Your Language Rank

Malaysian   Sun Feb 05, 2006 7:09 am GMT
Please list the top ten languages you consider most important in the World and tell us why. Also, tell us if you're planning to learn one of those languages. Thanks.

My personal list:
1. English
2. Chinese
3. German
4. Japanese
5. Spanish
6. French
7. Portuguese
8. Italian
9. Korean
10. Malaysian
CHINESE   Sun Feb 05, 2006 7:29 am GMT
1, Chinese (my native language is Mandarin, official Chinese)

2, English (no need to emphasize its importance again)

3, Japanese (neighboring powerful country, very easy to learn)

4, German (most important European partner of China)

5, Italian (secondly important European partner of China)

6, French (not very useful, but still important for some people)

7, Russian (neighboring powerful country, but very difficult)

8, Spanish & Portuguese (I think they're the same important, in Europe, Span is more important than Port, but in Latin America, Port is more important than Span, because Brazil is Number One, not Argentina or Mexico or any else)

9, Korean (neighboring developed country, easy to learn too)

10, Thai (not malaysian) because my girl friend is from Thailand)
Malaysian   Sun Feb 05, 2006 7:32 am GMT
>>>8, Spanish & Portuguese (I think they're the same important, in Europe, Span is more important than Port, but in Latin America, Port is more important than Span, because Brazil is Number One, not Argentina or Mexico or any else)

You mean Spanish/Portuguese... right?
Malaysian   Sun Feb 05, 2006 7:34 am GMT
--->10, Thai (not malaysian) because my girl friend is from Thailand)

And Bangkok is so messy and full of thieves... plus, it's full of ppl from India!!!
Chinese   Sun Feb 05, 2006 7:38 am GMT
Malaysian

I mean, Spanish is NOT much more important than Portuguese. They're the same important, and in Latin America, even Portuguese is more useful than Spanish, and I explained my reason, (because Brazil is Number One, not Argentina or Mexico or any else).

And I don't know much about Thailand or Malaysia, but my girl friend asked me to learn Thai, because we need to talk with each other.
Pete   Sun Feb 05, 2006 7:41 am GMT
<< but in Latin America, Port is more important than Span, because Brazil is Number One, not Argentina or Mexico or any else)
>>

I'm sorry but Portuguese is irrelevant outside the borders of Brazil. Mexico is the leader in Latin America. Last time I checked Mexico was ranked number 8 in the list of biggest economies and Brazil the 15th biggest economy. Chile is supposedly almost a 1st world country and Argentina is not far behind, they're quickly catching up on lost ground.
Pete   Sun Feb 05, 2006 7:48 am GMT
<<even Portuguese is more useful than Spanish, and I explained my reason, (because Brazil is Number One, not Argentina or Mexico or any else). >>

You must be a lusophone in disguise. Clearly this is not true as it isn't based in any factual data. There are even claims that Portuguese may give way to Spanish in the future or some form of hybrid will replace it instead. The amount of portuguese speakers outside Brazil in Latin America is neglible. It's much easier to find people that can communicate in Spanish in Brasil that vice versa. That's the truth however unpleasant it might be to a lusophone.
CHINESE   Sun Feb 05, 2006 8:02 am GMT
For a long time, the dispute about which sounds more beautiful between French and Spanish has lasted all the time. In fact, I don't want to join this topic to speak out against either faction, but what I want to say is that Portuguese (Brazilian sounds nicely and neutrally, neither harsh nor vaguely, and it seems just like right between Spanish and French.

So I'm sure that Brazilian Portuguese pronounces better than French and Spanish, even if Brazilian is less powerful than France and Spain, but I think NOT than Mexico, Chile or any other Latin American countries.
Larissa   Sun Feb 05, 2006 8:07 am GMT
My personal list:

1. English (the international language, the most beautiful language just after Russian of course lol and I would love to be able to speak it fluently one day!)
2. Spanish ( the 2nd world language with an important increasing number of its speakers each year, especially in the USA, and one of the languages I'm planning to learn, actually the 2nd just after English!)
3. French ( I wouldn't say that French is a very important language these days, but as currently I live in France, I've learned it and would never like to forget it one day! Besides I like it!)
4. Italian (I'm not planning to learn it even if I like it very much!)
5. Portuguese ( it is not a "world language" but it's widely spoken worldwide because of its native-speakers, actually I'm not planning to learn it one day, if I manage to learn English and Spanish it's gonna be already very well lol!)
6. German (well, I had learned it for 3 years at school and I had never liked it, besides I wouldn't say that it's an important language, so all I can say in German is "Gutten tag" lol and I'm not planning to learn it!)
7. Chinese (because of its increasing economy importance!)
8. ?
9 ?
10 ?

I haven't counted Russian because it's my native language and would always be the most beautiful and the most important language for me!
Larissa   Sun Feb 05, 2006 8:08 am GMT
" it's gonna be already very well lol!)" it's gonna already be very well!
CHINESE   Sun Feb 05, 2006 8:09 am GMT
Now I seriously tell the world that I'm every inch a pure Chinese man.

I'm absolutely NOT from either Romance languages speaking world or Germanic languages speaking world, I'm completely neutralist!!!

But in my opinion, a little subjectively, I think I'm Not all wrong......

Why would Brazilian have to change their native language into Spanish?
It's very unfair and if someone ask you to change yours, you will?
Sigma   Sun Feb 05, 2006 8:11 am GMT
So I'm sure that Brazilian Portuguese pronounces better than French and Spanish, even if Brazilian is less powerful than France and Spain, but I think NOT than Mexico, Chile or any other Latin American countries.

I'm from Mexico and you don't have any vague idea of what you are talking about. I'm sure you have never ever been in Latin America.
Check the top ten of biggest economies in the world Brazil is not even number 11. While Brazil is big country rich in natural resources is basically like Africa.
Franco   Sun Feb 05, 2006 8:13 am GMT
1. Arabic (language of Islam, the new world religion)
2. English (language of commerce and popular culture, international language)
3. Spanish (Second most widely spoken language, easy)
4. Russian (language of Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Siberia)
5. Mandarin (most widely spoken language, emerging power)
6. German (important language of commerce)
7. Japanese (though not widely spoken, important in commerce and popular culture)
8. French (popular language, language of culture)
9. Portuguese (important in Latin America aswell as in culture)
10. Hebrew (language of Israel, a superpower)
CHINESE   Sun Feb 05, 2006 8:34 am GMT
Franco

I don't think Arabic can hold the first position, and even replace English.

Arabic speaking world is full of terror, explosion, thuggery and kidnap.

Most of all, in their deep soul, religionary enthusiasm and awful unwisdom can never be eliminated, because it's too ineradicablely to be changed.
Chinese   Sun Feb 05, 2006 9:04 am GMT
Franco

Ok, I know what you're trying to say, but it's not very worthy of learning a foreign language of such a Islamic unstable,uncultured and violent world.

But please trust me my idea is good and harmless for you, only an advice.