if you were going to learn a new language...

I guess Chinese 'cuz I've heard it is the next international language.

 

if complete knowledge of a language could magically trickle down into my mind i would choose either classical hebrew, homeric or koine greek, or ecclesiastical latin.

 

Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way

 

It all depends where you (gonna) live and work. Otherwise spanish or arabic might be better choices.

 

Ah, the power of capital.

 

This sounds very Latinized. In spanish it would be:

Buenos dias, como estas usted/tu hoy?

 

I was just thinking about this yesterday or the day before... how nice would it be to plan a vacation to Ibiza, but I don't speak Spanish! It would be really hard to drive there being that I wouldn't understand the road signs. In fact I think I would enjoy it less not being able to speak the language, so I sort of decided at the same time then and there that I would be better off visiting local night clubs then trying to play it cool in a foreign-Ibiza.

 

But Ibiza is so popular, I am sure English is widely known and used.

 

I live in many countries and just speak English. I've never bothered with another language, if they don't speak English F%$k 'em.
If you really had to English, Spanish, Urdu and Mandarin are the logical choices as they cover over 95% of the world population.

 

You can get by with english on Ibiza. No reason to not go there.

 

Interesting perspective. Where is Urdu spoken?

Really? Are you sure? Lol. Not that I can afford it anyway, but I'm a little uncertain. I also heard it's very touristy. I don't know if that's necessarily bad though. I've been to Honolulu and that was touristy but I still liked it plenty. What is Ibiza like?

 

Could be. Asmo seems to agree with you and I think he is from Amsterdam or somewhere out that way, so he has likely actually been there! Let's see what he has to say.

 

Any place that relies heavily on tourism...I am sure English is widely spoken there

 

That's a bit harsh.


If I lived in a foreign country, I'd make an effort to learn the language, at least the basics.
Everything else would be lazy, in my opinion.

But to say "if they dont speak english fuck em" is such a poor attitude, I think.

 

Im certain. And yes, its mainly so because it is a popular tourist and party destination. There are some quieter and hippie places as well, just read up on it before you go
I've never been there myself

 

If they were gonna give me citizenship and a passport maybe, but most of the 'mickey mouse' language countries are liable to ask you to leave at some time, then you wasted a whole lot of brain power for nothing.
Not to mention many countries don't really have a homogenized language, but a mixture of totally different local languages and a government 'over language' which nobody really speaks to their friends and family.

When I first started living in Thailand, I went to school to learn Thai, problem being they only allow Central Thai to be taught ....... and nobody up North where I lives speaks Central Thai ..... and it took me a year to wonder why I couldn't understand anyone around me. Oh, we all speak Lanna, but we don't teach that language.
For example .... I love you (a useful phrase in a language) = Rak Tur (central) = Bun Hat TooWa (City Lanna, village Lanna is totally different) ...... completely pointless.
(Not to mention they also speak Southern Thai and a version of Laos along with about 100 village and tribal languages that are mutually unintelligible). I was trying to chat up an attractive girl in a bar on day, I did my very best Central Thai, after about 5 minutes she turned to me and said, "Sorry, I don't speak central Thai, but I can speak English and Akha"

Same in Europe, Italy for example, around 10 different languages, they may all be able to speak standard Italian, but that isn't the language they use with each other. Which one will you learn? The one that allows you to listen to Italian TV, or the one the locals use to speak to each other in the pub?

 

I guess that's true.

However, I don't see learning any language as a waste of time or brain power, no matter how useful or useless it is to me.
But then again, I really enjoy learning languages. Not everyone has the same interests and likes though.

 

I speak English, used to speak French, used to speak Spanish, used to teach German, can speak Lanna Thai, can speak Central Thai.
(And just for laughs, Central (84 letters) and Lanna (no idea) have totally different alphabets.... so add English (26 letters), and you have 3 totally unique sets of alphabets to learn)
But the more useless languages I learn, the more I forget the potentially useful languages. I think my limit is 3.

How many languages can you usefully still speak (don't include the ones you forgot)?

 

Ahhh you edited your post.

Anyways, you learn Italian the "proper" standard way, and then pick up whatever local variation they use where you live.

And to answer your question...I speak Croatian, English and German (I still make mistakes, obviously, but I try to read and learn and improve).
I learned Italian for 2 years, but I haven't used it in years. I guess it's very basic now.
Now I am learning Turkish.