic principles. I will provide a link below on the benefits of learning tertiary languages after Esperanto.
However, if it is Culture you desire, then you've no need to look much further than the Internet. In music there are Folk, Jazz, Opera, Rock, Hip Hop, Rap, childrens' songs, etc. In literature there is multinational translations plus original works. The yearly Esperanto Congresses are a play ground for young and old alike for interaction.
The error it seems that most people make, is the assumption that a focus on one area or language will detract from other areas. Although it may be true to a point, it is extremely unlikely to effect an area to the point of destruction. There are simply too many people in the world to allow that to happen. None of this precludes learning another language.
Conversely, nobody would feel forced to learn it, especially if they've no desire to leave their comfort zone.
The fact is that like it or not, it's use is expanding exponentially. The last educated guess puts the number of functionally fluent speakers at 2 million plus and another 2,000 native speakers (those that were born to an Esperanto household; yes they exist).
Yet many feel almost threatened by it, which is the last intention of the Esperantistoj (ehs-pehr-ahn-TEES-toy). It is simply a tool to allow those that might otherwise struggle to learn a new language, the option of expanding their horizons.
Finally, there is currently $600 million plus a year being spent on translation services at the UN, and a similar amount in the EU, because no one nationality wants to loose the prestige of owning one of the 'working' languages in each of those institutions. This a huge waste of resources that might otherwise go to feeding and housing those less fortunate. A single working language, easily learnt (less than a year to become fluent) would certainly go along way towards that goal. The Universal Esperanto Asociation (UEA) currently holds observer status (class B) at the UN and UNESCO. So there is some movement towards this goal.
Research and draw your own conclusions.

Gxis!

2007-02-03 22:37:32 · answer #2 · answered by Jagg 5 · 0 0

I depends on where you live. In Canada, you learn the other official language. In the United States, it would be nice if you learned Spanish.

The more languages you know the more you can communicate with people. Through people, you learn...

2007-02-03 13:07:13 · answer #3 · answered by poutine 4 · 0 0

Spanish. Its becoming the second more spoken language in the States and in short time we are gone a nee it for jobs and other things.

2007-02-03 11:17:49 · answer #4 · answered by Fedruida 7 · 0 0

Gaelic. It's the first language of my father's family and the first official language of the country I live in so that's reason enough.

2007-02-03 09:54:35 · answer #5 · answered by palaver 5 · 0 0

well i already speak two languages, but my third language would be french.
why? because france is a powerful european country and i really want to visit there some day. *independently* (without a tour gide or a translator following me around)

2007-02-03 09:50:23 · answer #6 · answered by belleswan 3 · 0 0

Spanish .
For work , travel , reading .
Don't forget ; it's the second language in the world .

2007-02-03 09:54:42 · answer #7 · answered by citizen high 6 · 0 0

I should say Spanish because my husband to be family mainly speaks it and I don't know much except hi, how are you and I am good, bad or so so but I think it be nice to learn Finnish because of my great grandma all she taught me in finnish was a prayer.

2007-02-03 09:51:16 · answer #8 · answered by Yelsha!!! 2 · 0 0

well i'm doing 2 languages right now-french and german and i would probably like to pick spanish next coz people say it is really easy to learn and most of my friends know it!

2007-02-03 11:43:41 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

i think english.you need this language in every country.
just for example you will come to prague,you are from spain,you are going to the some place to eat,but you dont know how say it.
so,you trying to explain what you really want,but that peoples dont understand you-they think:"he could learn less some words"
maybe its stupid but its true.

2007-02-03 10:05:35 · answer #10 · answered by kiki 1 · 0 0

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