Foreign Language Requirement

[Archaeology cat]

I found German easy, to be honest. French and Spanish are similar; it's been too LNG since I did any Spanish to comment more on that, though. Latin is good for sciences.

[Archaeology cat]

WAIT WAIT WAIT!
Learn Coptic. Someone needs to keep it alive. 
 

 
Hos erof areh ho-oo chasf!

Well, Coptic is offered in some archaeology programmes. :|

[Basilisa Marie]

I would have said German, but you say it's full. 

 

Latin or French are good. If it were me, I'd go for Latin.  :) 

[OnlySunshine]

I think it's settled.  Latin it is.  ;)

 

Thanks everyone for your input.  I appreciate it!

[Chestertonian]

I'd go for French. It's such a beautiful language and it would be sweet to be able to read the French classics.

 

I know what you mean re:Spanish. My Spanish professor passed me with a 'c,' but she was definitely being merciful.

[Luigi]

ASL. It's the fourth most used language in the country. With two semesters of ASL, you'll be able to communicate more fluently on more topics than with a spoken language. However, you won't be able to communicate medical information - that's awfully detailed, and it's extremely important to send the information correctly. Still, you'll be able to greet and chat with Deaf patients and with the Deaf family members of non-Deaf patients. CAVEAT - successful ASL students are visual learners.

 

The grammar is quite different from English, but once you catch it, it makes a lot of sense. The verb system is a good deal easier to learn than in a spoken/written language because ASL verbs can be inflected (for continuous-ness, for repetition, for distribution in space) but it doesn't really have tenses, and that's where a lot of spoken/written languages get complicated. 

 

There are a lot of resources available on the Internet these days, so you'll be able to do supplement your classroom instruction. Another CAVEAT - a lot of people think they're signing ASL just because their hands are moving, but it's really gibberish - like a kid who thinks he's telling a story even though there's not an English word anywhere in the discourse. So when you find some 19-year-old girl on the Internet who's posted her "interpretation" of her favorite pop song, take it with a grain of salt - it's probably not accurate ASL. Find Deaf-sponsored websites rather than students who are seeking viral fame with Project 3 from their ASL I class. 

 

But now look - nobody is fluent in any language at the end of two semesters. (That's not even really the point of requiring college students to take two semesters of a second language.) You won't be fluent in ASL either. But what you WILL gain is an awareness of Deafness, Deaf people, and Deaf culture. Even if you can't communicate fluently with Deaf individuals, you'll know  some useful approaches to dealing with them, some state law regarding interpreting, and some local resources that you can bring in when necessary. And that is worth something when you think about it - that is worth some money.  

 

But definitely ASL.

[Dr. Bombay]

I took Spanish, Greek and Latin.  Didn't care for any of them.  Don't have any use for any of them either as I will never set foot in Spain, Greece or Latinia.

 

I'd go with the sign language.

[Norseman82]

Personally, I'm with Era and HSMom - for your field, Spanish would be the most useful; ASL would be my second choice. 

 

Another question:  what area of the country are you in or plan to work in?  If the answer to that question is the Chicago area, Polish would be another practical choice, but it's definitely harder than Spanish: 

 

http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/topic/123652-i-want-to-learn-a-language-fast/

[OnlySunshine]

Ok, everyone.  Thank you for your input.  I've already made up my mind (see earlier post here: http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/topic/130181-foreign-language-requirement/page-4#entry2604636 )

 

I won't be looking at this thread any longer.  ;)

Edited July 6, 2013 by MaterMisericordiae

[Gabriela]

I have a BA in both Spanish and German, and I studied some French. In any healthcare setting for the next 50 years, Spanish is going to be hands-down the most useful. If you thought Spanish was hard, you need to learn how to study a language, not change the language you study. ALL languages are difficult to learn. What makes the learning process bearable is your desire to learn.

 

French will be just like studying Spanish, only slightly harder given the pronunciations. I don't see much point in studying French if you are so opposed to studying Spanish.

 

Learning German is 100% pointless for anyone who doesn't simply love the language and want to learn it for its own sake. Unless you go to podunk Germany, you will never meet a German who doesn't speak English and absolutely hard-headedly insist upon speaking English with you. (I studied in Germany for two years. Trust me. You don't need to know German.)

 

Latin... I can see the religious motivation to learn it. But if you want something practical that will really help you in your job and give you a leg up in job applications—you need Spanish.

 

My recommendation, then, is to get over your past experience with Spanish, change your attitude to learning it, see that it is hands-down your best option, and take it. If you struggle, find someone who can help you understand how to go about learning languages, because it's not like studying math or biology or literature. You should also find some things in Spanish that you can help you fall in love with that language. I was never partial to Latin American cultures or literatures myself, but I found a great deal to love in peninsular (i.e., Spanish itself, in Europe) culture and literatures. Once I started listening to that music and watching those television shows and reading those newspapers and books, I found good reason to study Spanish: They were delightful. :-)

 

Whatever you decide, I wish you luck. :-) I am sure that either Nihil or I could help you to prepare for learning a new language. Just ask if you want help!

[Gabriela]

Well, poop. Now I see you already decided! Oh well...

[Laudate_Dominum]

I recommend learning Klingon and getting into Shakespeare.

[Nihil Obstat]

 

Whatever you decide, I wish you luck. :-) I am sure that either Nihil or I could help you to prepare for learning a new language. Just ask if you want help!

Me? Lol, no, not particularly. I am interested in languages in theory, but I have never seriously studied any. Several years of mickey mouse French in elementary/junior high.

[Nihil Obstat]

That being said, this thread reminded me about how much I really want to try a language out, so I enrolled for a semester of Mandarin starting this fall. Maybe overly ambitious, but I have been wanting to try it for ages.

[Gabriela]

Me? Lol, no, not particularly. I am interested in languages in theory, but I have never seriously studied any. Several years of mickey mouse French in elementary/junior high.

 

Well in that case, Mater, ignore this shameless impostor and just ask me. :-P

 

That being said, this thread reminded me about how much I really want to try a language out, so I enrolled for a semester of Mandarin starting this fall. Maybe overly ambitious, but I have been wanting to try it for ages.

 

Good for you! If you have any questions, feel free to ask. My brother speaks some Chinese.