A writer's interest in a particular foreign language will be dependent on that language's associated literature, however, I wanted to know if anyone here could attest to a certain language's usefulness or intrigue. I am currently in college and deciding on a language to study. I'm currently thinking Latin but am open to others' opinions. Nonetheless, it'll be interesting to see what you all have to say!
I think the first thing would be to explore the possibilities of your own language, whichever it is, by writing yourself and reading good literature.
There are writers that write in a foreign language, because they are bilingual or have a migration background.
But if you want to study a foreign language it is good to think about what you want it for first. Learning a new language opens up a lot of possibilities but it also requires time and effort.
"I seemed to have sensed also from an early age that some of my experiences as a reader would change me more as a person than would many an event in the world where I sat and read. "
Gerald Murnane, Tamarisk Row
I totally agree with what you said about exploring the English language. Improving my understanding of it is a daily and endless battle. However, part of my requirements for completing my degree is studying a foreign language, so it's just a matter of which language will be the most rewarding. As you said, learning a new language is a time consuming task, so I want to make the best out of the time I have in school.In regards to what I want out of my linguistic studies, I would prefer for it to aid my literary skill, whether it be in the interpretation of other works or in the creation of my own.
Last edited by bdub5; 03-10-2017 at 10:34 PM.
What foreign languages does your university offer?
"I seemed to have sensed also from an early age that some of my experiences as a reader would change me more as a person than would many an event in the world where I sat and read. "
Gerald Murnane, Tamarisk Row
Arabic, Chinese, Latin, Greek, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Swahili.
Well, I would choose a language that atracted me and also the literature written in it, which I could speak in the countries where they are used and which would not to difficult to learn. Remember you have a deadline for completing your degree. I also would consider if I wanted to teach that language in the future.
If you choose Arabic, Chinese, Greek,Japanese or Russian you must consider that youŽll have to learn a different alphabet too. I donŽt know about Swahili.
Latin is a fascinating language but it is not spoken anymore. Today it is a language for scholars.
Ihope that helps a bit.
"I seemed to have sensed also from an early age that some of my experiences as a reader would change me more as a person than would many an event in the world where I sat and read. "
Gerald Murnane, Tamarisk Row
Yep! Any discourse on the pros and cons of different languages is helpful.
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