What to learn after French

JC   Sat Feb 06, 2010 3:22 am GMT
I'm currently taking French one, and I'm doing fairly well in the class. I'm interested in foreign language, and would like to learn another language as well. I have some experience (in Spanish) and I didn't find it particularly interesting. What languages would you suggest learning?

I'm interested in traveling around Europe, and I may study abroad in Rome, Italy in college.

Some languages I have considered learning are German, Spanish (again), Italian, Portuguese and Dutch.

Again, leave your suggestions and advice below.

Thank you!
* * *   Sat Feb 06, 2010 3:33 am GMT
"Some languages I have considered learning are German, Spanish (again), Italian, Portuguese and Dutch. "

The answer is obvious: now, German!
Baldewin   Sat Feb 06, 2010 3:39 am GMT
German of course! You won't be sorry, trust me!
a demotivator   Sat Feb 06, 2010 3:51 am GMT
Why don't you learn French? That is, if you're taking French one it means you hardly know French at all, and would do better to concentrate on that, since even just learning one language you're most likely to fail miserable. Going for two languages will lower your probability of success from about 5% to 2%. No need to handicap yourself even further. The abyss of French hasn't even opened before you and want to double it's size already. Tsh!
K.   Sat Feb 06, 2010 4:55 am GMT
You should probably get a little further along in French. In Europe, German would probably be the logical choice for a secondary travel language, but you should study Italian if Rome is your ultimate goal.

Italy has a lot of history and culture, but it's not that interesting if you are looking for a really challenging language. The challenge would be to speak it well, not just speak it somewhat. I can speak Italian and write Italian in a broken way. It's been useful even as a "broken" language, but it's nothing to brag about. Don't be like me if you learn Italian. Learn it well!
Baldewin   Sat Feb 06, 2010 5:24 am GMT
Many Europeans, including myself, even need to improve their English. Being the contemporary Latin, English as spoken as a secondary language is often being deflowered due to overconfidence (often instilled by hearing the language on a daily basis). Reduced to a mere mode of communication it has been insufficiently cherished.