languages?

[Total180]

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Hey guys, I am applying this cycle, as well as working 35 hours a week, but I am used to doing so much more, and feel like I have a lot of free time. I have decided I want to learn another language in my free time, but I don't know which one. I am already fluent in Spanish, so I know Portuguese/French/Italian/German will be the easiest for me to learn, but I don't really know about the usefulness of those languages. Does anyone have a suggestion of which language I should try and learn? I tend to pick things like that up fairly quickly, and I think it will be really fun thing to do (especially if after I learn some I can go somewhere and actually use it!). Chinese maybe? I don't know. And if anyone has used the programs such as Rosetta Stone or Rocket Languages, does it work??

 

[DaisyBuchanan]

Chinese is pretty tough because of the tonality of the spoken language and the large numbers of characters in the written language. If it really is just for kicks, why don't you pick someplace you want to travel to after you get accepted/before you enter med school and learn to get by in that language?

 

[phltz]

Hey guys, I am applying this cycle, as well as working 35 hours a week, but I am used to doing so much more, and feel like I have a lot of free time. I have decided I want to learn another language in my free time, but I don't know which one. I am already fluent in Spanish, so I know Portuguese/French/Italian/German will be the easiest for me to learn, but I don't really know about the usefulness of those languages. Does anyone have a suggestion of which language I should try and learn? I tend to pick things like that up fairly quickly, and I think it will be really fun thing to do (especially if after I learn some I can go somewhere and actually use it!). Chinese maybe? I don't know. And if anyone has used the programs such as Rosetta Stone or Rocket Languages, does it work??

Pick one where you'll actually be able to find someone to talk to. Without any opportunities to converse with someone, you'll be at a huge disadvantage.

 

[kraftsingles]

when while you were posting did you think anyone would actually care. wouldn't it have been much easier condensing the question into one sentence by taking out all of the douche?

 

[Elpenor]

russian

 

[quiltlady]

Consider where you want to practice and what immigrant communities live there. Maybe Lao or Polish or Serbian would come in handy. Maybe ASL would be of real benefit.

 

[Total180]

when while you were posting did you think anyone would actually care. wouldn't it have been much easier condensing the question into one sentence by taking out all of the douche?

I'm not really sure how writing a paragraph asking a question (what these forums are for, no?) is being douche-y....besides, if you were bored or didn't care...why take the time to reply? Sometimes I just don't understand why people go out of their way just to be mean. Thanks everyone else for the suggestions.

 

[DoctorJDO]

it all started when you said this: Hey guys, I am applying this cycle, as well as working 35 hours a week, but I am used to doing so much more. if you read that, you would probably think the poster was a little douche-y, too. most people on here don't even work, or only work 10 hours and still struggle with school. maybe you are out of school and only working now, but we don't know that. so when you say oh i'm only working way more than you, but it's soooooo easy that i'm bored and need to learn an ENTIRE language, which is also suuuuper easy for me....it came across as a bit douche-y. also, my .02, I agree with quilt lady, sign language is cool

 

[dragonbush]

I am not sure what your career interests are, but if you are interested in working in parts of Africa or in Haiti, French would be extremely helpful when it would come time for you to pick up Creole.

If you are doing it for fun and you have a good ear for intonation, then chinese could definitely be useful. Having a good ear really does help though!

 

[peripherin]

I think some of you are taking the OP's message the wrong way. Perhaps his message wasn't clear, but I don't think he was intentionally trying to act like a gunner. Nowhere in his post does he talk about being a student. 35 hours of work a week even while applying to med schools is a pretty chill schedule.

With that said, Spanish by far is the most important 2nd language in the US. If you're fluent in conversational Spanish (and are not a native), but not medical Spanish, that might be something to work on. However, I think you can judge your Spanish speaking skills better than I can, so that might not be what you need.

Chinese is useful, but is difficult to learn to both speak and write. It takes years of practice, which you may or may not have time for. This comes from someone whose first language was Chinese. The usefulness of the language depends on where you want to practice. Chinese in California (especially Bay Area) is extremely useful. Chinese in the middle of the Midwest - perhaps not so much.

French I haven't found too much of a use for in the US, though since you're fluent in Spanish, you should be able to pick up French easily.

If you're applying nontraditionally (aka, not straight out of college), head over to the "nontraditional students"board. People are usually nicer / less neurotic there.

 

[Total180]

I didn't realize that it sounded like I was still in school. I guess in my very long first post, I should have added I just graduated in May. So all I am doing is applying and working 35 hours a week (if that). Sorry if I came off as a gunner. I really was just trying to say "I just graduated and have a lot of time on my hands and want to learn another language. Any suggestions?" Sorry about that.

 

[fizzgig]

french might be useful and would be convenient to learn on your own once pronunciation is down pat. you can get loads of region1 dvds with french dubbing so you can cheaply practice 🙂

 

[DoctorJDO]

I didn't realize that it sounded like I was still in school. I guess in my very long first post, I should have added I just graduated in May. So all I am doing is applying and working 35 hours a week (if that). Sorry if I came off as a gunner. I really was just trying to say "I just graduated and have a lot of time on my hands and want to learn another language. Any suggestions?" Sorry about that.

no worries, good luck applying! I just started learning some sign language. It's different than learning a language like spanish or french. I think it's more fun, and a language many people overlook, you should check it out. here's a free online dictionary: http://www.aslpro.com/cgi-bin/aslpro/aslpro.cgi

 

[MpXnpio]

Du sollst Deutsch lernen. Deutsch ist sehr cool.

 

[fizzgig]

yeah, it's sehr cool, but it's not always the most nützliche sprache 🙂

someday.. SOMEDAY, it will randomly come in handy, i'm sure of it and waiting for it hahaha.

 

[runawayclock]

Pick a language of the same language family as your mother-tongue from a country that's had a lot of colonies (or most speakers in your area). Easy + most useful. So I'd say French... Plus, a lot of good French literature you can read while you learn!