Why did you start studying?

[Meerkat]

Why did you start studying your languages? Some learn for work. Some for necessity. Some simply for fun.

My reason: I wish to become multilingual, and hopefully get a job teaching english or another language. Also, languages are fun.

Your reasons?

[JessiFox]

I have a few different motivators, I guess. I do think it can open up some doors in terms of work opportunities, meaningful friendships and travel experiences, and all that- and that's definitely part of my reasoning, but ultimately just because I've always desired to. I've always wanted to speak many, many languages...when I was little I liked to imagine I could learn every single one .

[DancingLady]

I had to choose a foreign language in highs school, but they only offered French or Spanish, so I chose French. Then in college I had the opportunity to study German, which is what I wanted to study in the first place, so that's how I started that.  I was only able to take two years of it though, I couldn't afford the time or money to take the third year and graduate on time.

[Meerkat]

Wow.

Makes my reasons of "there were a few tapes lying around" seem quite shallow now 

But I agree, Jessi, I also wanted to speak every language in the world.

I think there was a guy who spoke, like, 2,000 languages or something

But don't bet on it.

[AExAVF]

I study language for personal and work reasons.  Though I'm already proficient in the English language, I am still halfway towards mastering it.  I'm also orally translating my favorite movies from English to the vernacular and vice versa.  Earlier I attended a special tutorial class in English to brush up on my language skills, and so far my tutor was more than impressed.  However, I'm still very far from perfect, so if I think that I'm not yet well-versed in English, I will strive to improve myself.

[Trellum]

I started learning english when I was a teen, I didn't have a clear goal to be honest, I just wanted to learn how to express myself in the language.  So I started learning on my own almost without knowing it, I started using Yahoo! chat, mostly to look at what others wrote and hear what they had to say on the mic.  But didn't start participating until I was ready.

I then started having pen pals and this is how everything started for me!

[Meerkat]

Ha, I never thought of having a pen pal as a reason!

And yes, I do not really have a massive goal in learning Russian. Just kind of a fun thing to do.

And AE, yes, I am not perfect in my second language either.

[Dnrk]

Because of self centeredness: Hearing myself think became a chore. English had become dull and boring to me. I was annoyed that I had no other way to express myself.

When I first told someone I took up learning french because I needed a different way to express myself, they asked me why I don't try my hand at art. I almost died at that. I know they were just trying to be helpful, but it felt as though they were curbing my enthusiasm.

But I'm me.

[NATASHA]

I love languages and to be able to communicate in any country with anyone is fantastic. I went to Paris and could not understand what was going on and where I needed to be, so I decided to do a crash course in order to get around in every country. Needless to say, the next time I was in Paris, I could understand and ask for directions and good places to go.

[Determined2014]

Why did you start studying your languages? Some learn for work. Some for necessity. Some simply for fun.

My reason: I wish to become multilingual, and hopefully get a job teaching english or another language. Also, languages are fun.

Your reasons?

Istarted learning spanish because I found myself in a situation where, I was sorrounded by hispanics, non of them knew English and neither did I know spanish , so I ws forced to learn spanish and tha is how I started learning spanish.

[olivia]

I started studying Spanish in school when learning a foreign language is a requirement, but I picked it up again recently because my friend was taking a trip to Spain, and I wanted to practice Spanish with him. I also want to improve myself and keep my mind sharp, and I think learning another language is a great way to do that. One day I would love to travel to another country and be able to understand the native language!

[Rosa]

I had no real reason for learning French and Spanish, except that they were compulsory in high school. Today I have no regrets as they have helped me in so many ways. Being able to communicate fluently in at least one is certainly my ultimate goal.

[xTinx]

For Spanish, it's because we're required to have at least 6 units of foreign language and it's the course with the most convenient schedule. For Japanese, I fell in love with Japan through constant exposure to animes and Japanese literary savants like Haruki Murakami. For Korean, I got carried away by Korean dramas and the entirety of Korean culture.

[Meerkat]

Gee, did not expect this much buzz around my beehive!

Seems people get extremely interested in Spanish and French. Spanish particularly.

Guess both are rather beautiful languages, and also common. French, you have access to France, canada, etc. Spanish, you get Spain, Mexico, etc.

 

[GEEJO]

I decided to learn Spanish because after awhile everything else starts to look the same. Calculus became a more intense version of algebra, science always seemed to give me the same lecture and history repeats itself. Spanish was something that I could learn that would teach me something new everyday that I could never learn completely. I liked the challenge and the ability to express myself in a new way. Plus I like being able to understand Spanish music. My life would not be complete without Juanes

[NATASHA]

I would love to know as many languages as possible for travel,work and just because I love language. I am able to speak a few different languages and i is great to be able to communicate with everyone. I will avoid certain languages that will be too difficult to use and if I am not going to visit the country or I do not have friends from there, I will avoid those ones.

[Guest wellpostlooper]

I have always loved Spanish, therefore, I did everything I could to start learning the language. I love how the songs are so deep and the passion that people have for life. I watched a tv series where one of the characters was learning Japanese and I also liked it. I think it has inspired me to want to start studying Japanese.

[snowfairy]

I don't have a specific reason why I start studying a language. I do it just because it will be great if I know how to speak in other languages as well and maybe in the future I can use it when I travel.

[Baburra]

I started learning just for enrichment. As I grew older, I found myself getting more and more interested in the culture of others and therefore learning their languages just seemed like the natural course. Mostly, I honestly just like the way their language sounds and I hope to speak it as well just to be a part of it and to be able to discern what the people are speaking.

[snowfairy]

I started studying because I want to be able to communicate well especially when I visit the country.I want to make sure that I can express myself properly to avoid misunderstandings. Aside from that, I do it as a hobby.

[Melee]

I started studying languages because I think that language is beautiful.  I love words. I like to listen to them and read them and write them.  I find the differences in languages fascinating, but on the other hand I like the similarities in different languages.

[RedRose]

I started studying Spanish seriously when I was about seventeen, when I realized how many opportunities could be opened to me if I became fluent in a foreign language. The fact that so many people know two or more languages made me realize that I could do it, too. I also enjoy learning Spanish so, either way, learning a different language made a good difference in my life. I want to teach English in Spain now, so now I'm determined to become fluent in Spanish.

[Saholy]

My husband and I traveled to other countries for volunteer construction work. We finally ended up staying in several locations for a prolonged period of time and learning the local language (as opposed to the colonized language) drew us closer to the local people and therefore made our separation from family and friends back home more bearable. Our latest venture has taken us to a country where we have been for 5 years. This has been our longest stay anywhere but it has also been the hardest language. We can now be considered fluent by international standards however we still have much to learn by local standards.

[gmckee1985]

Great post, Saholy. Glad to see that learning a new language was beneficial to you! I think that's the goal that most of us have here. To have our time be rewarded by being able to use our new language skills in every day life. Hopefully I can have the same type of experience.

[Ruth]

I study because I want to keep up with the world and use my brain to its fullest potential as possible.  I do not want to get Alzheimer's disease when I grow older.  I like to learn and know how the world is doing.