Italian/Spanish/French

[Kiechi]

Mainly targeted for people who learnt spanish as a second language. I just need a few general answers because I'm contemplating whether to take French/Spanish/Italian Honours or Italian/Spanish Degree.

1. Is Spanish a hard-to-learn language in general?

2. Would it be easier to pick up in conjunction with Italian AND French OR just Italian?

Final Q, whats better? A Honours Qualification OR a degree.

Thanks for reading. I just need this information urgently because I read somewhere that multi-lingual people who posess more than 1 foreign language are somewhat more valuable than a person who posses 1 (duh). To be able to speak English, French, Italian and spanish would something very much worthwhile and a life fullfilling thing for me but would I be able to get it all done in a period of 4 years?

Also would learning 3 languages at the same time be too much of a workload? Would it be easier just to just take the degree course? Hm.

Help

I be starting the course when I'm 18... so by the end of whatever course I choose to take I be 22 by the end of it. Woah 22 and able to speak and hold a conversation in 4 different languages is quite the accomplishment.

ALSO I need help with something else. What jobs would I be able to understake with knowing these languages? I can't think of many lang' related occupations. BTW just to let you people know, the reason I'm doing this is:

1) My love for learnin' languages. I find it fun to be able to converse with others in a foreign tounge.

2) Exposure to other cultures.

3) I was told it's a very good way of gettin' around. Travelling the world.

EDIT: Maybe I should replace french with German? (<-- Noise pollution)

[misombra]

spanish is more similar to italian than french. but if you can learn one you can pick up on the others pretty quickly. spanish is hard if you're not around spanish speakers all the time. it would depend on your experience and how well you'll be able to pick it up. but take a class, you'll get it. as far as jobs go it's always good in most positions to be at least bilingual. plus you like to do it so if anything it'll be a labor of love. let us know how it goes.

[Kiechi]

I mean are there jobs that specifically deal with being a linguist? Only one I can think of is being an NQT which I might consider for at max a year just for the experience.

[shh!]

You probably aren't going to want to hear this, but if you want to be employable as a translator of some kind, I would specialize in a language that is less well-known amongst Westerners, such as Arabic or Chinese. (You still should know Spanish, though.) With the direction the world is headed, I think you will find this much more useful and employable. Besides, in the countries that speak the languages you are interested in, most students learn to speak at least some English. The downside to learning, for example, Arabic, is that you will have to learn a whole new alphabet, which is obviously more difficult.

[Kiechi]

Hm. I need to re-think everything...

However, whats the difference between an "honours" and a "degree"?

[nomas]

Quiche..when you immerse yourself in the country/culture of a foreign language, you can pick up most languages pretty easily.

[RSK]

I'm 22 (just got degree - about to go back for second)

There is one thing I regret the most - not taking languages.

It is so ironic - since I love learning about new cultures (what's the best way? - Learning the language for sure!)

Just imagine going to France, and speaking French to the people - that would make them pretty happy, don't you think?

I would say that Germany is the business capital of the World - if your interested in international business - go for something like German.

To begin with - latin is a key language - it unites all others - if your REALLY interested in learning a lot of languages - maybe start with latin - it will help you in English too!

Spanish is as easy language - in that for the most part, sentence structure is similar to English.

German, however is not as simple - but very rewarding to learn! There are three endings you have to know for german, male objects, female objects, and neutral objects.

Italian (in my opinion - from what I've heard) is the toughest of the lot.

The three easy one's seem to be: Spanish, French, and German

As far as a degree in language - you need to know MUCH MORE than Spanish I, II, III, IV, and Coversational. I believe the degree requirements include in depth analysis of the culture and people, aswell as a whole bunch of other things.

Have fun!

[Kiechi]

Yeah I've decided to do an honours degree in Italian/Spanish/German. RSK I notice you seem to post your age alot, because you like to remind others of how young you are. How do you think I am?

[RSK]

no real reason why i post my age a lot - (i'm 22)

[Kiechi]

no real reason why i post my age a lot - (i'm 22)

Answer my Q.

[RSK]

As for your first question: No

Your second question states: How do you think I am?

My response to your second question: I don't know. But if I were to guess, I'd say 'bubbly', am I close.

What I think your second question should have stated: How OLD do you think I am?

My response to the question to which you were trying to ask, but forgot to add a key word: Turning 18 soon?

[Kiechi]

As for your first question: No

Your second question states: How do you think I am?

My response to your second question: I don't know. But if I were to guess, I'd say 'bubbly', am I close.

What I think your second question should have stated: How OLD do you think I am?

My response to the question to which you were trying to ask, but forgot to add a key word: Turning 18 soon?

Ah my bad. Yeah, how did you guess the age?

[Hada]

Spanish is as easy language - in that for the most part, sentence structure is similar to English

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

no I don´t think it´s similar, really, pepople here in spain have lots of problems trying to learn english, and the way you speak is diferent than ours.

well , I´m spanish, but i´ve learned english quite early, when I was around 5 years old, so I can understand it quite well

but the question is.. Italian, Spanish or French.
It depends on what do you want to do with that language, I mean.. if you want to share a big language, Spanish is spoken in southamerica, and also in nothamerica, in spain and that makes is a big language.

French is spoken in canada, france and.. I don´t know were more

and Italian is not so spoken than the others.

I speak spanish and english so I would choose Italian, because I hate french, not french people, it´s the way they speak, i don´t like it.
Italian seems sweet, but I love spanish.

[Kiechi]

Yeah, I'm doing french nomore. I'm replacing it with German. Whats your thoughts on German?

[RSK]

My thoughts on German?

Was machts du nach der schule? Spielst du fussball? Ich bin auslander und spreche nicht gut deutsch. Ich komme aus USA. Warum hast du nicht ziet fur meine leiblingsfach? Wie gehts? Es geht mir gut. Verkaufen sie. Ich gehe ins kino mit meine Freundinen - sie ist sehr schon und ich lieber sie. Aber ich nicht habe ein Freundinen. Auf Wiedersehen.

From experience - get prepared to do a lot of spitting while learning this language.

It is not considered a 'romance' language - far from it!

It actually sounds kind of barbaric - (if that's your thing)

Get used to talking from the back of your mouth: try placing the back of your tounge as far back it goes, and say the word: Ich (which means I)

Ich think Ich exageratted on the placing of the tounge that far back, but you wanna get the 'ch' sound to come from the back of the mouth.

When I say 'ch' sound - I don't mean 'ch' as in the word 'chick'

It's more like the 'k' in 'kevin'

If you need help in German, let me know, I'd be glad to help you out.

I'm warning you - be prepared to MEMORIZE a lot of fem, masc, and neutral objects:

DER, DIE, oder DAS : lol - this is gonna give you nightmares! you'll see what i mean

but have fun with it - it's so cool that your starting something like this!