Why do you want to learn another language?

[A0130]

What inspired you?

[Topcho]

Well  I wanted to underdstand more, to communicate with different people, to share what I like with people all around the world and to find out more about the things that interest me. I enjoy the opportunity to be able to read a book or article before it's translated or to share tips and become friends with someone from another country. This is why I learn languages. As I stated somewhere else, with small exceptions, for me languages are the means, and not the goal.

[cefmac]

Initially I started learning languages at school because it was complusory for the first few years, but slowly but surely I learnt to appreciate how languages break down barriers between people. That's the main reason why I continued my language studies beyond the complusory stage. Languages help you broaden your horizons by allowing you to communicate with others and helping you access a culture other than your own.

[pcgamer]

I learned my first two languages while I ws growing up. So, I can't differentiate between my first and second language. But I started learning English when I was 17 years old, because I realized that I wouldn't be able to communicate with rest of the world with out it.

[Czarownica]

Because I'm not good at anything else

I just like learning languages. I think it leads to so many opportunities and also improves the way we think and view the world. I also hope I'll be able to get a job as a translator or something like that, but maybe I'm just being naive here...

[LauraM]

English is my native language and I grew up in the U.S.  My parents encouraged me to learn languages, especially my father who had learned French in school.  When we took family trips to Quebec, Canada when I was very young, I really got a kick out of seeing my father converse with the French Canadians and I aspired to do the same. 

But rather than French, I had a particular interest in Spanish mainly from being surrounded by it to some extent growing up and seeing that it was a language widely spoken in many countries.  I had access to Spanish language TV and radio and so it was easier to immerse myself once I did start studying in high school.

Later, in college, I became interested in German, partly from being a longtime fan of German opera, as well as from hanging out with friends who were learning the language or were native speakers. 

[pcgamer]

Because I'm not good at anything else

I just like learning languages. I think it leads to so many opportunities and also improves the way we think and view the world. I also hope I'll be able to get a job as a translator or something like that, but maybe I'm just being naive here...

If you have mastered some languages, there is a good chance that you will wind up getting a translator job. You just need to look out for it on sites like Freelancer and elance.

[SpiralArchitect]

I am a mechanical engineer. One country which attracts my kind like no other is Germany. Seriously, some of the best car manufacturers are German. So learning German seemed like a no brainer to me.

[Gregor]

Because I want to read the literature of Italy in Italian. That's why I've started an Italian class. No pretentions of going to live there ar anything else, I just want to read Manzoni, Silone, Fo etc in their original.

[Shellyann36]

English is my native tongue but I have always dreamed of learning several different languages.  Spanish is my first choice because we have so many spanish speaking people in my area and if you are bi-lingual in the job market it is a huge plus.  After that I hope to learn German, French and Italian... not necessarily all in that order.  If I learn more that that I would be very happy!

[MamaToBoys]

American English is my native tongue. I had to take a language to get into college. My father suggested German. I am about 1/3 German, so that seemed fun. We only had German and Spanish at our school anyway.

I am really glad I learned German. I hear it from time to time, and it is nice to know that I can understand a little bit of what is going on.

I want my children to learn Spanish though. There are a lot of people surrounding us who speak Spanish, so I think it will be useful. Also, my SIL speaks Spanish as her first language, so it is a nice connection.

[apple1989]

It comes handy when traveling. Locals respond to you better when they hear you speak their dialect. Even if you do not perfectly utter their words, they acknowledge your effort that they pay it with their hospitality. They become much more welcoming. Other than that, I do not want to restrict myself with just one dialect. There are thousands of languages spoken all over the world, might as well learn a thing or two.

[Abanks1000]

I would like to learn Spanish because it is rapidly becoming America's second language.

Spanish should be relatively easy for me to learn since I already speak French.

Recently, I found a program that offers a new approach to learning foreign languages.

Just listen to eight 30-minute lessons for 10 days and you should be able to carry on a basic conversation in almost any language.

Has anyone heard of this?

[linguaholic]

I guess you are talking about the Pimsleur Method (Pimsleur approach)?

[Czarownica]

Recently, I found a program that offers a new approach to learning foreign languages.

Just listen to eight 30-minute lessons for 10 days and you should be able to carry on a basic conversation in almost any language.

Has anyone heard of this?

Eh, nothing like that ever works.

I mean, it can be helpful, I'm sure, but I wouldn't bet on being able to carry on a basic conversation after just eight lessons. Unless by "basic" they mean "very basic" or "identical to those lessons (if you memorize them)".

That doesn't mean I'm against those things, but I wouldn't really expect too much from them

[deyvion]

There are three reasons why I want to learn Turkish:

1. - I will probably move to Turkey next year, and to a part of Turkey where I cannot expect people to speak English.

2. - Being in a relationship with someone where English is the medium of communication, and where one has almost a beginner's level, makes much get lost in translation and misunderstandings often arise. Therefore, I want to learn Turkish. (He will go to Swedish school this winter, so at least I can try to learn his language also, especially considering #1.)

3. - My boyfriend's mother does not even speak Turkish, she only speak Kurdish, and I would really like to speak with her and not only rely on bodylanguge. If I know Turkish, I have a large group of people who can teach me Kurdish also.

[GetFresh]

Learning a new language can have so many good advantages.  For one, it helps you assimilate into a new culture.  You don't get a huge culture shock, can learn how and why people do the things they do by communicating with them.  Another thing is that it is proven to promote brain function.   

[Trellum]

I first started learning english when I was just 16 years old, I learnt english on my own.  I didn't intend to learn the language, it just happened.  It's really hard to explain!  I used Yahoo! chat for learning english, as well as having pen pals from all around the world.  That way I learnt to write the language, but I was very shy to speak it in public!

That shyness disappeared once I started working as an au pair in Norway.  It helped me even more meeting my then boyfriend, because me and him would speak english all the time!  Since he only spoke norwegian, english, arabic and kurdish, but not spanish!

Right now I'm trying to learn dutch because I intend to move there next year, hopely.  I would like to start a new life there with my boyfriend.  For that I need to be proficient in Dutch.

[spanish]

I think when a person can speak more than one tongue that person sees more of the world than anyone else, different  foods, cultures and everything else that comes with a foreign country. Opening my mind to other things like a different language is a big joy for me.

[wander_n_wonder]

What inspired you?

I hate it when I'm in another place and I cannot understand what people are talking about.  I think it's really essential that you somehow know some words in the countries that you visit, so that you won't look totally ignorant.  Knowing how to converse in another language widens one's horizon.

[heaven]

Learning a language is nothing but beneficial. It will open up more opportunities to get jobs, meet new people and have relationships. Being bilingual on a job could help the customers much more. You could meet new friends that can't speak English, it also gives you something to relate with. You could even get a new relationship with a partner. Communication is so vital in relationships, so you two could connect much more.

[btatro]

I am a nurse and have been coming into contact and caring for an ever high amount of spanish speaking individuals. I am focusing on Spanish related to health care, but am also learning the language as a whole from a beginner's perspective to improve my relatability and quality of care.

[mareebaybay]

I want to learn another language because of all the benefits of being bilingual. I know there are so many beneficial benefits to being a bilingual speaker. I also want to learn more about the country's language history I am studying.

[resilientsage29]

I guess overcoming the initial difficulty in trying to learn something new is a real challenge at the same time fun. But once you are good at it, the feeling of accomplishment is really nostalgic. You learn to respect the people who respect that language and it make you comfortable in expressing your thoughts properly.

[rossonomous]

I want to learn more languages because I love to go travelling and being able to interact with different people and cultures. My granddad can speak a fair few languages and it has always intrigued me. There's nothing like being able to interact with all different people across the world!