Foreign Languages. Beneficial?

[Igg]

Of course it's useful.

Or to look at it another way- what can you lose from it? There's only gain, gain in understanding.

I can speak passable french as long as it's not too complicated I desperately want to learn Hungarian because it would allow me to communicate properly with my mother's side of the family.

[Anubis]

I think that learning a foreign language is beneficial because, when you understand something in it, you feel dead chuffed. ;P I shouldn't really be talking because I hate, with a passion, both my French and Spanish classes - but that's more down to the teacher, as I have the same one for both, and we're not very... compatible. I think that learning Latin is very, very beneficial, as the roots make you understand your own language better. (And plus... you go on school trips to Rome! Yay!)

[Igg]

I learned latin and I didn't get any trips. poo.

[Anubis]

We're going to Italy in November. Booyeah.

It's pretty expensive, but... shhh. I'm going anyway. xD

[smudgeoffudge]

I believe it is only beneficial for a child to learn a forein language when there is an opportunity for the child to put this language to use. It is much more important for a person to become more literate in their own language. Young children can pick up other languages far faster than an adult and many people see this as an excellient opportunity for learning. Although it really doesn't harm a child to learn another language, the best learning comes from some sort of imersion experience. Although a child may learn many new words, these are forgotten unless a child has the chance to talk to others using this new language. The classroom experience can not compare to actual real-life experience. For those in my geographical area, it would be most helpful to learn spanish. There are many new spanish immigrants and migrant workers in my area. There is a chance for classmates to talk to one another useing this language. Children may even befriend a spanish student and converse with that student outside of school. There is the chance to bring in visitors to talk about their culture, share recipes, or celebrate holidays together.
Although many schools in my area offer courses in French, there is very little opportunity for a child to put this language to use outside of the classroom.
So for the moment I believe spanish is the best second language class to offer in my area, as it has the most potential to be put into actual use. For other areas of the U.S, a person needs to learn which languages are spoken most frequently and do some research in to which language has the most potential.


It is also helpful for teachers, healthcare workers, and others who provide a service to learn to speak a second language. I believe that those immigrating into the U.S should learn to speak English. Some older immigrants learn to speak very little English and do very little to learn about our culture, they have their own neighborhoods and going into one is like going into their own country. Some people wish to call themselves Americans and live here, and yet they know little about our history or language. Maybe some people believe they are too old and set in their ways to bother learning more than they need to survive. But I believe a person does better in a society when they can speak the language and know some of the history. I also think that other people can help immigrants by learning a little of their language as well, so everyone can converse with one another. There are some people who believe that the United States is under attack and that our language is under attack. I believe English will always be our first language, but I don't think it hurts to know another language. People who understand one another can get along with one another. People who see themselves as "US" and other as "THEM" and do not wish to learn more about each other do not move forward. I believe the best way to move forward is to understand each other more and respect the unique differences each person has and the simularities.

[Mongrel]

I'm taking Latin, and even though it's a dead language it's helped me immensely. I've learned more about the English language in terms of structure in my Latin class than I have in my English class. Heck, I had to explain to my English teacher what a defective verb was.

[theonlysaneone]

I'm learning Spanish right now and the little that I know has come in handy so far. It will probably help me out in the long run when I come across people who speak Spanish as I live in an area where there is a lot of Spanish speaking. Generally its good to know languages that are spoken often around where you live so you know whats going on.

I live in your area, and you're right. It may just be because I've had horrible luck with foreign language teachers, but I've always thought that if you want to do business in the US, you need to know English, or find a translator who does. English is spreading more and more anyways, and it won't be too long before most of the industrialized world speaks it (I think the only fully industrialized country that doesn't is Japan. Germany and France speak their own languages, but most Europeans tend to know more than one language anyway, English being one of them).

[Ric]

Right now I'm learning Mandarin and German. My dad speaks fluent Italian so I can understand that, very useful when I went to Italy a few years back.

I'm the only person in my year taking both languages! (Our school only offers Mandarin and German before VCE)

[Lillie]

It is much more important for a person to become more literate in their own language.

I agree with this. For me, it goes without saying that one has to be literate in at least one language. There's no use in learning other languages if you can't even communicate in one.

However, I feel it is very important to learn other languages once you have mastered one. For children, they may be learning two or three languages at the same time, but I see no harm in adults learning languages too. It may take longer and it may be harder, but it's very useful to know at least one other language. Every person I know can speak at least two languages, most three and some are learning a fourth or even a fifth. I am incredibly envious of them.

With an increasingly global world, it's just so much more helpful to learn other languages, it increase job opportunities, and of course, it's very interesting to learn about other cultures.

[Amethyst]

I think that learning a foreign language is beneficial. I'm taking Latin, and it's VASTLY helped me understand English grammar and vocabulary. I'm also teaching myself Japanese in an attempt to actually be able to understand most of the music I listen to.

Oh, and Jade? No words can express how much I envy/hate you.

[Khirshanta]

Definately, as said before: it gets you a better job, more cultural understanding and it makes you feel smart

I've noticed it especially here in Finland, when working in groups, when someone doesn't know the right word in English, you can help them because you speak the mother tongue.

[Ski]

I have always liked the idea of language learning because it fascinates me that there are so many ways to say a single idea. Learning a language changes your thought process incredibly. You begin to think more in terms of the idea instead of the word, and you become less tied to language.

Learning Spanish helps me understand my own language better. I was the "star" in my English class because I knew gerunds, participles, etc. from Spanish.

That's a big advantage for me, too.

[sirclucky]

I can understand the point as long as it is simply to understand the stucture(in other words, take Latin) of the langauge, but learning so you know it and can communicate with others? I really don't understand that. English is growing more and more the world's universal language. While I am not saying we should abolish all other languages, if many non-american children continue to learn english in their schools, then learning another language makes no sence because the purpose is to be able to communicate with other people, and before long everyone will speak the same language.

[Flame]

But, in the end, is learning a foreign language really all that beneficial? Is it worth it to study a language in school for say, 4 years, if you may only travel once or twice to the other country that speaks it? Also, is learning a foreign language beneficial for everyone? If a person plans on never traveling to a foreign country and won't encounter much foreign language, especially here in parts of the States where it's a large area of mainly English speaking people, should they even bother?

Just trying to get opinions on all aspects of this. It's supposed to be an 'issue' so I need both benefits and drawbacks.

[SpiraLethe]

I can understand the point as long as it is simply to understand the stucture(in other words, take Latin) of the langauge, but learning so you know it and can communicate with others? I really don't understand that. English is growing more and more the world's universal language. While I am not saying we should abolish all other languages, if many non-american children continue to learn english in their schools, then learning another language makes no sence because the purpose is to be able to communicate with other people, and before long everyone will speak the same language.

But, in the end, is learning a foreign language really all that beneficial? Is it worth it to study a language in school for say, 4 years, if you may only travel once or twice to the other country that speaks it? Also, is learning a foreign language beneficial for everyone? If a person plans on never traveling to a foreign country and won't encounter much foreign language, especially here in parts of the States where it's a large area of mainly English speaking people, should they even bother?

Just trying to get opinions on all aspects of this. It's supposed to be an 'issue' so I need both benefits and drawbacks.

English may be popular, but it's far from universal. Besides, there are so many other uses of language. Like I said, each language is a reflection of the culture it came from, a certain way of looking and categorising the world around us. Many social scientists believe that we produce culture through language. Therefore to understand other ways of living and points of view, it's crucial to understand their language. It is very ethnocentric to believe that what you have in front of you is everything there is.