Which second foreign language to learn?

[bongin]

Hi everyone, I'm Chinese from Taiwan, considering which second foreign language to learn.

My first choice is Spanish, because I think the relationship between Pacific rim would be frquent as the rise of China.

But when I studied Italian before, the pronunciation "rr" really frustrated me...

So I'm thinking about learning French, which has no "rr" problem, and French is also the official language of many international organizations.

However, Spanish is still my top choice because of my studying interest.

Please give me some advices! Thanks a lot!!

[riz1]

The language you choose to study should be based less on pronunciation difficulties and more on utility. If your interest in Spanish is driven primarily by professional ambitions and academic interests, go with that. Worry less about whether you can pronounce a certain sound, because that can be learned/mastered/overcome eventually.

You're certainly right in that French is the language of diplomacy and of many international organizations -- but if you don't foresee yourself working in that kind of environment, there's no point in taking that language.

If you're still exploring languages, consider learning a language that would (a) present a good challenge to you and ( might prove itself useful to you in the future. High-priority languages right now include Arabic, Dari, Pashto and Urdu. Arabic being very difficult to learn (and least of all for its alphabet!), I would personally recommend this language.

Bottom line: take the time to figure out why you'd take any language, without considering any personal pronunciation problems you might encounter.

[le_neocon]

Hey

I suppose this is to fulfill the requirement for a second language. I'm from India, I know two non English Languages ( Hindi and Malayalam - mother tongue ) and have high school courses in them. I know a little bit of Arabic too.

Just wondering, do I need an additional language before I apply, especially at places like SIPA...