Should I learn japanese, or maybe more practical language?

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Oscard587
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Location: Seoul
Languages: Korean (Native)
English (A2)
Russian (Beginner)

-Turkish, Polish, French
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Re: Should I learn japanese, or maybe more practical language?

Postby Oscard587 » Sun May 21, 2017 10:44 am

Your situation is so similar to me, I'm Korean and will start Polish soon. Like you, I don't know any Polish around me and doubt I'll ever visit Poland in my life. Also Polish grammar is frustrating for me. But guess what? I never listened Polish song or found something constantly enjoyable in Polish culture until now. It's just I don't know much about it but anyway, Similar but more worse, isn't it? :lol: (if I have a budget then I'll try to visit anyway :D )

However, I never doubted my decision to learn it and others. Here is why :

most important language for practical reason in here - English. But it didn't make me 'study' English. I just got constant input by various sources and enjoy myself and that was all for my English. (so you can see my English skill is poor than others in here)

Actually I tried to learn Lithuanian at first. But was it useful and practical? No! it was obvious that it never helps my career or something like that in Korea. (Korean working culture for get a job and its logic is so sick btw) But what makes me stop was lack of materials (I didn't know website like here in the past, as you can see my joined date :D )
Also Icelandic, too. Whole population of Iceland is nearly as half as my hometown's population. And it seems almost all of them able to speak English!
Not to mention others.. Latvian and Estonian. Not kidding, I already got a book from there during trip :lol:

So I decided to learn Russian. Yeah, it's more helpful for my life. Anyway there are many countries which uses Russian language. But does it makes me more interested to that language? Also no, just it was inevitable choice for my bachelor degree. But now I'm more interested to it ever than before, don't know why, just say it as 'joy of learning'?

Polish and French.. It's also obvious that It won't help me for my career in here. Degree matters, even certificate won't do much for me. However my curiousity drives me a lot. It's enough!

At the same time, my 'true' major, Turkish, I never felt progressed or interested even though I took several courses from my university. For sure, With my degree, it will help me more than any other languages except English. Also, some says it's similar with my native language. I found it's true so it would be easieast language for me. Easy, practical - looks promising, right? However, really.. now I don't want to learn it. On the other hand, I'm willing to struggle with Indo-European language, even it's more difficult for me. My Russian is more better than Turkish even though I started it later. Now I think this happens when you have 'only' practical reasons for learning language.

Someone could blame me as I'm just a fancy language mania that achieved nothing, whatever, I'm content about my decision.

Now I think learning languages as 'mental exercise'. At least it does more than 'meditation' which seems popular in western part of world (I don't get why.. there is nothing mysterious power by the way) , also it gives me answer to my curiosity, makes me possible to see other side of the world, with other point of view. Don't need to mention it's really helpful for travel.

Maybe I have some advantages for learning Japanese, also Japan offers more jobs than Korea does. but I'm almost sure that I won't learn it. It's up to people who attracted or interested to it. Perhaps it's you, so think about it!
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Just because I accept the inevitability of my fate, does not mean I am in any hurry to embrace it!

Mais l'important n’est pas la chute, c’est l’atterrissage.

Aut inveniam viam aut faciam.


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