Why German is not popular here?

a demotivator   Mon May 11, 2009 11:47 am GMT
<<a demotivator,go to East Germany area near Polish border (or to rural area of Austria) and try to get a job without German language skills. >>


You're missing the point. The kinds of jobs people would do on the border are not the kinds of jobs people dream about when they learn a language because it is an "economic powerhouse blah blah". The jobs people dream about are working in international corporations and that kind of thing. If you want to work in a bakery or something then of course you need to know German, but that's got nothing to do with the "importance" of German. If you wanted to do the same in Bhutan you'd need to know Bhutanese even though it is not exactly important.
fraz   Mon May 11, 2009 12:20 pm GMT
<<Or simply because a person wants to learn a language. Period. No "advantages", no "acceptance" etc.
These "useful"-language thing is a strange fixed idea in some people.
If someone is learning a language spoken by few people is because "utility"?
There are people who like to learn languages just becuase they like or for cultural reasons or as a challenge with themselves >>

Absolutely. But we must bear in mind that language learning as a hobby is a relatively minor pursuit. Most people who acquire an additional language do so because it is necessary for social or economic reasons.
dear   Mon May 11, 2009 12:38 pm GMT
for social or economic reasons

What about cultural reasons? Fortunately economy is not all in our lives at least in mine!
fraz   Mon May 11, 2009 12:42 pm GMT
I'm not trying to put down the cultural aspect. Many people gain pleasure from learning a new language and gaining an insight into another way of life.

But that doesn't change the fact that most examples of multiple language use result beacause parents, peers and society expect young people to have this skill for future economic and social use.
Eil   Mon May 11, 2009 1:05 pm GMT
>Most people who acquire an additional language do so because it is necessary for social or economic reasons

Not at all! This is a widespread and incoprehensible lie on this forum.
In my country only English is a "useful" language in some extent. All the other languages are learnt for hobby.
Luckily not all the people do something only for usefulness or "economic" reasons.

>But we must bear in mind that language learning as a hobby is a relatively minor pursuit.

Not at all gain! You say that. I can say the contrary. How about language classes full of people who are there for many reasons but economic?
A person who like to learn Tibetan, Japanese or whatever is for "economical" reasons? Come on..
fraz   Mon May 11, 2009 1:24 pm GMT
If you gathered together all the people in the world who speak more than one language, you would find that the majority are in this position because they need extra languages to function more effectively in everyday life. This boils down to social and economic factors.

Think about it, acquiring a new language is a lot of work and - given the choice - most people would avoid it if they thought they could get away with it. But throughout Africa and Asia you will find people who need to use more than one language through necessity, choice doesn't really come into it. And that's before we even start on the countless tens of millions of people in this day and age on all continents who have English drummed into them because it is seen as an economic enhancement.

I realise there are also many people worldwide who learn languages for cultural reasons and enjoyment. That's a wonderful thing, but it's not the prime mover in production multi-lingual people.
Eil   Mon May 11, 2009 1:55 pm GMT
Again I don't agree, I haven't ever known a person learning a language for "need" but English in some extent.
I don't need Japanese but I'm studying exclusively because I like doing it.
Do I need materially Japanese? Not at all
Have I the chance to use it? Never unless I go to Japan
I don't need Spanish at all and I'm studying it only because I like studying it
And so on
Actually all the people I know are studying one or more languages just because they want to do it
fraz   Mon May 11, 2009 2:36 pm GMT
<<I haven't ever known a person learning a language for "need">>

Okay, for example take a country like South Africa. Multi-linguism is the norm there, particularly among the black community. Each one of these people will have a mother tongue but most have acquired other languages along the way. Why? Because they require a knowledge of different languages to cope in various situations that life in that country throws at them. This situation is repeated all over Africa, Asia and parts of Europe, where the bulk of the world's population lies.

And then there's economic migrants and immigrants. English speakers have a poor track record in learning the local language when they move abroad but for most other immigrants, a new tongue has to be learned for - you guessed it - social and economic needs.

I appreciate this board is frequented by people with a love of languages in general, who appreciate the cultural aspect of learning. But why deny that most multi-lingual people speak these languages because they have to?
kana   Mon May 11, 2009 9:09 pm GMT
"The jobs people dream about are working in international corporations and that kind of thing"

___________________

you mean your job dream... because job like this sound really boring!!



"rox:These "useful"-language thing is a strange fixed idea in some people.
If someone is learning a language spoken by few people is because "utility"?
There are people who like to learn languages just becuase they like or for cultural reasons or as a challenge with themselves "

___________________

oh, a human ! In this shit forum ?!! wow! nice to meet a clever person.

I would add the only language you "need" to learn is english, all the others languages are for love to learn, to understand others cultures and want to enrich yourself .
fraz   Mon May 11, 2009 10:32 pm GMT
<<I would add the only language you "need" to learn is english, all the others languages are for love to learn, to understand others cultures and want to enrich yourself >>

What a bizzare comment. Depending on where you live and work in the world, there are all sorts of languages that might need to be learnt if you are to have any quality of life.
jimmy   Tue May 12, 2009 10:25 am GMT
"Depending on where you live and work in the world, there are all sorts of languages that might need to be learnt if you are to have any quality of life."


______________________

Exactly, if you go live in China or in Japan, don't expect everyone speak or understand english, so you "need" to learn chinese and japanese languages, in this situation. Same for Europe.
Paul   Wed May 13, 2009 4:46 pm GMT
<<go to East Germany area near Polish border (or to rural area of Austria) and try to get a job...>>


Why in the world would anybody do that?


"Man, I gotta learn German quick, so I can move to rural Austria and get my dream job!"

LOL!

You all are really grasping on straws to contrive scenarios that would necessitate knowledge of German. Just stop, its pathetic.
Heidi   Wed May 13, 2009 5:07 pm GMT
<< Why in the world would anybody do that?
"Man, I gotta learn German quick, so I can move to rural Austria and get my dream job!"
LOL! >>


I would love to work there !!

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/136/380748892_a17ef99304.jpg?v=0

http://mein.salzburg.com/fotoblog/winterfoto/assets_c/2009/03/Österreich-Maria%20Alm-Aberg%202009-03-9-thumb-600xauto.jpg
Schiller   Wed May 13, 2009 7:26 pm GMT
"German is for a new breed of thinkers, artists, journalists and travelers. If you want to be a real player in the 21st century, learning German will give you the edge you need. Keep in mind: 100 million people worldwide communicate in German!

With knowledge of German, you improve your employment opportunities - Germany has the largest economy in the European Union and the third largest in the world. German, for sure, puts you in high demand.

German is still a leading language of science, literature, art, philosophy and history. Learn German and get to know one of the great European cultures!"

http://www.goethe.de/ins/ca/lp/prj/wlg/vrl/enindex.htm
fraz   Wed May 13, 2009 9:58 pm GMT
<<You all are really grasping on straws to contrive scenarios that would necessitate knowledge of German. Just stop, its pathetic>>

Living and working in Germany requires a knowledge of German. Being the world's third-largest economy and Europe's biggest country, that's not a difficult scenario to contrive.