Would you learn a language of a country you don't plan to visit?

[primalclaws1974]

I can see someone in America learning Spanish, because a lot of people here speak Spanish. It just makes sense, for better communication. But would you learn Chinese or languages that have fewer native speakers? If you would (or have), please let me know why. Thanks.

[petrushka]

I can see someone in America learning Spanish, because a lot of people here speak Spanish. It just makes sense, for better communication. But would you learn Chinese or languages that have fewer native speakers? If you would (or have), please let me know why. Thanks.

Me, me! I'd definitely learn a language of a country I don't plan to visit. Right now I'm learning Spanish and Japanese (and making a study plan for French and Mandarin Chinese) when I only plan on visiting one of these countries.

There are other reasons to learn different languages, after all. My main reason for learning a different language is that my country provides services to a lot of countries and knowing a different language is a good thing to have on your resume as it ensures higher pay and more opportunities. I also like learning languages for my own benefit because being a Polyglot is one of my dreams. If I happen to meet someone native in these languages, it would be nice to converse to them in their lingua franca but it's not really because I plan to visit their countries.

[AExAVF]

While I don't have any plans to go to Japan, I am very interested in learning Nihongo.  I'm studying the language not only for personal interest, but also because I will be getting employed in the government sector soon.  I have always wanted to show a form of "Japanese efficiency" in the bureaucracy, serving as an example to follow.  Also, I wanted to have a taste of the workaholic nature of the Japanese.

[petrushka]

While I don't have any plans to go to Japan, I am very interested in learning Nihongo.  I'm studying the language not only for personal interest, but also because I will be getting employed in the government sector soon.  I have always wanted to show a form of "Japanese efficiency" in the bureaucracy, serving as an example to follow.  Also, I wanted to have a taste of the workaholic nature of the Japanese.

Oh hey, the Japanese are also the top investors in the country right now, so if you're ever in a government sector that deals with businesses, you might be able to meet Japanese business CEOs or their aides! It'd be really useful to know the language so that nuance won't be lost, yeah?

[sidney]

Yes, for a chance to get a better paying job, I would. I know the BPO industry offers better salaries when you know how to speak and understand a foreign language, so I definitely would like to learn a "profitable" language in my spare time.

[lushlala]

I love languages and if I had the aptitude, time and money to learn many, I'd go for it even if I wasn't planning on going to those countries. I believe a person with varied linguistic skills is a very attractive business prospect and will more often than not outshine other candidates in a job interview. 

[elles-belles]

Yes, I would definitely learn a language of a country I don't plan to visit. First of all because I am fascinated by all sorts of different languages, I find learning languages a fun challenge and mostly because having vast language skills can open a lot of door for you.

There are plenty of opportunities one can run with simply because they can speak a certain language which might very well be the requirement for that certain prospect.

[Muthoni]

Yes I would learn the language if it was interesting. Maybe one day I would meet with a native of that land who would need someone to translate for them. I think that a skill does not go to waste once it is acquired. It may remain dormant for years only to be useful when least expected.

[elenamarie]

As a matter of fact.. I would. I would learn a language with few native speakers if I find it interesting and quite useful. If a language exists, it is because there are people who speak them so it will be fun to speak a language that only few people understand and it is cool to be able to speak a language aside from your own.

[DivaDee]

So what if I learn a language from a country I'm not trying going to, I could be trying learn to speak to a person who can't speak english and help him/her out, so you know they can actually enjoy the culture (if there is anything to enjoy...), or... y'know that person might wanna be in a relationship with me and we try to learn eachothers language to overcome the language barrier between us... Y'know stuff like that... =///w///='''  

[Verba]

I would if I have some good friends from that country even though I don't really intend to visit it. Or if I need it for a job, especially if it would accelerate my role, why not? A friend of mine tried to learn Arabic during her first few years of marriage even though she did not plan to visit her hubby's home country. She just wanted to understand her husband's conversations with his friends and relatives. Call it paranoia, but like what she said, she'd rather play her cards well than to be sorry. That's a good enough reason for me. I personally would learn it if I have some reasons that make perfect sense for learning it. Otherwise, I won't waste my time, really. I'd rather do something productive and meaningful especially at this time in my life when I have to prioritise my activities and goals. 

[Chris_A]

I would also, without doubt, learn a language from a country that I don`t plan to visit. I don`t think it has anything to do with the fact that you plan to visit a country or not, and more like how much you like how the language you plan to learn sounds and how much you like it in general. For example, I always loved how Chinese sounds, but the chances that I am ever going to visit China are really slim. I still would love to learn it though.

[Wanda Kaishin]

My number one reason to learn languages is to talk to people in person. And I don't come into contact with many non-native english speakers where I live in the US. So no, I wouldn't learn a language if I have no plans to visit the country.

[EsperantoOnline]

As of now I can say that english (my native tongue) and spanish (studying it since I was a little kid) are languages that I speak fluently. Long ago it didn't seem as if I was going to travel to a spanish speaking country, but guess what, I got the chance to travel all the way to Argentina. My experience there was greatly improved I could actually communicate better and even made close friends, just because I was able to understand them. Nowadays I recommend studying any language even if you don't have plans to go to a country where it's spoken just because life has many twists and turns. Perhaps you'll end up visitng that place without ever considering it. 

 

 

[anna3101]

I'd definitely study the language of the country I wasn't planning to visit. Being deadly afraid of planes, my chances of going anywhere really far away are practically non-existent but why should it stop me from learning the language? You can meet native speakers on the Internet or you may come across them at work - you never know! For me, travelling has never been the motivation to study the language. When later on I actually went to the country and practised, I really enjoyed it but the decision to start a certain language had curiousity and/or culture and/or friends behind it.

[Lingua Franca]

As the say never say never, you might think you will never visit the country but you never know. Yes, I most certainly learn a language of a country that I am not planing to visit. Just because you don't visit the country doesn't mean that you won't meet people from that country or see movies or books from there.

[Miya]

This is a really interesting question. I love learning languages, but I probably won't learn a language from a country I don't plan to visit. If I don't plan to visit that country, I'm probably not interested in its culture and language. I believe that to master a language, you must first have interest in learning it. So if I have no interest, I won't bother to learn a language.

[czarina84]

Yes, I would...and I plan to.  The truth is, you never know where you are going to visit.  The future is not foreseeable.  Also, say you get a pen pal (or whatever the online equivalent is) from, let's say, Greece.  Wouldn't you like the opportunity to speak to someone you may have a lot in common with, even if you don't share a common language?

[djordje87]

Yes, of course. As a future linguist i would like to learn as many languages i can but on the other hand i do realize i do not have resources to travel that much. I have basic conversational skills in Greek and some other languages but i think that you never stop learning. I say this because language is not just letters and grammar. You have to study one country from every perspective. Culture and food, tradition and modern thinking and influence. All of this have a part in language and it is making changes inside of it. Some countries are not developed as others may be so the language is more open to tradition in one and to technology in the other, respectfully. By the way, travelling is one of the best ways to learn a language and culture in which that language was developing.

[KimmyMarkks]

I think one of the main reasons to learn a language of a place you may not visit is because the world is so globalized now.  Companies do business in so many foreign countries that you may one day have to communicate with someone in say China or a place you may not visit.  I believe that learning a foreign language makes you a very sought out candidate in the business world for the sole fact that you are able to communicate with supplier and customers in foreign countries.