Next language to study

[Æxylis]

Okay, I've had a bit of personal conflict over which of the following languages to study next:

Korean
Russian
Arabic
Finnish
Hungarian
Dutch

keeping in mind that some of the biggest things I look for in languages are:

Logical ability
Interesting grammar
Pronunciation that's not 'too' difficult
Music available in the language
Video games available in the language
Possibility of actual use

[sa wulfs]

With those criteria, I'd say Finnish.

[Jalethon]

Either Finnish or Dutch, I'd say. Although I reckon Russian to be the more interesting one, I've met tons of Dutch people online. Finnish would also intrigue me.

Dutch has plenty of courses and music, video games but well, it takes time to get used to the Dutch G.

[Zorba]

Russian has a good selection of home-grown music and there are some games available, especially older stuff. Possibility of use depends on your own area and how willing you are to travel, although obviously the bigger languages have more in this respect. The problem with Finnish, and especially Dutch, is that their English tends to be so good that they are only prepared to converse with you in the language once you reach a very high standard indeed. I'm not sure what you mean by 'interesting grammar', but Dutch grammar is probably not particularly 'interesting' from the perspective of a native speaker of English.

(BTW, if I come across as a bit anti-Dutch, it's only because an old love interest of mine ran off with a Dutchman a couple of years back)

[Jonne]

For Arabic

Logical ability

I'm not sure about this criterion...?

Interesting grammar

Arabic verbs are hm interesting.

Plus there are three cases, if that counts as something interesting.

Pronunciation that's not 'too' difficult

I don't think it's too difficult, you'll just need practice.

Music available in the language

Plenty, and also many types of music (not only that stereotypical bellydance music, but also trance, rock, hiphop, pop etc etc etc)

Video games available in the language

No idea.

Possibility of actual use

~200 million speakers +considering the future, this language might be useful. Of course one problem is the dialects, but MSA in definitely a good start.

[Jalethon]

The problem with Finnish, and especially Dutch, is that their English tends to be so good that they are only prepared to converse with you in the language once you reach a very high standard indeed.

Is this a generalisation? I doubt it to be an empirical conclusion from what I know.

I'm not sure what you mean by 'interesting grammar', but Dutch grammar is probably not particularly 'interesting' from the perspective of a native speaker of English.

I'm not sure actually. Dutch would be an excellent way to bridge the differences between the 'more' Germanic languages such as Swedish and German. Also, 'grammatically interesting' differs itself from 'grammatically peculiar,' which is what would make Arabic - like the former poster offered - the more difficult choice. But, of course, that's wholly your choice. I'd say if you're familiar with a couple more languages you could go for Arabic.

[Wildfire]

I voted for Korean as I think it fits these criteria best of all.

[pastorant]

Why not Hungarian? It's not as difficult as people say, and it's interesting enough to be fun for a long time.

[nighean-neonach]

I will probably never understand the sense in this sort of polls.

All these criteria

Logical ability
Interesting grammar
Pronunciation that's not 'too' difficult
Music available in the language
Video games available in the language
Possibility of actual use

are mostly a matter of personal taste and opinion, as well as individual circumstances.

What do we know about your environment? Maybe you have a Hungarian living next door, or a Korean colleague, so that would be an excellent chance to practice your language.

There will be lots of music available in all those languages, the question is whether it is to your taste.

What you consider "interesting" in grammar is a very individual question as well. And what do you mean with "logical ability"? No human language is really logical.

[Aleco]

I voted Hungarian

[Karavinka]

If you consider video games, then Korean surpasses all other options. I'm sure you'll find grammar, logic, use and music in all of them.

[Oleksij]

I voted Hungarian

Me too. But then, I'm a biased Eastern European, what can I say.

[Zorba]

Is this a generalisation? I doubt it to be an empirical conclusion from what I know.

There's no doubt that the Dutch have the best English of any non-English speaking country: according to the EU, 87% of Dutch citizens can speak English, the highest in any EU country. Finland is also high with a figure of 60%.

http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/arch ... 237.en.pdf

It is more difficult to get empirical data about my claim that the Dutch prefer to use English than Dutch in conversation with foreigners, but it's certainly something that's mentioned in the introduction to any Dutch textbook I've ever looked at, and I've heard it anecdotally on numerous occasions as well (for example from the ex who eloped with the Dutchman, who is now learning Dutch, and from my sister who worked in the Amsterdam for six months, and here on Unilang).

[Makrasiroutioun]

I FULLY agree with Zorba and other people who say that Finnish and Dutch (and any Scandinavian language) are much harder than others merely due to the fact that so many of them are perfect in English!

Think about it, if the person is looking to gain oral fluency, near-native pronunciation, and everyday use and comfortableness with the language, this criterion makes things so much harder.

I can surely imagine myself in Flanders (as a native speaker of both English and French, and a sizable knowledge of German) attempting to practise my Dutch... yeah right! They'll jump on me with everything they got (and most are really good) in English, French, and German before letting me practise my Dutch!


I voted for Arabic! But I was about to vote for either Russian or Hungarian.

[Nero]

Ego legi linguam hungarianam

[Æxylis]

Okay, I've had a bit of personal conflict over which of the following languages to study next:

Korean
Russian
Arabic
Finnish
Hungarian
Dutch

keeping in mind that some of the biggest things I look for in languages are:
Logical ability

as in, how much does it flow with a form of logic... in other words how many irregularities does it have and how easy is it to express things in the language in a number of ways

Interesting grammar

interesting as in unique... something that would be fun to do and is generally fairly different from that of the languages that I'm most used to...

Pronunciation that's not 'too' difficult

I'm not as used to sounds like as in Arabic, such as the pharyngeal fricatives... but if I had good enough instruction I could probably figure them out...

Music available in the language

I mostly like stuff like various types of brighter metal (as in, not like death/doom/black metal and stuff like that) and not incredibly hard (as in I prefer powermetal to thrash metal etc.)
I also like stuff like disco, techno, and stuff like that...

Video games available in the language

if you know where I can get them... that'd be helpful (for the languge recommended)

Possibility of actual use

as in, would I have readily available resources such as video games and movies and music and the like in this language so that I may study...

[Supreemio]

I voted for Dutch because its a very nice language and I'm learning it at the moment too.

[darkina]

I will probably never understand the sense in this sort of polls.

Well, my life is currently devoted to Russian and Hungarian. But I can't vote for Hungarian because the less people who learn it, the more unique I am

I think you wouldn't like Russian and Hungarian anyway because they are not so regular. Tons of exceptions (i don't remember who told me and I don't remember if it was about Ru or Hu, that there is two lines to explain a rule, followed by 20 pages of exceptions ), or simply things to keep in mind. Linking vowels in Hungarian don't really have a rule, well there's vowel harmony but it still leaves you with some freedom of choice sometimes... you have to "feel" them

They qualify as interesting grammar though, and definitely "different", especially Hungarian.

There is music in any language out there, and availability is not a huge problem with the internet I think... Russian bands' websites often let you download whole albums for free.

Videogames, I know nothing about but I suppose most videogames are translated into major languages? I'd imagine it to be a problem to get hold of a videogame in Hungarian...unless you buy it there...maybe...

[CoBB]

I'd imagine it to be a problem to get hold of a videogame in Hungarian...unless you buy it there...maybe...

There seem to be plenty, but one would indeed have to come here to get them.

Úgy tűnik, sok van, de tényleg ide kellene jönnie annak, aki ilyet akar szerezni.

[Æxylis]

have you a method whereby I may be able to purchase, or otherwise somehow obtain those types of videogames from your country?