SJF, originally Lao. But I learned English in ESL classes and now it's my primary language.
Russian or Chinese: Which Is More Worth Learning?
Since your mother country is Lao, Chinese will be a better choice.
Russian is not widely spoken in Asia.
Russian is not widely spoken in Asia.
I mean your mother's country.
You can leverage Chinese to build your relation with other Asian, especially Chinese from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South east Asia.
You can leverage Chinese to build your relation with other Asian, especially Chinese from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South east Asia.
Perhaps you know the answer then.
It sounds like you have a headstart with Chinese. Russian pronunciation isn't difficult for a native speaker of English, though.
If your ear is good, then you just need more listening time with Russian.
Chinese characters are very interesting, though. To become a good user of either language is going to take some discipline.
It sounds like you have a headstart with Chinese. Russian pronunciation isn't difficult for a native speaker of English, though.
If your ear is good, then you just need more listening time with Russian.
Chinese characters are very interesting, though. To become a good user of either language is going to take some discipline.
CM,I'd like to suggest you study Chinese because I'm Chinese...
Since you said that you're originally Lao,so your parents are Lao and maybe they know much more about the Oriental culture than you.
And in my opinion,I think Language is not only a communication tool,but also a gateway of knowing the culture behind the language.So maybe for you and your family,Chinese culture is much closer to your Lao culture,so I think it is much easier for you to study Chinese culture and communicate with Chinese people.
Since you said that you're originally Lao,so your parents are Lao and maybe they know much more about the Oriental culture than you.
And in my opinion,I think Language is not only a communication tool,but also a gateway of knowing the culture behind the language.So maybe for you and your family,Chinese culture is much closer to your Lao culture,so I think it is much easier for you to study Chinese culture and communicate with Chinese people.
Also, my paternal grandfather is Chinese. That makes me biologically 1/4 Chinese. But he's been gone for a long time, so I don't identify with Chinese culture at all.
Just some extra info. :)
Just some extra info. :)
It'd be stupid of you guys to mention grammar vs tones and characters all the time. I didn't learn my language. I was taught my language at school, but I created my own through immersion. It'd be your grave mistake to take grammar and tones and characters literally and take 10 years just to master the basics.
I know only one of your options, and all that I can say is: they are both exotic enough for Anglophones (are you?), but Russian should be slightly more transparent. I think both should be pretty much useful in their spheres of influence and you can learn either with a lot of material from the mass media, but in the department of audiobooks, Russian clearly beats my native language.
And even though Russians don't identify themselves with the Western culture like I do, Russian is more western than my language. There's no so-called int'l words like hotel, information, and bus in my language. Though you have to learn native Russian or Chinese words anyway, you have a much higher chance of meeting old friends in Russian, while you find near to none in my language.
I know only one of your options, and all that I can say is: they are both exotic enough for Anglophones (are you?), but Russian should be slightly more transparent. I think both should be pretty much useful in their spheres of influence and you can learn either with a lot of material from the mass media, but in the department of audiobooks, Russian clearly beats my native language.
And even though Russians don't identify themselves with the Western culture like I do, Russian is more western than my language. There's no so-called int'l words like hotel, information, and bus in my language. Though you have to learn native Russian or Chinese words anyway, you have a much higher chance of meeting old friends in Russian, while you find near to none in my language.
Learn Russian! nobody's interested with Chinese because it's unimportant.
Chinese is much more important than Russian, let alone French which is spoken in poor African countries . China on the other hand is the most important economic power in the world and all countries are interested in developing commercial ties with China so they will have to learn Chinese if they want to make profit.
I suggest Mandarin Chinese. China is increasingly becoming important in world affairs, and I predict it will become even more apparent after the 2008 Summer Olympics.
But China is a harsh dictatorship and you will never be able to freely travel around China to practice without witnessing and being subjected to oppression and suspicion.
On the military side...China get's the majority of its military arms and technology from Russia, as do other countries. Russia is the leader in Asia when it comes to this.
Those who say China is a harsh dictatorship have never been to China.
Yes, China is not so free as USA or Europe, but it is not a country like North Korea or Iran. You may feel free to travel around China.
Yes, China is not so free as USA or Europe, but it is not a country like North Korea or Iran. You may feel free to travel around China.