Which is the best language to learn?

[microrobert]

WHICH IS THE BEST LANGUAGE TO LEARN?

Once a mark of the cultured, language-learning is in retreat among English speakers. It’s never too late, but where to start?

For language lovers, the facts are grim: Anglophones simply aren’t learning them any more. In Britain, despite four decades in the European Union, the number of A-levels taken in French and German has fallen by half in the past 20 years, while what was a growing trend of Spanish-learning has stalled. In America, the numbers are equally sorry.

One factor behind the 9/11 attacks was the fact that the CIA lacked the Arabic-speakers who might have translated available intelligence. But ten years on, “English only” campaigns appeal more successfully to American patriotism than campaigns that try to promote language-learning, as if the most successful language in history were threatened.

WHICH IS THE BEST LANGUAGE TO LEARN? | More Intelligent Life

[Kalitas]

English, spanish and german are the most useful languages of the western world. If I had to choose, I will go with English because is used as a second language in many european countries, and being an analytic language, is pretty easy to learn up

[Black Sun Dimension]

English is a must.

As a second language, you cant go wrong with Spanish. The writer says that French would be better, and even dares to bring up the Francophone...does he forget that most countries that use French are world-class shitholes? Case in point, Haiti and african countries where it is the de facto language. I dont expect those regions to turn their situation around in the foreseeable future. Do you?

Spanish-speaking nations on the other hand have a much greener future: HDI and economic indicators keep going up and up for most of Latin America. There is a strong cultural cohesion spread through most of the region. While some "latinos" -quoted because I hate that term but it's the only one available- dont feel like we are one big brotherhood (me included), it's undeniable that our bond is stronger than the one Africans have with one another, for example; or even Europeans. Case in point, when I was in Canada I hanged around mostly with Venezuelans, Mexicans, Argentinians, Colombians, etc, even Brazilians and Spaniards. And it wasnt because we spoke the same language, but because I felt like I knew these people all my life. And it's true: apart from minor differences, we are all carved from the same stone. I didnt notice that level of "brotherhood" with any other group.

This is more than just a social advantage, it's also an economic one. Initiatives like Unasur seek to install a single market in the region that will make inter-trade more profitable and attractive. In short words, more money will stay in the region rather than going abroad. This obviously translates in increased wealth. If you want to see things in perspective, in terms of GDP and HDI Argentina is ahead or on par with most Balkan and Baltic countries, former communist republics; even Portugal isnt that far. And Uruguay, Chile and Mexico arent lagging that much behind Argentina.

Certainly, LatAm would be a great place to live if insecurity and corruption werent so omnipresent. If those two issues were to be resolved, things would evolve like they were meant to.

Now, regarding the most important tool in our current era, the Internet. Spanish ranks third as the most used language on the web, after English and Chinese. Not only that, it's growth was impressive: from 56 millions users in 2004, to 164 millions users in 2011.

Compare with French: 36 million users in 2004, 60 million users in 2011

Internet users in 2004: 800 millions
Internet users in 2011: 2.200 millions (almost tripled)

Language growth (2000 - 2011)

• Russian: 1.825%
• Portuguese: 990%
• Spanish: 807%
• English: 300%
• French: 400%
• German: 174%

2004-2011 period

• English: 287 > 565 millions users
• Spanish: 56 > 164 millions users
• Portuguese: 23 > 82 millions users
• German: 54 > 75 millions users
• Russian: ?? > 60 millions users
• French: 34 > 60 millions users

*non-european languages omitted

TLDR Learn English, then Spanish. Not only you will be able to speak with most of the world, you will also be able to understand portuguese, another important language in Latin America.

[Racial Observer 1814]

French is still an important cultural and business language.

[Sikeliot]

Spanish, English, Portuguese in the New World.

[European Loyalist]

Anglophones don't need to learn other languages because all of our neighbors have learned English. I've never met an Acadian or Quebecois who couldn't speak at least passable English.

[Laubach]

English is a must.

As a second language, you cant go wrong with Spanish. The writer says that French would be better, and even dares to bring up the Francophone...does he forget that most countries that use French are world-class shitholes? Case in point, Haiti and african countries where it is the de facto language. I dont expect those regions to turn their situation around in the foreseeable future. Do you?

.

I disagree with this part, my friend. And African countries and Central America who also speak English?

[Laubach]

Spanish, English, Portuguese in the New World.

French is more important in the New world than Portuguese

For me, French, German and Spanish

[Sikeliot]

Anglophones don't need to learn other languages because all of our neighbors have learned English. I've never met an Acadian or Quebecois who couldn't speak at least passable English.

Maybe true, but a lot of the Mexican and other Latino immigrants do not have a good command of English as it is, and when they become the majority, they will have less incentive to learn. So it will leave the rest of us having to learn some Spanish.

[Midori]

English and Chinese