What is a good second language to know?

[Vendayn]

So, I've been thinking the past few weeks...it sure would be useful to know at least one other language besides English. This won't happen for a few months, because I'm moving out of California...but after I move, I want to take a language class. I'm most likely moving somewhere in the mid-west, if that matters at all.

I think Arabic would be a nice language to know, my mom took Arabic classes for about half a year. Japanese or Chinese would be good too. But what about others? I have a little while to decide...but what do you guys/gals think?What are your reasons for that language?

 

[Westaway]

French, it's really easy.
Manderin or Arabic will be usefull in the upcoming years though.

 

[Impluse_101]

Practicly: You might wanna learn Spanish. Mid west has lots of Spanish Speakers.

Wantingly: Arabic would be cool, Chinese, Japanese as well.

Personally: Russian, I would love to speak Russian and creep the heck outta people.

 

[Fenring]

German! It's so fun! And quite similar to English!

 

[Nephus]

Spanish. If our government is having to print everything in Spanish, then chances are you'll actually be able to use it at some point.

 

[MirrorSweep]

Sign language. =3

 

[HassEsser]

German

most badass language on the planet

 

[Pat728]

C++ or maybe java.

 

[enzilewulf]

Spanish I guess. But if you want a fun language German. I love it.

 

[WrcklessIntent]

French, it's really easy.
Manderin or Arabic will be usefull in the upcoming years though.

I'd love to learn Manderin except for the fact that it would be a ***** to learn. I mean i can't even warp my head around what the symbols represent.

 

[Berethond]

Danish?

 

[The Code]

Sign language can be a fun choice. My mother taught me and my sister to speak it so she could yell at us in restaurants. XD If you want to learn any European language like French, German, or Spanish (the actual Spain Spanish, not Mexican Spanish), then try learning Latin first. The other languages are based largely in Latin, so once you have that good ol' dead language down, the others should be a breeze.

 

[FaustianBargain]

C++ or maybe java.

Learn something fun like fortran instead!

OT: I would try to think about a region/culture you find interesting and then learn the language most closely associated with it. Get really good at reading it and find literature to read (untranslated of course). Learning a language is often the best way to teach yourself about a culture.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Bantu, it's the language of the future!

 

[HolKann]

Living in Belgium, knowing Dutch & English fluently, French pretty well and having notions of German, Spanish, Latin, Italian and Greek, I'd suggest French. The language itself is beautiful, it has a rich history and culture closely interwoven with the English (and thus American) one, and it is spoken by a lot of people.

If you want something completely different from English (and thus extremely hard to learn well), go for Japanese or Chinese. Arabic will be somewhere inbetween, since it is also an Indo-European language (as is English), but unlike most Western-European languages you'll have to adapt to a new writing system.

Aw well, it depends on what you want:
Do you want to use it as a tool, communicating in it while travelling or willing to read local newspapers, then you should pick a relatively easy one like French or Spanish. Besides being easy these are the ones you might even encounter outside the classroom. Beware, even these languages take several years to learn decently, and decades to master.
Do you want an exotic experience, not caring if you can write and communicate in the language, but you're rather interested in the ideas and customs behind it, go for Chinese and Japanese. Don't expect to ever master these in your lifetime though (except maybe by emigrating to China or Japan).

 

[Bohemian Waltz]

I would suggest Latin.

 

[SimuLord]

Learn Mandarin and companies will fellate you in the office to work for them.

 

[Last of the Chinchillas]

Definitely Esperanto. Then you'll be able to talk to other people who know Esperanto.