rekenavri Pentaglot Newbie Belarus Joined 5902 days ago 14 posts - 16 votes Speaks: English, Belarusian, Russian*, Polish, Spanish Studies: French, German
| Message 1 of 3 26 April 2009 at 10:21pm | IP Logged |
Dear members of this forum,
I can't make up my mind to ask this question to Professor Arguelles, because he's a very occupied person.
I'm currently 20 and I'm majoring in computer programming in my university. I've begin to work with the languages when I was 19 and currently have some level in Spanish and Polish and is studing German.
I was interested in Japanese mostly (I enjoy anime and manga) and I though it would be better to begin from european languages that are close related to English.
My main problem and the source of the all of my doubts is that the studing of the languages tooks a lot of time. The languages are looking interesting for me still, but my future work will left me just a little time for them and it isn't connected with lingustics.
i'm aftraid, that working with languages will simply spoil my professional skills and I'll left in the languages area no more then a dilettante. The thing is that I haven't any serious educationn in linguistics and the Kató Lomb's achievements looks like almost unreal for me. Maybe, in her time it was possible, but now there're a lot of universities with the language faculties. Sometimes it looks like I'm simply wasting my time because of my vanity.
Probably, I've simply collapsed, but anyway, I don't know, how to cure my doubts. Have I to left my language studies and to spend more time for the things that are linked with my future work? Or the studing of languages on the contrary, helps in such a things.
I can't to decide it by myself. So, I'm asking for your help.
Edited by rekenavri on 27 April 2009 at 3:56pm
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Lindley Bilingual Triglot Senior Member Ukraine Joined 6060 days ago 104 posts - 109 votes Speaks: Russian*, Ukrainian*, English Studies: Spanish, Japanese
| Message 2 of 3 26 April 2009 at 10:39pm | IP Logged |
I don't want to sound harsh here, but one can't learn languages perfectly. I mean, you always have to improve, even at "native" stage. That's why, in my opinion, which may very well differ from the others', if you LIKE language learning - DO it. It's more about the process, and as a reward you get a fluent speech (reading, writing...). Stick with a certaing language for a period of time, say, several months. Don't give it your undivided attention, just do it as a hobby. If you won't get sick of it - continue. If you don't enjoy it, then don't waste your time on it. Even if you won't become a polyglot, and a command of a certain language will not help you career-wise, you will have spent an enjoyable time doing something you like. That's the most important thing, for me, at least. Good luck :)
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zerothinking Senior Member Australia Joined 6361 days ago 528 posts - 772 votes Speaks: English*
| Message 3 of 3 27 April 2009 at 1:27pm | IP Logged |
Yes you can become a polyglot. If you are 20 now and you started at 19, then I am
amazed that you say you speak English, Belarusian, Polish, and Spanish. Surely you
learned English before that age? ;)
Be careful with being unrealistically super overconfident with your abilities. It's
something I had to deal with.
You have the time to learn languages. If only one every 6 years. You will be able to
learn many over the course of a life time.
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