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Stereotypes of language learners? | ||
Tags: Stereotypes | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Cultural Experiences in Foreign Languages |  | |
| COF Senior Member United States Joined 5831 days ago 262 posts - 354 votes  Speaks: English* | Message 1 of 42 23 August 2010 at 2:42pm | IP Logged | |||||
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What would you say are the typical characteristics of someone who studies a particular language?
French and Italian: Often arty types, consider themselves cultured and fashionable. Chinese: Intelligent, business-oriented person who plans for the future. Japanese: Often "nerdy" types who have a very narrow view of Japanese culture limited to manga and anime. I don't suggest these stereotypes are 100% true, peole learn languages for losts of different reasons, but what stereotypes do you have of people who learn a paricular language? Edited by COF on 23 August 2010 at 2:47pm 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| zamie Groupie Australia Joined 5253 days ago 83 posts - 126 votes Speaks: English* Studies: German, Modern Hebrew | Message 2 of 42 23 August 2010 at 3:10pm | IP Logged | |||||
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German...nazi
Arabic....terrorist Russian... communist 10 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| Lucky Charms Diglot Senior Member Japan lapacifica.net Joined 6949 days ago 752 posts - 1711 votes Speaks: English*, Japanese Studies: German, Spanish | Message 3 of 42 23 August 2010 at 4:54pm | IP Logged | |||||
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These aren't necessarily my personal stereotypes, but my impression of what kind of stereotypes are generally held.
Esperanto: Hippy-ish cult members who can't shut up about how beautiful it's made their lives, and are always preaching to others about why they should join, too. Kind of like vegans. Norwegian, Old Norse: Listens to metal. Latin: A few generations older than I am. An ivory-tower academic. Has a study full of old, dusty tomes, which he prefers to the company of people. Spanish: U PICKED AN EASY LANGUAGE LOL A white guy learning an East/Southeast Asian language: Someone told him Asian girls are easy. Edited by Lucky Charms on 23 August 2010 at 4:58pm 7 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| Chung Diglot Senior Member Joined 7156 days ago 4228 posts - 8259 votes 20 sounds Speaks: English*, French Studies: Polish, Slovak, Uzbek, Turkish, Korean, Finnish | Message 4 of 42 23 August 2010 at 5:10pm | IP Logged | |||||
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See this thread on the same topic in the Cultural Discussions room:
how-to-learn-any-language.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1372 9&PN=0&TPN=1 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Desacrator48 Groupie United States Joined 5308 days ago 93 posts - 127 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish, French | Message 5 of 42 23 August 2010 at 8:03pm | IP Logged | |||||
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I think it's the stereotypes that would be the reason for either me learning the language currently, or why I would want to learn it in the future:
English - the language spoken in America and also in the UK. Patriots would have you believe it's as American as any American institution like baseball, when in fact both have its origins in Europe. Present day US at one point in history had large territories of Spanish and French speaking settlers, but just so happened that the English speaking part bought up/conquered these areas on the way to complete sea-to-sea expansion. Increasingly being seen as a language unique to America, of which we are rightly and justly proud of...England, Canada, and Australia be damned. Spanish - really not an option when you get to high school at 14 in California. At the time seen as the language of immigrants, illegal or not. For me, thought of more as being very useful where I live. French - the language I actually wanted to study because of my affinity for the way it sounds. Didn't study it for years because Spanish had more immediate dividends. People who took French in high school (including a lot of my friends) were in the strong minority and were seen as non-conformists. Probably hates Mexicans. These are the languages I would want to learn and the stereotypes for why: Russian - James Bond movies. I love the old series and I missed out on the Cold War because of my age. I probably would have loved having taken Russian if I grew up in the 50s and 60s. Communist state, global politics, spy movies, I love all that stuff. I am a history major and studying even Russian Revolution stuff and World War II on the Eastern front was extremely fascinating for me. Unfortunately Russia's influence today is far less than in the past. Japanese - Same could also be said for Japanese, immediate post WWII. Their rise on the global stage from 1945 through the 1990s was a real good reason to learn the langauage: many business oportunities. Now, unfortunately is passed over for Chinese because it's really only pratical to pick one East Asian language to learn, and Chinese is the new language of the future. Only learnt now for anime and other Japanese pop culture exports. Chinese - The new exotic language of the present and future, like Russian and Japanese once was. Only problem is that it is seen as harder than the previous two. Probably not much of any other reason to study it, because the culture doesn't seem to fascinating to the average American, unlike all the Japanese exports of pop culture (read: video games, manga, cartoons). Very useful if you live in California. Korean - Why learn this language when you already have Chinese and Japanese to choose from? German - a language that is steadily studied throughout history, no matter German's presence in the world. Once heavily learned by Americans at one point, now a somewhat distant third fiddle after Spanish and French. My reason to learn would be an interest in World War II, but since that carries negative connotations, modern German culture is much more appealing. Dutch - isn't this just German with a funny accent? Italian - loves either older or modern Italian culture. Older being Renaissance-type works of art: literature, paintings, opera! Modern aspects would be an interest in the Mafia, like in the US, or a strange fascination with the Guido culture in the US. Both of these bring negative stereotypes. Arabic - along with Chinese, a language of the present, but not for business reasons. Rather more political and possible government-type work. Non-Arabic learners would study either because they are fascinated by this oft-maligned ethnic group who are often seen as synonymous with Islam, or are themselves a recent convert to Islam. The 1945-1991 Russian to today's 2001 - present Arabic. Portuguese - Brazilian culture and nothing else. Portugal...is that country still around? Loves soccer a lot, probably Brazil's most famous export. Also famous for attractive people and the festivities that involve them: samba, carnival, great food. Spoken by more people on a global stage than one would realize, but ironically is seen as not as common a world language as others. Persian - that other Arabic-region language, but one, albeit with a more concentrated and centralized region and culture around a present-day country. Sounds more appealing than Arabic. Often confused with Arabic. Language of some very good looking women who are unfortunately forced to cover up. Not the case in Los Angeles, thankfully. 4 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| Tlanelolli Newbie United States Joined 5207 days ago 2 posts - 3 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish, Nahuatl | Message 6 of 42 23 August 2010 at 10:13pm | IP Logged | |||||
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African Languages: Afrocentrics who want to feel more African because they think everything (even Jesus) was african
I'm not saying this always true, but alot of the people learning African Languages are Afrocentric 2 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| ibraheem Groupie United States Joined 5365 days ago 84 posts - 106 votes Speaks: English* Studies: German, Russian, Mandarin | Message 7 of 42 24 August 2010 at 3:23am | IP Logged | |||||
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Alot of people think of all language learners as either someone who was just bored one day and got obsessed with learning random languages, or they just want to travel and pick up chicks/guys.
German - someone who will probably switch to an easier language soon lol.
As a dedicated metalhead I should have chosen to learn either Swedish or Norwegian. Actually I will probably end up studying Norwegian soon. 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| PaulLambeth Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 5373 days ago 244 posts - 315 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Icelandic, Hindi, Irish | Message 8 of 42 24 August 2010 at 5:05am | IP Logged | |||||
Not here! Swedish is on my hitlist and Old Norse is similar to Icelandic, and god knows Finnish people love their metal too. But I'm not into those styles of metal really. 'cept Opeth. 1 person has voted this message useful |
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