I neither envy nor admire people that speak multiple languages fluently. It’s a useful skill, but it’s not strictly necessary where I live. If I lived in Europe, or near the border with a country that spoke another language, it would be more useful. But where I am, and where I’ve largely lived, it’s a skill that’s more useful than juggling, but less useful than being able to drive a car without getting in accidents.
I would largely suggest that most people should learn at least two languages though: English and Klingon. If you speak Klingon, you’ll be able to fluently converse with nerds from any country. :)
This. I was never fluent, but spoke decent enough Spanish to get by. I worked in a shop with a bunch of Mexicans for a bit. That plus highschool Spanish, I picked up a decent basic conversational understanding. Like I could watch Mexican tv and keep up. I moved, haven’t used it in a decade. It’s basically gone. I’m sure I could get it back with some study and immersion, but there are basically zero Spanish speakers where I’m at. It’s just not worth the energy and time to maintain a second language in my head.
I neither envy nor admire people that speak multiple languages fluently. It’s a useful skill, but it’s not strictly necessary where I live. If I lived in Europe, or near the border with a country that spoke another language, it would be more useful. But where I am, and where I’ve largely lived, it’s a skill that’s more useful than juggling, but less useful than being able to drive a car without getting in accidents.
I would largely suggest that most people should learn at least two languages though: English and Klingon. If you speak Klingon, you’ll be able to fluently converse with nerds from any country. :)
This. I was never fluent, but spoke decent enough Spanish to get by. I worked in a shop with a bunch of Mexicans for a bit. That plus highschool Spanish, I picked up a decent basic conversational understanding. Like I could watch Mexican tv and keep up. I moved, haven’t used it in a decade. It’s basically gone. I’m sure I could get it back with some study and immersion, but there are basically zero Spanish speakers where I’m at. It’s just not worth the energy and time to maintain a second language in my head.