Italian? Spanish?or Portuguese?

Chiesha   Fri Apr 23, 2010 3:19 am GMT
Hi, I'm a Chinese boy, have been working at an electronic company for years, besides Mandarin, I also need to use English, Japanese, and a little Korean, that's to say, they're my working languages. In fact, I'm quite interested in Romance languages, and would like to learn one of them (not two or three) on my own in my free time. It's neither just for fun, nor for reaching an advanced level. So, could you please recommend a Romance language among Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese (Brazilian)? And please tell me the detailed reasons. Thank you!
Chiesha   Fri Apr 23, 2010 3:20 am GMT
Title: Italian? Spanish? or Portuguese?
Pierre LeBlanc   Fri Apr 23, 2010 3:26 am GMT
French.
Chiesha   Fri Apr 23, 2010 3:32 am GMT
BTW, I've already planned to switch from Korean to French (Romance language).
then, the situation is as follows,

Mandarin (Native)
English (Must)
Japanese (Useful)
French (beginner), Korean (gave it up to make room for French)
Another Romance language (Italian, Spanish, Portuguese)?
tilda   Fri Apr 23, 2010 7:31 am GMT
I would suggest Portuguese. Among Italy, the Spanish-speaking countries, and Brazil, only the latter has the potential of huge growth. Brazil is already buying off the rest of South America, and the country's infrastructure is very good.
Gtalk   Fri Apr 23, 2010 11:30 am GMT
Ren   Fri Apr 23, 2010 3:22 pm GMT
Português
Gate-crasher   Fri Apr 23, 2010 11:10 pm GMT
Spanish.
Matematik   Fri Apr 23, 2010 11:51 pm GMT
I would say Portuguese. There are huge trading opportunities to be had in the future with Brazil, and to a certain extent Portuguese is also a working language in Macau and small areas sorrounding it.

While Portuguese won't be massively useful in Macau, it's certainly an interesting legacy language in the region.
ID   Sat Apr 24, 2010 1:32 am GMT
I don't think children should work in electronic companies. Where are the labor laws-people?
Byte   Sat Apr 24, 2010 8:22 am GMT
Spanish is the most important of them.

It is the second most spoken, after Chinese and the second most studied Worldwide after English and among the 3 top languages in the economic field.

Spanish is very studied in European Union, USA, Brazil, Morocco, Japan and Australia. So, if you study Spanish you can understand a lot of people around the World.

Anyway, you can choose. You can see this comparative table.

Romance languages. Speakers and Continents (at least 50 MILLION people). Economic power:

Spanish: 510 million. Spoken in North America, European Union, Central America and South America. 4 Continents. Economic power: third

Portuguese: 225 million. Spoken in South America. 1 Continent. Economic power: 8th.

French: 200 million. Spoken in Africa and European Union. 2 Continents. Economic power: 5th

Italian: 65 million. Spoken in European Union. 1 Continent. Economic power: 6th
Matematik   Sat Apr 24, 2010 8:49 am GMT
<<Portuguese: 225 million. Spoken in South America. 1 Continent. Economic power: 8th. >>

What a crock of shit. Portuguese is spoken in, let me guess, Portugal and is also a major language in Angola and Mozambique. Also, it has a significant presence in Macau.

Portuguese is spoken across 3 continents.
Megabyte   Sat Apr 24, 2010 11:05 am GMT
French is the most important of them.

It is the 1 of the 2 global languages with English and the second most studied Worldwide after English and among the 3 top languages in the economic field.

French is very studied in Europe, Anglo-America, Brazil, Hispanic America, Asia, Non-Francophone Africa and Australia. So, if you study you can be understood by a lot of people around the World.

Anyway, you can choose. You can see this comparative table.

Romance languages. Speakers and Continents (at least 50 MILLION people). Economic power:

French: 600 million. Spoken in North America, European Union, South America. 5 Continents. Economic power: 2nd

Portuguese: 225 million. Spoken in Europe and South America. 2 Continents. Economic power: 8th.

Italian: 65 million. Spoken in Europea . 1 Continent. Economic power: 4th

Spanish: 330 million. Spoken in Hispanic America. 2 Continents. Economic power: 6th
Chiesha   Sat Apr 24, 2010 11:21 am GMT
I meant, besides French, which else (Italian? Spanish? Portuguese?) should I learn too? Thanks!
Megabyte   Sat Apr 24, 2010 11:38 am GMT
Besides French?

Italian because of its lasting contribution to mankind in arts , literature, science, etc. and to a lesser extent Portuguese because of Brazil.