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Pressure for foreign language learning

Quagsire1

Quagsire Fan
Does anybody here feel pressure at all to learn a foreign language or feel a need to do so? If so, why? And what is your native language?

My native language is American English. I feel slightly pressured to learn Japanese, and I would certainly like to do so. The reason being is that I come across lots of instances where I wish I could understand the language. Even though I'm not a big anime or manga fan, I do come across Japanese shows or comics sometimes that I wish I could read (I much prefer the original Japanese versions.) Japanese music is pretty good to listen to as well. I also would really enjoy if I could buy new video games from Japan without having to wait for the English release. I've even come across instances where I've had to buy products from Japan, because I couldn't get them anywhere in the United States.
Aside from the entertainment aspects, there is an Asian food market around where I live, and I love to go shopping there. There's some Japanese food, but English is typically not used on the packages, and I'd like to know what I was buying if I couldn't tell solely by appearance. Lots of other people seem to show interest in learning Japanese as well, so I wouldn't be alone (not that that really matters too much.) And lastly, my future career is going to be in artificial intelligence. Knowing Japanese could only benefit me in that career. I'm sure there are more reasons, but this is all I could think of at the moment.

So, what do you all think?
 

The_Boss_Giygas

I. F.E.E.L. G.O.O.D.
I speak both English and Spanish near 100% so I'm equipped to survive in any environment with those 2 languages. Of course the way the job market is going I want to learn Chinese so I can work there, it's obvious uncle sam isn't hiring except to fight religious terrorists.
I would like to know Japanese as well since I'm into Japanimation, but it's not important for my "survival" so if I have time I'll do it, but there is certainly no pressure for me to learn it.
 
Humans are actually made to be bilingual, so second language learning is quite a good idea. Apparently bilingualism gives you a different (more open) view on things, and this holds true even for only learning a second language.
 

dark rift

Well-Known Member
I don't feel any 'pressure' to learn another language, but that does not mean I don't want to learn one. I know a fair bit of French, but to be honest I don't think it's a very useful language since only France and some of it's current and former (mostly African) colonies use it.
I wouldn't mind learning a bit of Chinese though, since they are now a pretty big super power, and are thought to become the biggest in a few decades, so it could be important in the long run.
 

Spookz

Lumos
I never felt pressured to learn another language. Both my parents speak at least one other language aside from English, so while growing up I always thought that was normal and always had a desire to be bilingual. Sometimes we all speak in French to each other, which is almost like a game we have.

If anything, I want to learn more languages. I took French and German in High School, but I've lost a lot of my grasp on both since I have not been able to continue in college. I wouldn't mind learning other languages either: Russian or Danish would be cool.
 

natie

Mr. F
There is no 'pressure' whatsoever, only you telling yourself to learn things you don't need.
 

Penguinist Trainer

Well-Known Member
I was only ever pressured into learning a language once. In middle school, we got to choose between French and Spanish. I chose French. Well I moved midway through 8th grade. At my new school, they told me I HAD to take Spanish because only 6th graders learn french.

So i spent the rest of the year failing Spanish.

I've always wanted to learn languages though. I've taken classes in french and finnish, but usually i have to give them up for financial reasons. thankfully my girlfriend is also interested in learning other languages, so we'll speak to each other in another language sometimes, just to try and keep things fresh in our heads.
 

Niri

Active Member
I don't feel any pressure to learn a foreign language. My native language is English but I learned Spanish from picking it up from my mom and do who speak to each other in Spanish. I've never been told that I should learn any more languages other than English but I learned to speak Spanish because I'm Hispanic and I need to speak with the members of my family who don't speak English.
 

The Fire Starter

Well-Known Member
I want to produce anime-style shows when I leave college, and if anime isn't big enough in the U.S. by then, I considered moving to Japan. So learning Japanese might be a good idea.
 

Mr. Joker

keep calm & carry on
we no speak english.

I plan on living in America or England for the rest of my life, so I don't see any pressure to learn a new english, although I would love to speak french.
 

murkrowrob

Yamask Hugger x_x
My school forces everyone who isn't deaf to take one MFL (not a comment against deaf people but he is the only non-double/triple linguist in the school)
I took French and German for GCSE. I live in England so you can guess what my native tongue is. I love talking/insulting in other languages, however, three GCSE test only a matter of days between them in completely different languages does make life hell.
 

MKFC

Shade of Blue
Well, I'm bilingual (English and French) and learning 2 other languages (Spanish and Tagalog) and I haven't really felt pressured to do any of them.
 
Yeah, there are two main languages in my country: Dutch and French. I live in the Dutch part and we're forced to learn French at school.
Too bad I hate French and still can't speak it after 9 years =/
 

AzukanAsimbu

Petal Paladin
Im forced to take Spanish at my school, im passing the class, but im not learning much
 

GaZsTiC

Alternating
I speak both English and Spanish near 100% so I'm equipped to survive in any environment with those 2 languages. Of course the way the job market is going I want to learn Chinese so I can work there, it's obvious uncle sam isn't hiring except to fight religious terrorists.
I would like to know Japanese as well since I'm into Japanimation, but it's not important for my "survival" so if I have time I'll do it, but there is certainly no pressure for me to learn it.

Apart from the Spanish know-how, I would have to answer that in the exact same way.


To the OP, I would say to go for it. You have a career in mind which you would definitely excel in much more if you worked in Japan than anywhere else in the world. Start as soon as possible.
 

Quagsire1

Quagsire Fan
I never felt pressured to learn another language. Both my parents speak at least one other language aside from English, so while growing up I always thought that was normal and always had a desire to be bilingual. Sometimes we all speak in French to each other, which is almost like a game we have.

I am at an intermediate level in French. It's not the most useful language to know, but I enjoy it a lot and like to speak to my French Canadian friends using it. :)
 
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