become fluent in a language other than english

The very first goal I have added is to become fluent in a language other than English. I am not off to a terrible start, since I have been studying French in school for about 4 years. I can speak fairly well, but am still nowhere near my goal. I’d love to sit down and hold an entire conversation in French. Not small talk, but a true, deep conversation. I plan on continuing to study in school throughout college, and start attending classes and working at home to perfect my skills. It isn’t easy, but I absolutely love the idea of a foreign language.

I’d also love to speak fluent Polish. I have a small percentage of Polish in me, though most people tell me I look straight off the boat! :) I’m the only “Polish” looking girl in my family along with my Dad, so it’s kind of a special bond between us. We’re the Polskis of the family. I’ve never really been in touch with my roots, but I’d like to start. I hope to start adapting to some of the culture and to eventually speak the language. I know this would be especially difficult, but I will absolutely try!

what language to study?

and why?

it would be easy to say spanish, since it is becoming increasingly prominent across the us, but to be honest, most of the spanish speakers i run in to through work, are trying to learn english, and want to practice in english as much as possible.

and it would be easy to say french, since i did quite well in it while in school, and actually had opportunities to use it in quebec (though i wasnt kidding anyone, as it is different up there.) however, it’s been a good 15 years or more since i’ve used it. i can read it fairly well, and even understand it, but i’d sound like an idiot if i tried to respond in it.

but in thinking about the global economy and even just in thinking about people, wouldn’t it really, honestly, make more sense to learn one of the chinese languages? or an indian language? or an african language?

it just seems like wanting to learn italian because ‘i like the way it sounds’ is a little shallow.

I’ve always liked learning languages, but I’ve been more of a jack of all trades than sticking with any one language. About a year ago I started learning Esperanto because it’s supposed to be easier than other languages, and also because there are lots of free resources to fully learn the language over the internet. I’m not quite fluent yet but I’m getting there (I hope).

I’ve found that being able to think in another language has been a very interesting experience, and being able to meet other people I wouldn’t have been able to previously is very rewarding as well.

it seems any languages i’ve ever studied (the big three when i was in school, spanish, french, and latin) i never had too many occasions to use, so they are lost to me. these days, if i were learning a new language, i’d be online constantly, trying to perfect it, but alas, no internet when i was in school.

there’s a good argument to be made that my english could be improved, as well…