New CBB

I suppose this goes here..

So, I want to learn a language. But I can't decide. This isn't for particularly practical reasons. What would you recommend?

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"Wait for the starvation of glaciers, chicken hamburger Noel Weber Arthur."

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Greenlandic or classical nāhuatl.

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| | | (Nahuatl) | (Sanskrit & Pali) (Yaghan) | (Antregabua)
CrazyEttin's Lair

Do you mind sharing your general location?

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任何事物的发展都是物极必反，否极泰来。

United States.

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"Wait for the starvation of glaciers, chicken hamburger Noel Weber Arthur."

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Spanish is certainly the most useful language for living in the US. But my mind just says "lol this language looks fun".

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초보

I personally recommend Basque, if you just want the "lol this language looks fun" option (because I have found it to be incredibly interesting), but if you're looking for something more productive or long-term then the first option Testy gives is a better bet.

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Focus:
Relapsing (currently):
Interested:

Cool.

If by some stroke of fate you're in Portland, there's a free class meeting in the Native American Student and Community Center at PSU that could have you fluent in Chinuk Wawa in a hurry, while simultaneously teaching you how to learn languages in general really fast. There are similar groups doing Latin in central California, Lander WY, and...Chicago, I think? In case you're around there.

But if you're not, I'd suggest picking something that is spoken in your area, ideally by people you already know. Learning a language nobody else knows out of a book or from online lessons can be fun and a kind of novelty, but it just doesn't compare to being able to talk with people. (The first thing I did when I got back to school last autumn was start teaching a few friends how to speak Chinuk. It would have been very depressing if I hadn't had anybody to talk to in it ).

If you have some friends who speak a language but don't have decent resources for learning it, I can hook you up! :)

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任何事物的发展都是物极必反，否极泰来。

Irish Gaelic. So I have another person to practice with.

It's surprising how few people in the US speak it compared to how many Irish Americans there are.

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[bɹ̠ˤʷɪs.təɫ]
Nōn quālibet inīqua cupiditāte illectus hōc agō.
[tiː.mɔ.tʉɥs god.lɐf hɑwk]

中文

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♀♥♀
Dotjen
Kotanese

You should learn something that you'll be able to practice with native speakers, or at least proficient speakers.

Also preferably something that interests you..

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КЕРВЕНСКИЙ

Yes, this is good advice.

That is why I'm depressed that I may not meet someone who is fluent in Irish and can teach me at home or out at the coffee shop. :(

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[bɹ̠ˤʷɪs.təɫ]
Nōn quālibet inīqua cupiditāte illectus hōc agō.
[tiː.mɔ.tʉɥs god.lɐf hɑwk]

Whatever language you feel like.

Almost any language will be difficult to use with L1s or even proficient speakers unless he lives in a major metropolitan are that has them, except maybe Spanish. In many states there are decent size pockets of Spanish L1s even in rural areas, but other than that he will be hard pressed to find enough people to make it anything more than a brief encounter.

Welsh

I didn't have a particular practical reason, too, but as I got the chance ... and maybe I'll find some inspiration for the northern language for my Catys.

If you want to listen to some spoken sentences before you decide on the northern or southern variety, register and go to this page.

BTW, I've choosen the northern variety and I like it. I'm in lesson 20 of the beginners course (course 1) now. There's an intermediate course (course 2), too, but it needs becoming a paying member (quite cheep). There are also additional lessons on specific topics.

The course only requires you to listen and to translate what Aran says in English before Catrin says it in Welsh. You are required not to write anything down.

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My neurochemistry has fucked my impulse control, now I'm diagnosed OOD = oppositional opinion disorder, one of the most deadly diseases in former soviet union, but can be cured in the free world.