Learning languages as a 'real' hobby

[AmitS]

Hello y'all, I've decided to post this thread in order to discuss and get some advice about something I've been thinking of recently that bothers me.

As a background I'd say that my motives to learn languages are basically for traveling and maybe for living abroad, and I think the problem is that I love doing this only when it comes to this purpose (to the fact that I'm actually going to use the language), and not because I love languages in general, which makes this 'hobby' to be dependent.
For example, I thought about an imaginary situation, in which the whole world would speak in one language (English let's say), and in this case my French learning becomes insignificant for me, because of its "disappearance", as it used for me as a tool for traveling and not something I really love by itself no matter what, so eventually it turned out that all my studies have become a waste of time for me.

Anyways, I think you got my point, so I just wanted to ask what should I do from here and how would you recommend me to face this issue?
Would you do something you like if it depends on certain situations or not?
I would love to see your opinion.
Thanks in advance!

[Xenops]

First of all, I won't comment on the "dominance" of English nor the "disappearance" of French: it seems the forum has gotten a bit heated with these topics of late, so I proceed with caution. Rather, I will take the approach of usefulness to you.

A friend of mine almost felt guilty for liking to travel, as an acquaintance of hers told her that traveling was frivolous. In reply I said "traveling can be a growing experience that can only benefit you". Certainly my excursions outside of the U.S. (or even in) have changed how I see the world. I think the same can be applied to learning a little of a language. Time is too short to pursue an activity that you don't like and don't need. Rather, put forth your efforts into something you are passionate about, whether it be languages or something else entirely. I could aspire to be a polyglot, but the desire to draw comics and create stories is stronger than my desire to be a polyglot, so I will stick to a few languages and call it good.

Edited to fix weird spacing (?)

[Cavesa]

1. The absolute dominance of English is not gonna happen. Not in our lifetime.

2.Partial dominance is real. French is a particularly good example, as many natives refuse to talk to foreigners in French, automatically dismissing their attempts (including advanced learners). If you want a language that is awesome for travelling in Europe, choose a different one.

3.Sure, travelling is luxury. So are many other things in life. If you have the means and opportunity to do it, I wholeheartedly recommend it, as travelling has been one of the most important parts of my personal development and a huge source of pleasure and knowledge that wouldn't be easy to get otherwise. However, I really dislike the "travelling above all else and who doesn't travel is a lazy coward" attitude, that is very popular in some corners of the internet. There is no shame in having few (or no) opportunities to travel, to be bound by health or family, or to simply not have means to do it (or very reasonably putting those means into something of vital importance, like building a home). But if you have the money, travelling is one of the better ways to spend it.

4.One of the awesome features of language learning as a hobby: it can partially compensate the lack of travelling opportunities. It can bring the culture much closer. It gives you access to tons of stuff allowing you to get to know the country and people better, despite the fact it's not first hand in country experience. A bestseller novel, a popular comedy tv show, online news, blogs, facebook pages, all that can give you much more insight as soon as you learn the language. And as one of the results, you can enjoy your stay in the country much more thanks to the information, when you finally get the opportunity to go Using the language is a much wider term than travelling. And you might find it surprisingly pleasant.

[tiia]

For me language learning is a hobby. When I encountered the Finnish language it was especially the language itself that made me want to learn it. I wrote about it some time ago in this log entry. Curiosity is a driving factor. You can discover something new all the time.

It was the experience with Finnish that made me interested in learning more languages. At least it showed me, that I'm able to learn more than just English and that it can be fun learning and that learning a language also has side effects. I got to know people in Germany who were interested in the language like me and conntected with them. So it's not only about natives you can meet, but people in general. - Just like it is with nearly any other hobby, too.

Nowadays I also know, that learning a language is a way to understand and learn about a culture. That's actually one of the reasons for learning and keeping up with Spanish. There are so many places and cultures etc. I can learn about. Latinamerica is not just a blind spot on my inner map anymore. So again we have the curiosity here.

Finnish definitely opened my mind to other concepts of how to transfer information language-wise. I don't take feature X or Y for granted anymore, because I know: There are other ways, which are logical in themselves. Therefore it makes you also learn a lot about your own language. It's a bit like the logic in maths is a new concept, when you learn it. But you can do quite a lot with it.


When I decided what to study at university I consciously chose to keep Finnish learning as a hobby. I didn't want to destroy it by being forced to learn the language. (Plus, studying Finnish is not really that useful when it comes to a job search later on.)

[tarvos]

For me it's all just curiosity about the outside world. I don't understand how people can live inside their houses and not be inspired with awe at all the things that go on in this little big universe of ours. Languages are one of those things, but I'd also include science and history.

I have a different experience with French, but that's a story for another day.

[Serpent]

Kinda obvious but you don't have to travel to use your languages. Even if you're more motivated by speaking (as opposed to reading and writing), you can chat with immigrants, tourists, interact in a volunteering situation (volunteer yourself or arrange to have volunteers from abroad), and then there's skype of course.

[mcthulhu]

Foreign languages can be useful, or enjoyable. They can also be both; I don't think it's exactly an either-or situation. You do need at least one of those motivations (unless someone is requiring or forcing you to learn a language, in which case the requirement takes care of the motivation, sort of).

Even if you are only interested in acquiring useful knowledge, life can take unexpected twists and turns, and you can discover that something you learned for fun turns out to be surprisingly useful, and opens up new opportunities that would not have been there for you otherwise. Learning something new is rarely a complete waste of time.

[leosmith]

what should I do from here and how would you recommend me to face this issue?

Proceed as you have been. As long as you are motivated, regardless of the reasons, you are fine.

[Tristano]

2.Partial dominance is real. French is a particularly good example, as many natives refuse to talk to foreigners in French, automatically dismissing their attempts (including advanced learners). If you want a language that is awesome for travelling in Europe, choose a different one.

Sorry if I ignore the original post and only comment this sentence of you, @Cavesa, but I don't understand your statement.
In my experience, in France most of the people speak only French (same with the French speakers of Belgium). Speaking English with them would be rather pointless.
Second: there are enough French people that can actually speak English but refuse to do so and keep speaking French even to the foreigners that can't speak any French. They believe that the tourists should make an attempt to learn French if they go to France.
Then there are the people that only want to speak English with foreigners, dismissing their attempts.
But even though, they are much less than what you think.
I had all these experiences, having met a lot of French people and having travelled in France and Belgium a bunch of times. I had fluent speakers of English being very pleased that they could communicate in their native language with me, unfriendly people that forced me to communicate in French in a moment I was under pressure and used English just to share the same difficulties, other unfriendly people that answered me back that they don't speak Italian. Everything exists.

--

I also had Italians speaking to me in A1 German and commenting between each others how good my Italian was.

[Tristano]

For the OP,
don't overthink. Do what you find nice. If you don't find it nice, don't do it.
If your highest dream is becoming fluent in Klingon, do it and dismiss all the people that laugh at you. If it makes you happy it is worth doing it. If you think that you should learn Spanish or Chinese or Russian just because they are important languages, find something more fulfilling to do.