Need help selecting a 2nd language to learn.

[Mooks]

After many discussions with europeans calling me a average ignorant american, and my own personell thoughts of actually wanting too; I'v decided to learn a 2nd language. Only problem is that I cant decide which one. I live at east coast, USA. I plan to travel when I get out of high school, and possibly even move permanently out of the country (though that may be hopeful optimism).

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The obvios choice is spanish, but I really really dont like the sound of the language. It sounds horrible. This probably comes from being yelled at by spanish/mexican/puerto ricans women during my childhood. It really is a traumatizing experiance for a young kid. Still dont know why it happened so much.

2nd/3rd choice is french or dutch. Iv heard dutch is pretty hard but I wouldnt mind moving there sometime in the future. Everything iv read about the country (well mostly everything) is great. Plus they wont throw me in jail for years just for practicing one of my favorite hobbies. French because it sounds sexy.

If its revelent I plan to be a computer networker (high school right now) and they tend to travel around alot. I really want to do this just to prove to myself that I have discipline and im not the average ignorant american.

[InsaneApache]

Italian.

[Mooks]

Italian.

Makes sense, joining the mafia is my 2nd career choice.

[Andres]

Allthough a native dutch speaker myself, I wouldn't recommend studying it for career purposes, unless you really want to work/live for a long period in the Netherlands/Flanders.

Most people around here understand and speak English anyway and alot of Flemings have French as their second language.

If you don't want to go for Spanish, then French seems to be the best option.

[Lemur]

I would seriously re-consider Spanish. Take it from a guy who speaks both English and Spanish, there aren't many places in the world where somebody doesn't speak one of them.

[CountArach]

Latin.

[InsaneApache]

Latin.

That's just Italian without the pasta.

[CountArach]

That's just Italian without the pasta.

Yeah, but its also Italian with actual military victories thrown in.

[InsaneApache]

Good point, well made.

[Omanes Alexandrapolites]

If its possible you could try them all for a month or so and then drop what you don't like. If you find you have a flare for more than one then you could keep this selection and gain a really rich vocabulary.

Regardless of all this however, it is advisable to get a qualification in them if you can rather than just learning it by yourself. If you don't go to a country which speaks your new language, but instead English, they're going to ask you to prove it with a piece of paper.

[KukriKhan]

I plan to be a computer networker (high school right now) and they tend to travel around alot.

A lot. Two words. (sorry)

You have English; that covers about half the planet. For 48% of the rest, you'll want Spanish and/or Chinese. If you think you'll ever do government work, Arabic will be valuable for the next 10-15 years.

[Hooahguy]

hebrew.
(jk)

id say spanish

[drone]

Chinese. Being able to talk to the nation's creditors would be a nice skill to have.

[Don Corleone]

If you intend to get into software, I'd recommend Mandarin Chinese over Spanish, though I find Spanish to be invaluable, even here in the US.

I think Andres said Dutch was only useful in the Netherlands & Flanders, but isn't it spoken widely in Indonesia as well?

Another language to consider... French. It's still the language of diplomacy, and if you ever need help from a consulate of a non-English speaking country, it would help immensely. Plus, you will be the mack daddy, speaking French to your female classmates at parties in college.... just drop Voulez vouz cocher avec moi, ce soir? and a couple of other choice phrases and you'll be in there like swimwear.

Another possiblity would be Indian. A lot of IT work & software engineering is headed over there.

[Sarmatian]

If you don't want to learn Spanish, which would be the best possible choice for an American imho, go for French or German. Chinese would good also, but it's very hard for us westerners.

Italian is a bad choice as it is a language only spoken in Italy and very rarely as a second language (compared to French or German, for example).

[Fragony]

I'd do Spanish, comes in handy in America as well, and speaking Spanish is just that more suave then speaking French.

[Husar]

Wow, it took 15 posts for someone to come up with german.
For the people who tried to unite the world twice we are really underappreciated.
I'm also sure that Germany is the place where you can find people who speak neither proper english nor spanish, the bakery across the street sells "Donat"s after all...haven't checked their spanish though.

Well, and then there is ancient greek, I think my latin teacher knew that.

The Dutch mostly speak german as well by the way, as do the Spanish, at least the ones on Mallorca.

Concerning mandarin, don't most Chinese, especially those in business, know english?

Spanish and italian both have some latin roots, of the two I would choose spanish, mainly because it's spoken in a lot more countries.

But in the end I think there are more ways than learning a language to prove that you're not an ignorant American, for example I could send you my own self-made inofficial "not an ignorant American"-paper badge for just 500EUR plus package and shipping.

Or you could just travel the world as you plan to, or just inform yourself about the world outside America.

And last but not least, I hear there are people who have nightmares from trying to learn french.

[lars573]

I'd say the other two of international tirnity, Spainish and French. English, French, and Spainish will get you by in many nations on earth. Arabic and Chinese may also be benefitial.

[Sarmatian]

Wow, it took 15 posts for someone to come up with german.

German is not so important in the Americas. It's a "European" language. For someone who lives in Europe German should be the second choice, after English.

[Fisherking]

If you are learning it in school then go for Spanish. That is free…

If you just can’t suck it up and endure then go for French. But take something while you are young. Get your mind thinking in different languages.

If you move to Germany, which is likely in your chosen field, then you will have to learn German. You will get 6 to 9 months of it required. Trust me I took it…

Chinese! Forget it. While Chinese read the same language they speak something totally different. Often they communicate in English or writing. The same holds true in India, may languages but most know English.

Spanish covers most of the New World. French covers maybe half of Africa. After that it is provably German as next most spoken. Never underestimate the power of German Tourism.

[Fragony]

German is not so important in the Americas. It's a "European" language. For someone who lives in Europe German should be the second choice, after English.

But it's a beautiful language to learn, german is my favorite language I wish I was better at it, it's so civilized. Some words are perfection 'Mein liebe'...(Is there a better way to say WELL HELLO) 'Entschuldigung'....(Is there a more polite way to apoligize?)

ace.

[Pannonian]

But it's a beautiful language to learn, german is my favorite language I wish I was better at it, it's so civilized. Some words are perfection 'Mein liebe'...(Is there a better way to say WELL HELLO) 'Entschuldigung'....(Is there a more polite way to apoligize?)

ace.

Isn't it "Bitte"?

[Fragony]

Isn't it "Bitte"?

No, as in english, a bread please. please = Bitte

[Pannonian]

No, as in english, a bread please. please = Bitte

Isn't it used in a "Pardon me" sense as well?

[Seamus Fermanagh]

No, as in english, a bread please. please = Bitte

I believe that the usage to which Pannonian is referring is to use "bitte" as a short form for "please excuse me." Not sure if this is more or less polite than the form you note. German specialists, what say you?

[Fragony]

I believe that the usage to which Pannonian is referring is to use "bitte" as a short form for "please excuse me." Not sure if this is more or less polite than the form you note. German specialists, what say you?

Well yes, but an apoligy and 'excuse me' are two different things, that is no different in english, excuse me/sorry

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Well yes, but an apoligy and 'excuse me' are two different things, that is no different in english, excuse me/sorry

In US English, there is quite a bit of conflation between the two usages. For example, "Excuse me" is often used in place of "I apologize for having bumped into you, please excuse the unintended offense." The long form contains both a classic apology as well as a request for expiation, but we usually use the shorter form to make that apology.

We do use the phrase "please excuse me from X" when trying to get out of school assignments and the like, but this rarely carries any note of apology.

Apologies are most often begun with the phrase "I'm sorry..." even though that is an expression of personal feelings without any automatic concommitant apology. I can say "I am sorry I wrecked your car" to most people and they will construe it AS an apology, when I might actually only mean that I'm sorry it happened.

....Ah the connotative joys of communicative interaction. Without it, as Habermas notes, we would be unable to construct a functioning society. Even with the best intentions, however, we are still often in a differend condition, as Lyotard would note.

[Devastatin Dave]

Make up your own and force people to learn it.

[Pannonian]

Make up your own and force people to learn it.

Was that what Dubya was doing?

[KukriKhan]

Was that what Dubya was doing?

I guess; and he's never saying: "Es tut mir Leid".