What would be the best language to learn for someone working towards an MBA? I'd like to avoid Japanese at all costs because the thought of sitting next to an unshowered weaboo for 3 hours a week during lecture makes me want to slit my wrists.
Name:
Anonymous2009-08-03 21:44
Probably Standard Mandarin Chinese or Spanish.
Name:
Anonymous2009-08-04 16:30
>3 hours a week
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFGOD DAMN IT
>>4
I think he was raging at someone trying to learn a second language with only 3 hours of class a week. I would agree that you need more than that, plus a ton of work outside of class if you want to be proficient in any reasonable amount of time.
If you are an Amerifag, I would second Mandarin or Spanish. I'm taking Mandarin right now and really enjoying it.
Name:
Anonymous2009-08-05 18:52
>>6 I think he was raging at someone trying to learn a second language with only 3 hours of class a week.
Obviously he'd be practicing outside of class as well, and likely attending tutoring sessions.
Name:
Anonymous2009-08-06 1:27
I said 3 hours because that's what a class would probably meet for. I'm honestly not that interested in learning the language because I hate people with different skin tones than my own, and squinty eyes. It's just something to put on a resume. Plus I'm already proficient in Spanish, so Mandarin it is.
>>8 I hate people with different skin tones than my own
You poor sod
Name:
Anonymous2009-08-06 13:42
You think all us Chinese-learners don't hate sitting next to you, the MBA fuck-up who's only taking Chinese because he thinks "derp derp I saw a CNN financial news segment on how important mandarin is!". You guys memorize each character stroke by stroke instead of coming to any even basic realization of the concept of radicals, you think you can just ignore tones and everything will be fine, and you use random English words when you can't find the Chinese term in your pathetically limited vocabulary. Fuck it, I'd rather sit next to the smelliest, neckbeardiest weeaboo there is than have to deal with yet another MBA. The only thing that could make you more stereotypical is if you were Indian.
Fuck you, I hope China becomes hardcore isolationist again, so only us fags interested in Chinese history actually learn it.
Name:
Anonymous2009-08-07 10:50
You won't have to worry about sitting next to any smelly neckbeards. They tend to drop the class within the first week or so when they realize that learning a language actually requires effort. They lose interest when they find it's not all Naruto and pocky.
well that's good to know, i'm hoping to do french and japanese and uni and was a little worried at thought of spending 4 yearsin a class of people going "herp derp burichi herp derp naruto dattebayo"
Name:
Anonymous2009-08-14 4:01
I'm personally planning on learning Chinese because the department of defense will pay me more if I learn it. As far as radicals go, even though I know the languages are different, when I was taking Japanese, my teacher told me that my understanding of Radicals was even better than some native writers...so assuming the radical system is the same for Chinese characters, I think I'll do well. As far as reading goes.
I'm taking Chinese because I love Chinese history and culture, and just China in general, and hope to move there PERMANENTLY once I have some sort of job at a foreign corporation in China. I'm not Indian, I'm Venezuelan actually.
But I agree, we could do with less of the kind of people you're referring to.
Name:
Anonymous2009-09-01 0:25
Chinese, Spanish, and German
Name:
Anonymous2009-09-07 17:18
>>14
I've got no problem with MBAs as individuals. Just the "type" of person that you and I are familiar with.
Korean is... Korean is useless, right guys? I know it's the smallest of the big 3 Asian countries, but I sometimes think it's interesting, and I've been looking for a 2nd foreign language as a hobby/good thing to write on a resume one day. As a 4channer, naturally I am a creepy Asiaphile, but for some reason I just don't want to learn Japanese. I think Korean is interesting because it's badass to be like "fuck this, we are using a sort-of normal alphabet" when everyone around you is trying to make their written language as complicated as possible, and I think the current political situation in Korea is interesting, the way it's like a game of Jenga when everyone knows this shit is going to fall down one day, but nobody wants to make the move that spurs it on. Or am I being an idiot for ignoring Japanese partially because it's the language every nerd on the internet poorly self-studies?
Name:
Anonymous2009-09-07 18:58
>>16
Korea is anticipated to have the second highest GDP per capita in 2050. Japan simply isn't growing as quickly, so it is possible that learning Korean will be a better career option.
Also, nobody is trying to make their writing systems complicated, that is just how the language works.
Name:
Anonymous2009-09-07 21:42
>>17
Really? Not calling you a liar, but where'd you read those figures, seems like something I'd be interested in. I know nobody makes their writings intentionally hard (actually, I wouldn't put it past some literati), but still, the king who put Hangeul into place was a cool guy.
Deciding between Korean and Japanese, help ;_;
Name:
Anonymous2009-09-08 3:07
>>18
Inb4 >wikipedia LOL, (you can get download the "BRIC" and "Next 11" papers directly from Goldman Sachs). They are just projections, but they are the best we can go off of.
I'm currently learning Chinese and am also debating what my next language will be.
Name:
Anonymous2009-09-08 9:36
>>20
Sounds like we're in similar positions. What are you considering for your next? I love to hear new opinions. Of course, some people say I should wait for Chinese "fluency" before starting a new language. But I figure, even if I don't get a lot accomplished at first in language #2, at least it's a hobby that is productive instead of just browsing online, right?
Name:
Anonymous2009-09-08 9:59
>>20
Which ones are you considering? Sounds like we're in sort of the same position.
(22 here) And then there are people who say I should focus on 1, but I figure even if the 2nd language is a hobby it's still better than just browsing online all day, right? Or is there a chance a new one will distract me from Chinese, and I should wait 'til I have a few more years of Chinese under my belt.