Subj : Re: What Languages to Learn in Intel
To   : warmfuzzy
From : k9zw
Date : Tue Oct 18 2022 10:11:51

Have thought about your post and suggestions - would like to add a few comments:

"Important" languages depend on proximity, focus and threat/advantage.

If your proximity is such that you use the langauge through direct contact, it truly is "Important" for you.

Next is what you can focus upon, as learning a language isn't like picking up some new teeshirts, rather the true cost is your learning time.  For focus perhaps subsitute "motivation?"

Understanding threats and gaining advantages also separate nice to know languages from "Important" ones.  I know a young man who pushed to understand the first tounge language of his then girlfriend, both to gain advantage in understanding her and also clarity if there were unrecognized threats.  She also did they same, and as it happens through making a strong effort to understand each other, they married.

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Strong dialects and street jargon may not be a distict separate language, but can obscure communications if you are not up on the lingo.  Both intellegence gathering and personal safety are enhanced with a deep understanding of dialects and jargon.  Being fluent in them can help bridge into the local population (it also can harden the divide if you are seem as a bumbler rather than genuine).

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Reading and Listening are many times more powerful than speaking another language, for the same reasons.

--- Steve K9ZW via SPOT BBS 

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 2022/07/15 (Linux/64)
 * Origin: SPOT BBS / k9zw (700:100/69)

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