I don't read to learn about life, I read for enjoyment. Altough I do know that you can learn about life from many great works of literature, I read them for story most of all. I am not really the type to seek enlightment in the arts.
I think most people would agree that they are better read in the original but I have only read Goethe's Elective Affinities in German. If you have an English copy of Faust then you will know what to expect. By today's standards, Goethe is quite heavy going although there is no denying the quality of his work. I should add that I am not a bibliophile although I have read fairly widely over a long period of time. I happen to believe that, instead of spending most of one's time reading about life, it is better to be out there living it. While it might seem pretty tame in comparison with what we read in books, it will look quite different when you look back on all the situations you have gone through and the experience you have gained. If you do decide to learn German, a few other authors that you might find interesting are Stefan Zweig, Herman Hesse, Thomas Mann, Joseph Roth, Arthur Schnitzler and Theodor Fontane.
I do mostly want to learn different languages. There are some literature I am somewhat interested in reading because I heard that they are better read in the original. Goethe's faust being the one I am most interested in but there are others too.
This isn't strictly true, because although English and German belong to the same group of languages, the grammar is very different and consequently very difficult, although it is easy to pronounce. French, on the other hand, belongs to the so-called Romance languages and has an easier grammar but is much more difficult to pronounce. The basic problem with German is the case system where the definite and indefinite article changes according to certain conditions. Because we abandoned using case in English, it is difficult to see it's justification when we know from experience that it simply isn't necessary. However, if you only want to use the language for reading, you will, as I mentioned, find the case endings already done for you.
I'm thinking about giving it a trym I was thinking about even learning a few more as I get older. I heard that some languages are easier to learn if you know a language related to it.
English, French and German. People are never too old to learn a language, although it is easier for younger people because their own language patterns aren't so deeply ingrained that they hinder learning another. This is why children from an early age find it easier to adapt to an alternative tongue. I don't think that your age will be a hindrance although I would only start if I were absolutely certain that I wanted to learn, because it isn't easy and it requires determination to reach a reasonable standard.
There are basically two disciplines involved i.e. Speaking and reading and you might find that reading is easier because much of the work has been done for you on the printed page. Speaking is something else because, unlike French or English, the German language uses a form of Latin grammar that requires the learning of four different cases and it also has three genders i.e. masc. fem. neuter. I don't think I would have learned German without spending quite a bit of time in Germany and also mixing with Germans, some of whom didn't speak English, but you may be bright enough to get by without that help. Anyhow, good luck if you do decide to go ahead.
How many languages do you speak? I am thinking of teaching myself german and since I am 18, I was wondering if thats still a good age to start learning.
