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[kuehlster4]

QUESTION FOR ONE and ALL: Do you think it will be horribly confusing for me if I take French this spring quarter and then do the Japanese summer intensive course? I want so badly to learn at least a bit of both languages, and I feel like I would be able to keep the two seperated just fine. But would this really be suicide instead

Comments

[shapronator]

Would you get language credit for both? If not, maybe you could take one later on. I dunno, do what makes YOU happy.

[kuehlster4]

I think I'd get general credit for what didn't fulfill the specific language requirement which is cool with me since I don't really need anything else. The more I think about it, the more I like the idea. I'M CRAZY!

[shapronator]

Then do it...it sounds more fun than taking other BS general ed classes. :) I can't start Arabic until fall quarter which makes me sad because I'll only get one year. So take enough languages for the both of us!

Azteca tonight!

[jackl]

How strong is your French?

It differs a lot by person, but it shouldn't be too much of a problem. However, the weaker your French is, the longer it is going to take your brain to see multiple languages, instead of just "English" and "other".

I know that when I'm trying to speak Swedish and don't know the word for something, I will accidently fill in a Spanish word and not realize it.

Of course, French and Japanese are a little farther apart, so that might make it easier to begin with.

So, eh, it might take some time, but it certainly wouldn't be "suicide"

[kuehlster4]

I have pretty much no substantial exposure to either French or Japanese. The little Spanish I took in high school is mostly forgotten now.

I figure it'll take some work to make sure I keep them separate and clear, but I feel like I have a pretty sharp memory so I think I'd be okay. I just thought I'd put the idea out there and get some outside perspective.

Thanks! :)

[ifeelgoodlost]

i think they are two distinctly different languages so you probably won't get too confused (unlike if you were taking spanish and italian, for ex). learning new languages is tough, but if you are not doing it at the same time, you will probably be just fine! i say go for it!

[poppunkminx]

I don't think you would have any problem separating the two languages in your memory, because they are completely different. Personally I love learning new languages, I'm thinking of taking some Spanish before I graduate just for the heck of it (I already have a minor in French). I say go for it!

[skyewolf26]

i actually took french and japanese back to back class periods in high school, which was amusing. i had french the class before japanese and i would sometimes get confused and just blank out on my japanese. however, Jackl has a point - it totally depends on your comparative strengths in the languages. when i did that year of both languages i was in french 4 and japanese 1 so it was easier than if it had been french 1 and japanese 1, yanno? it helps if you're strong in one before moving onto the next. as for those two languages specifically - they're pretty dissimilar, so hopefully you shouldn't mix them up too much, but i would be concerned about being a beginner in two languages at once. it will certainly be a challenge if you decide to do it! :)