French or Latin?

[89th]

I would choose Latin. Unless she plans to live in a french-speaking area, it is a beautiful language to learn but not useful to know. Latin, on the other hand, is the root of so many languages and could be useful throughout life.

[George K]

Weird to say, but I found two years of Latin useful. I enjoyed the structure and discipline of the language. I'm not sure any more would have yielded more, however.

Then I took German for two years, and look how I turned out.

[Klaus]

@jolly said in French or Latin?:

@klaus said in French or Latin?:

Our daughter soon has to pick her second foreign language. She can choose between French or Latin.

What would you choose and why?

Classic latin or modern Spanish?

The former.

[Doctor Phibes]

I'd learn French, no question. When we travelled in Europe, anybody who didn't speak English would generally be able to understand French.

You can learn to speak French, but you only really study Latin.

[xenon]

@doctor-phibes I agree. You only really retain a language through using it - there's a higher chance of using French than Latin.

I can also follow along pretty well watching French content with subtitles. Which is kinda nice?

[Klaus]

I learned Latin when I was at school. I'm not good at languages and I have forgotten most of what I learned at the time, but I think I would choose Latin again.

The reason is not so much that it is practical, or that is the root of many Western languages. The reason is that it represents Western culture like few other things. All the things that are currently under attack by the woke left - Latin is a symbol for that. I'd learn it as a middle finger gesture towards those people.

I also find Latin useful as a tool to understand things better. Knowing the original roots and meaning of a word often helps to understand the deeper meaning of a concept.

[LuFins Dad]

The Academic Provost at Luke's college asked Luke what language Luke took in HS. When Luke replied German, the Provost told him to keep taking German in college until he gets a C... His take is that if you can speak multiple languages it opens up innumerable opportunities later. He said if Luke graduates 30th in his class but speaks German fluently, he will find a better job quicker than the guy that graduates 1st in his class but only speaks English. I respect that practical approach...

[Horace]

Socially, knowing French is cooler than knowing Latin.

[Doctor Phibes]

@klaus said in French or Latin?:

The reason is that it represents Western culture like few other things. All the things that are currently under attack by the woke left - Latin is a symbol for that. I'd learn it as a middle finger gesture towards those people.

If she learns French she can help out during the next German occupation. It's bound to happen sooner or later.

That would be an even bigger finger towards the woke left.

[Klaus]

@doctor-phibes said in French or Latin?:

@klaus said in French or Latin?:

The reason is that it represents Western culture like few other things. All the things that are currently under attack by the woke left - Latin is a symbol for that. I'd learn it as a middle finger gesture towards those people.

If she learns French she can help out during the next German occupation. It's bound to happen sooner or later.

That would be an even bigger finger towards the woke left.

Not necessary. We are already working on getting the French to speak German instead.

Link to video

[Aqua Letifer]

@doctor-phibes said in French or Latin?:

I'd learn French, no question. When we travelled in Europe, anybody who didn't speak English would generally be able to understand French.

You can learn to speak French, but you only really study Latin.

This.

If you want to be an insufferable grammar Nazi, though, study Anglo-Saxon, Old English, and Middle English. Latin helps you with scientific nomenclature, but boy oh boy does it lead you astray with English grammar.

[Doctor Phibes]

@aqua-letifer said in French or Latin?:

@doctor-phibes said in French or Latin?:

I'd learn French, no question. When we travelled in Europe, anybody who didn't speak English would generally be able to understand French.

You can learn to speak French, but you only really study Latin.

This.

If you want to be an insufferable grammar Nazi, though, study Anglo-Saxon, Old English, and Middle English. Latin helps you with scientific nomenclature, but boy oh boy does it lead you astray with English grammar.

I'm not totally convinced that telling people they can be grammar Nazi's is going to be a big selling point in Germany.

[George K]

@doctor-phibes said in French or Latin?:

I'm not totally convinced that telling people they can be grammar Nazi's is going to be a big selling point in Germany.

Cough....

[Copper]

@klaus said in French or Latin?:

I also find Latin useful as a tool to understand things better. Knowing the original roots and meaning of a word often helps to understand the deeper meaning of a concept.

Yes

And as GK said, I had Latin in high school and still remember a lot of it. I regularly see word and notice a Latin root.

I studied French and Spanish too, but don't notice them very much day-to-day, except when I am in southern Florida.

[Copper]

Google is fun

[Aqua Letifer]

@doctor-phibes said in French or Latin?:

@aqua-letifer said in French or Latin?:

@doctor-phibes said in French or Latin?:

I'd learn French, no question. When we travelled in Europe, anybody who didn't speak English would generally be able to understand French.

You can learn to speak French, but you only really study Latin.

This.

If you want to be an insufferable grammar Nazi, though, study Anglo-Saxon, Old English, and Middle English. Latin helps you with scientific nomenclature, but boy oh boy does it lead you astray with English grammar.

I'm not totally convinced that telling people they can be grammar Nazi's is going to be a big selling point in Germany.

Klaus has already admitted that he's entertained thoughts of conquering Poland. It's probably okay.

[Renauda]

I would recommend French simply for its practicality.

Latin she can pick up in post secondary study.

[George K]

@renauda said in French or Latin?:

for its practicality.

If that's the criterion, you can't do much better than Chinese, if that's an option.

Here, in the US, Spanish.

[jon-nyc]

Latin for the reasons you stated Klaus

[Copper]

Yes, learning Latin early on is like learning blocking and tackling before you play football.