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Whats the most useful language to know?

  • 15-04-2012 3:23pm
    #1
    judgefudge
    Registered Users Posts: 915 ✭✭✭judgefudge


    So I'm thinkin of learning a language, branchin out a little.

    I was lookin at them Rosetta Stone things and gonna get one I reckon but they're really expensive. Just wondering what would be the most useful language to know, in your opinion?


«134

Comments

  • #2
    Clareman
    Moderators, Sports Moderators, Regional Midwest Moderators Posts: 23,923 Mod ✭✭✭✭Clareman


    COBOL


  • #3
    Mr Simpson
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,332 ✭✭✭Mr Simpson


    English


  • #4
    joolsveer
    Registered Users Posts: 2,297 ✭✭✭joolsveer


    Mandarin then English then Spanish


  • #5
    forfuxsake
    Registered Users Posts: 829 ✭✭✭forfuxsake


    Engrish.


  • #6
    Fluorescence
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 8,490 Mod ✭✭✭✭Fluorescence


    Rosetta Stone is crap - don't waste your money! You can get all the language resources you need on the web for free. Get a book or two as well and you're sorted.

    Pick a language of a country you'd like to visit or just enjoy the sound of. I'm learning Swedish which, while not terribly useful in an international sense, will be most helpful in any Scandinavian country I find myself in :D


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  • #7
    galwayrush
    Registered Users Posts: 12,815 ✭✭✭✭galwayrush


    English and then Google translator.


  • #8
    Superbus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,784 ✭✭✭Superbus


    Irish. You know, just in case.


  • #9
    phasers
    Registered Users Posts: 18,159 ✭✭✭✭phasers


    Catalan or Klingon


  • #10
    Stercus Accidit
    Registered Users Posts: 8,758 ✭✭✭Stercus Accidit


    fluorescence wrote: »
    Pick a language of a country you'd like to visit or just enjoy the sound of. I'm learning Swedish which, while not terribly useful in an international sense, will be most helpful in any Scandinavian country I find myself in :D

    Was considering Swedish myself, I have a house mate who is a swede so that would work well!


  • #11
    Tonyandthewhale
    Registered Users Posts: 1,867 ✭✭✭Tonyandthewhale


    Esperanto


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  • #12
    Fluorescence
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 8,490 Mod ✭✭✭✭Fluorescence


    Stercus Accidit wrote: »
    Was considering Swedish myself, I have a house mate who is a swede so that would work well!

    I would highly recommend it. It's one of the easiest languages for english natives to learn :D


  • #13
    oppenheimer1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,084 ✭✭✭oppenheimer1


    English then Spanish, then take your pick from Chinese (mandarin), French and German.


  • #14
    senorwipesalot
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,458 ✭✭✭senorwipesalot


    Klingon.


  • #15
    Crann na Beatha
    Registered Users Posts: 11,763 ✭✭✭✭Crann na Beatha


    This post has been deleted.


  • #16
    Bruno Salty Refrigeration
    Posts: 0 ✭ Bruno Salty Refrigeration


    C++


  • #17
    smcgiff
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,943 ✭✭✭smcgiff


    Foreign languages are overrated, just rock up to johnny foreigner and speak English in a slow, loud and over pronounced voice. Works every time.

    Not being able to speak English, lazy buggers.


  • #18
    dr.bollocko
    Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 35,943 Mod ✭✭✭✭dr.bollocko


    Do you aspire to live in a country where the first language is not english?

    Which country?

    That language.


  • #19
    smcgiff
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,943 ✭✭✭smcgiff


    Superbus wrote: »
    Irish. You know, just in case.

    They'd be better off learning Polish, all the better to communicate with the locals.


  • #20
    IM0
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,390 ✭✭✭IM0


    american


  • #21
    gar32
    Registered Users Posts: 1,024 ✭✭✭gar32


    You ask what is the most useful. It depends on you & what you want to do in life. I learn Spanish due to having Spanish friends. No jobs there but you can enjoy your holiday more. The I learnt (Well tried Polish) very hard to learn but still giving it a go as my wife is Polish. Now due to no work in Ireland I am in Germany learning German with is good as I got a job using English mostly.

    Think why, when, how and if you will use it in the future so you have a better chance of learning something you can use.

    Good luck :)


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  • #22
    twinge
    Registered Users Posts: 24 ✭twinge


    I'd go for any of the UN official languages:
    Russian
    French
    Spanish
    Mandarin
    English
    Arabic


  • #23
    Chuck Stone
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,030 ✭✭✭✭Chuck Stone


    Dolphin.


  • #24
    Lawrence1895
    Registered Users Posts: 7,627 ✭✭✭Lawrence1895


    Basque...because Athletic Bilbao will win the Europa League :D


  • #25
    Stained Class
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,808 ✭✭✭Stained Class


    Cork.


  • #26
    Captain_Generic
    Registered Users Posts: 1,409 ✭✭✭Captain_Generic


    Love


  • #27
    westendgirlie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,125 ✭✭✭westendgirlie


    Sign language should be up there as one of the most important languages to learn.


  • #28
    Robdude
    Closed Accounts Posts: 709 ✭✭✭Robdude


    This is like asking what the 'best colour is'....there is no objective answer.

    Unless you intend on moving to a country where English isn't commonly used or making a career out of teaching/translating/working with another language; there is very little practical advantage to learning a second language. There are many, many other more useful things you could do with your time.

    If you are planing on moving to another country; obviously the dominate/primary language of that country would be the most useful for you.

    Political and economic climates change pretty quick though - so if you look at the countries you are likely to want to go to now, in 10, 15, 20 years - those might be countries you would be unlikely to want to go to. I remember back in the US during the 80s a lot of people were telling children to learn Japanese because they were convinced Japan would be the dominant economic powerhouse in the future.


  • #29
    judgefudge
    Registered Users Posts: 915 ✭✭✭judgefudge


    Well I'm stuck in Ireland for the next four years doing a course. I do intend on travelling in the future and living somewhere else, but I haven't settled on any one area.

    I'm drawn to Italian and I love Italy, but it just doesn't seem internationally useful...


  • #30
    WoollyRedHat
    Registered Users Posts: 10,462 ✭✭✭✭WoollyRedHat


    Simlish

    How to say hello in Simlish

    Ah, van vesua! Cummuns nala.


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  • #31
    Skylinehead
    Registered Users Posts: 11,690 ✭✭✭✭Skylinehead


    Bruno Salty Refrigeration wrote: »
    C++

    C. Get the very basics down, derivatives like C++ and Java are actually easier as a result :D


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