Which language should I start to learn first?

Mr.Tan(Chen)   Tue Aug 11, 2009 4:57 am GMT
I am living in Taiwan and I can speak my mother tongue (Taiwanese),Mandarin,Swedish and English fluently.

I am now hesitating that which language I should start to learn first in the aspect of "use","fortune",and "future prospect".

Spanish, French,Arabic,Japanese?

Basically, I think Japanese usage is gradually becoming more narrow.
French, well, at least I can speak it a little , but there is no french speaking country near Taiwan.



So, what's ur suggestion?
OOO   Tue Aug 11, 2009 6:54 am GMT
useful: "Japanese"

fortune: "Arabic"

future prospect: "Spanish & Arabic"

key point: "Which language do you like most"? Think twice!
Google us!   Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:00 am GMT
Future Prospect: Russian and Spanish
Well, I think the oil will be used out. Besides, the illiteracy rate is growing in Arabic countries.. I don't think Arabic is good for my future prospect.
Japanese? Personally, I predict that in 20 years , Japanese ppl will be enthusiastic in learning English and Mandarin. So, I don't expect the future prospect of Japanese language.

Russian and Spanish: Geograhically large . So both Russian and Spanish will be better for you.
Google us!   Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:02 am GMT
correction: I don't think Arabic is good for "your" future prospect.
OOO   Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:07 am GMT
Russia seems like a brown bear who's already lost his sharp teeth and paws.
Google us!   Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:18 am GMT
"OOO Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:07 am GMT
Russia seems like a brown bear who's already lost his sharp teeth and paws. "

But she has the natural source which is still not used yet , compared to Arabic countries, their oil will be used out soon. Without oil, i don't think what Arabic countries can do. But how about Russia? Their science or technology is better than Arabic countries.
Ben   Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:19 am GMT
"Google us! Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:18 am GMT
"OOO Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:07 am GMT
Russia seems like a brown bear who's already lost his sharp teeth and paws. "

But she has the natural source which is still not used yet , compared to Arabic countries, their oil will be used out soon. Without oil, i don't think what Arabic countries can do. But how about Russia? Their science or technology is better than Arabic countries. "



Without oil, Arabic is nothing!
OOO   Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:34 am GMT
Google us! Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:18 am GMT
But she has the natural source which is still not used yet , compared to Arabic countries, their oil will be used out soon. Without oil, i don't think what Arabic countries can do. But how about Russia? Their science or technology is better than Arabic countries.

If Russian Cyrillic were changed into Latin alphabet, I would probably think of learning Russian.
Guest   Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:29 am GMT
All experts in languages say that the most important World languages will be English, Chinese and Spanish.

You speak English and Chinese. So, perhaps Spanish is a good choice as third language.

If you want to speak it, there are some places in Asia, like in Manila (Philippines). Spanish is spoken there by Filipino-Spanish mestizos and students of Spanish.

In Zamboanga, Cavite, Davao, etc (Philippines) and Sabah (Malaysia) people speak a Spanish creole, Chavacano, very similar to Spanish. The Filipino-Spanish Creole is spoken by 2.5 million people in Philippines and Malaysia.

Obviously, you can study Spanish in Mexico City, La Havana, Madrid, Bogota, Caracas, Santiago, Lima, Buenos Aires or Miami, for example.
blanche   Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:33 am GMT
Spanish is so boring. All major languages are not that attractive and interesting linguistically.
Guest   Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:36 am GMT
Give some examples of linguistically interesting languages we should learn.
J.C.   Tue Aug 11, 2009 12:18 pm GMT
你怎麼不學習日文嗎?日本和臺灣的關係很好。另外,又可能來日本練習言語。在臺灣有沒有機會在工作使用日文?
加油!
sssss   Tue Aug 11, 2009 1:39 pm GMT
Catalan! it is the nicest language ever :-) Try to listen to it.... I'm kidding...
Mallorquí   Tue Aug 11, 2009 6:30 pm GMT
Catalan is nice. Listen to the most famous Catalan singer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-sqaXF2RWM
K. T.   Tue Aug 11, 2009 6:42 pm GMT
Núria Rial is Catalan. She has a beautiful voice-a "classical", young singer.

_____________________________________________________

My joke answer to the question posed by Mr. Tan (Chen), would be Chaldean, but I'm not sure there is such a language. Sumerian.

Only 3 people will get the joke, if that many...