Learning a language...
By gloamglozer
@gloamglozer (1289)
Australia
October 21, 2009 5:38am CST
In my days as a student I have had the chance to learn different languages including Spanish, German, French and Vietnamese. I think most schools have that opportunity but have you ever started learning sign language?
It's good for some job applications too. I saw this girl working at Pizza Hut months ago and she was using sign language to a customer. Just like any other language really. You can talk to more people and serve/help more people if that's what your job demands.
So what were the languages that you learnt at school and how did you find them? If you had more than one then which did you like more?
I liked Spanish than any other European language besides English of course. This is because I found the pronunciation and spelling a bit more easier than the others.
1 person likes this
18 responses
@irene3184 (898)
• Philippines
22 Oct 09
Learning another language aside from your own language gives you the benefits of getting a good job to a higher position especially when you are applying in a Call center company. This gives you an edge to other applicant if you know another language.Well, good for you that you that excellent language learning.
@gloamglozer (1289)
• Australia
23 Oct 09
That would be a very big advantage over other people since you can talk to more people and they can't hang up on you when they say "I no speak english". 
@redstar004 (32)
• Saudi Arabia
24 Oct 09
hello,i am learning english,and now i am having a headache on it for not expressing my myself and thingking in english !
so now i hope you could offer me some advise about building thinking in english!i wish my english level could reach higher and at least i could speak very complicated expression about economy and culture and so on !
now i need your help!
@zhangfzoe (432)
• China
22 Oct 09
I learnt English at school. Now I am learning Spanish by myself through internet. I hope I can get the improvement gradually.
@dagui0301 (10)
• China
22 Oct 09
I learnt English through all my school days, but also can't use it very well, I hope I can get the improvement too.
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
21 Oct 09
I learned Spanish in school too but never had a chance to really put it to practice. I speak 2 foreign languages aside from my own and language learning is indeed fun. I very much would like to learn Mandarin chinese given the opportunity.
It makes travel more exciting once you can communicate well and be able to express what's in your mind.
cheers!
@gloamglozer (1289)
• Australia
21 Oct 09
Neither did I unfortunately, there was an organised trip to go to Spain but I left school before that happened and the new school didn't offer Spanish as a second language. There was Japanese though it would have been difficult to catch up to the level everyone was at.
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
21 Oct 09
Learning languages is fun and interesting. I am quite a linguist as I speak few chinese dialects besides the many local dialect of my country. Knowing more than one language is an asset and traveling to other countries will find us in a comfortable situation mingling with the local native speakers if we are able to communicate with them effectively.
@gloamglozer (1289)
• Australia
21 Oct 09
Ah, the prime minister in my Country speaks Mandarin and he went to China a few times to talk about the free trade agreement thing a while back. Learning new languages definitely is an asset especially for a politician/businessman.
@trilliansramblings (160)
• United States
21 Oct 09
I learned Spanish while I was in school. I also taught myself a little sign language when I was in school (my mother wouldn't let me take the school's course so I had to teach myself). Right now I'm teaching myself Russian.
Spanish was pretty easy to learn, because it's similar to the English language. I am enjoying learning Russian more, though. I think it's because I have the time and resources to learn the way I want to learn.
@gloamglozer (1289)
• Australia
22 Oct 09
That's great to hear you are interested in learning a new language and have been self motivated to do so on your own.
@Feresarah (1)
• China
21 Oct 09
Well actually sometimes it seems to be a journey when you begin to learn a language,you will konw the country which you learn its language now.You konw ,it's really funny and exciting.You can acquire something unexpected,and from my own view ,you get the double results.I just have learned Chinese,you konw ,it's attractive for me ,and tell the truth,it's difficult to learn ,especially the
pronunciation. I agree with you that it's useful to learn a special language
@gloamglozer (1289)
• Australia
21 Oct 09
Out of all the languages I think that learning Mandarin is the hardest because of the unique characters of the words but also the slightest variation in pronunciation have mean something totally different.
@gloamglozer (1289)
• Australia
21 Oct 09
That's true, the fastest way of learning a language is definitely speaking in it regularly. It's very hard to learn to speak it fluently when there aren't many people who speak that language you can talk to. I had a friend that came overseas and didn't know any English at all and within 2 years he could speak and write it quite decently.
@zzyw87 (1254)
• Philippines
22 Oct 09
I actually started learning to love languages when I was in college already. When I was in high school, it was mandatory to learn another language aside from English. It was not because I liked to learn that I was able to learn Chinese. It was because I needed to or else I would fail. I learned two languages in school. English and Chinese. Right now, I really want to learn at least two European languages. On the top of my list are French and German.
@fezman (260)
• Australia
22 Oct 09
thats a huge achievment man! knowing 5 languages! wow man thats deep!
what are you doing on a site like this for when you could be out there being an interperter or something?
you could make a fortune i reckon, knowing that many must have taken ages to learn,
i have always had a deep passion with the french language, its sound, its accent, to quote the matrix, i love swearing in french blah blah blah, its like wiping your but with silk!
but always had to much on my plate to really learn any other language let alone french
congrats for becoming a multi linguist!
@jndlponti (2402)
• Philippines
22 Oct 09
Our school did not actually offer us study of other language except for English and our national language.
But I am really interested with studying different language, I bought some japanese-english dictionary, and I am also interested with Spanish and mandarin
@vincyk (198)
• China
22 Oct 09
I am Chinese majoring in English and choosing Japenese as my second foreign language.Now i am the senior student in school and facing the problem that go to find a job.In my opinion i'd like to work in a company which is a joint venture and can provide me enviroments for English and Japenese both.But i think i love English more for it's easy and beautiful.I have already learnt it for ten years!
@maplegeo (126)
• India
22 Oct 09
As I am from India there are more than 100 languages are spoken in different parts of the country.So in cities one person knows minimum four languages.So i dont think it is so difficult to learn new language.childhood is the better time for catch up new things...
@dagui0301 (10)
• China
22 Oct 09
I think that more speaking helps with learning language, I like English,I also want to lean more.
@defcon505 (919)
• United States
22 Oct 09
Practice makes it perfect. I'm in Spanish class and I find it very easy since English and Spanish both came from Latin.
@hankerChinese (205)
• China
22 Oct 09
Learning a language can be an interesting thing and I always feel pleased after I know a new word, a new phrase and a new sentence. All these means I can communicate with others more frequently.
In my opinion, good atmosphere is important for language study.When learning a foreign language ,the best choice is to stay in the local country and study with local teachers.
@Emilycyf (61)
• China
22 Oct 09
I hope to learn sign language in the future, I wanna meet sone new friends whose life can richen my knowledge or I can help others especially when theya are deaf-mute.
I learnt Deutsch because I majored in English. Deutsch is my second language, but it's a little bit difficult to me. I prefer French if I have a new chance to learn.
