[General] Is it wise to study 2 foreign languages at the same time?

Status
Not open for further replies.

JiriLindovsky

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2007
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Czech
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
Hello,

I have been self studying English for a couple of years and now a new challenge has come: to self study German. I studied both of them at school.
Some people say it's too much to be effective. My contemporary opinion is:
why not? Maybe my neural network in my head will grow dense.

What is your opinion?
 

Barb_D

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 12, 2007
Member Type
Other
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
When I was in college, I was taking a higher-level French class (because I had studied that in high school) and an entry-level German class. They were one after the other on my schedule. I couldn't do it. I walked into German thinking in French. I had to drop the French class so I could learn German.

You may not have this problem.
 

orangutan

Member
Joined
May 2, 2009
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
English
Home Country
Great Britain
Current Location
Russian Federation
I would say go for it. If you are a good language learner (which on the evidence of your English, you are), then your learning strategies will probably reinforce each other. The exception would be two closely related languages, which could interfere with each other. English and German are of course related, but I don't think they are too similar in practice.

And if you find it isn't working, you can always stop.
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
It's a very personal thing. Some people can do it, others can't.

Orangutan's advice seems to me to be sound.
 

bhaisahab

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 12, 2008
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
Ireland
It's a very personal thing. Some people can do it, others can't.

Orangutan's advice seems to me to be sound.
In France, all secondary school students are obliged to take English and, from age 13, either Spanish or German as well. I tutored students in English (privately, not in a secondary school) for ten years in France and I found that most of them couldn't manage at all, especially the ones doing German. There were some, however, who managed very well and passed both in the Baccalaureate. I think it's a good idea to give it a try, if you are motivated and as good at languages as you seem to be.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top