Which Language should my baby study?

My daughter was chosen in a computerized lottery of 800 Kindergarten students to attend LaSalle Language Academy (One of the top Magnet Schools in Chicago). Yay!!!
I am soooo ecstatic!!!!

Although there are 5 languages to chose from, French, Spanish, German, Italian and Chinese. I can only chose one and that language is what her concentration will be on through 8th grade.

I am thinking Spanish as it is the second language here in the US. However I know intermediate French and love the language. I could teach her that I guess along with Hebrew.

Oh and 7-8 graders do a 2 week student exchange in the country of the language they learn.

Hmmm if she learns Spanish maybe she can go visit Roxi!!! LOL!!!

Vote people Vote!!!

Spanish would be a good choice. Seeing as how you already have knowledge of French and both languages are pretty similar so your daughter could pick up both languages pretty fast. I'd choose German because swearing in that language is awesome. Pure awesome. Just so angry hahaha. But really we're talking about a child so no swearing is a abd idear. And congratumalations to your daughter too.

Wow! I hear that Mandarin (Chinese) is the next big language to know. Of course Spanish I think would be at the top of the list. Does she have the option to take a second language as an elective?

Chinese, without a doubt.


It is going to come in handy.

Not when you have to write it out. Those damn Caricatures still haunt me in my sleep.

My gut tells me Chinese. You people have been misled, and it is not by accident. China is going to take over the world, I tell ya. The WORLD!!



Oh, and congrats to the Little One.

Wow! Congratulations to your daughter. I'd say either spanish or chinese and I think the choice will depend on what type of work she plans to do if she even knows at this stage of the game - lol. If she plans to do "people" type of work mainly in the US, then spanish would be in handy and make her desirable for hire. If she is wanting to be involved in technology or manufacturing chinese would be where it is at. They are taking over the world and there are more chinese people than spanish. If she wants to do healthcare than both would be useful.

Interesting link about this - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4660244.stm

Thanks guys.. I also sent this to my group of friends via email. Wouldn't you know the majority said Spanish - second languaged used in the US and close to French (which I could teach her) However, a couple named Chinese as a second option as well. Well it can't be too much harder than writing, reading and learning Hebrew. Huh Roxi— I don't get to use my Hebrew much unless I am talking to my Jewish friends or my siblings or parents. 😢

Congrats to your daughter! I think Spanish would be a good choice because like you said it IS the language that is becoming very prominent in the United States aside from English. But your choice depends on how much of a challenge you want your daughter to face. The harder to learn languages such as Chinese & German may be the best choices for her if you want more of a challenge for her AND if you want the biggest victory of knowing that aside from most children at such a young age (and from American decent) that she knows either Chinese or German. I think you should pick a language that is not TOO overwhelming, but also one that is a challenge. Hell, it's already bad enough alot of Americans still haven't aced the language of English, let alone other languages. GOOD LUCK 🙂

Spanish would probably be the most practical choice, considering you live in America.
I'm certainly no expert, but I think the value of studying Chinese has been overstated. Sure, China's economy is developing rapidly, but as it develops both the quality of education and the quality of life(specifically, access to internet and american tv-shows) rise. Chances are, the Chinese will be speaking better English than your daughter will speak Chinese. Plus, Mandarin is supposed to be pretty hard to master for English speakers, being tonal and all(not to menrion the writing system...).

Spanish..i am glad to be learning it as a second language!!!

Actually you're both right. If you look back at history when said those nations went out colonizing new territories the Brits ended up colonizing colonies from the other two powers after those two did because they were the stronger of the major powers due to their strong navy. And back then well if you had a strong navy you practically owned half the world. Then when the United States gained their sovereignty they started to gain more status as a major power through their powerhouse economy and strong military might. This meant that everyone wanted to be a trading partner with them therefore leading to the English language becoming the most recognized, I think. Honestly, I'm not sure of I'm right though, my memory from history class is a bit hazy nowadays.

Wow DK!

How many languages have you learnt/ do you know?

I think 6 going on 7 now. Fluent in English, French, conversational Cantonese and Cambodian and Thai, mostly swearing and grade school in German and trying to learn Spanish because I plan on going to California this summer and hopefully Mexico. Oh and to clear the air I know Cantonese not Mandarin, completely different from each other.

My mom always wanted her kids to be refined and cultured for some reason.

DK - you are full of surprises. Now turn around and flex for me

I did. Twice lol.

Holy crap 8! You beat me. OOOooooOOOh Japanese now eh? You should hang out with Bling he's in the means of acquiring the Japanese language too. I tried Jap for a while but then ended up slurring the words lol. Thinking of picking up anymore languages?

What's Assamese, Gujarati and Marathi? Those languages have sick names.

So are they like different forms of what you could lump in it comes from the same culture? Or completely different cultures just related to the same territory on the map?

claro que espanol

See, I don't know that haha! Could you esplain Hombre?

Hahaha! Don't worry as long as you know enough to ask where the bathroom is and how much a bowl of soup costs you're all good is what I think. Why not just pickup a new language to swear with. It comes in handy on the freeway hahahaha!

Oh, ok I get it kind of like how China and Vietnam has the north, south, east, west thing do too. Fank you DC.

I'm a mutt hahahahaha! For all I know there are the two main ones which are Mandarin and Cantonese and maybe Taiwanese but they're a separate country in themselves but people tend to lump them in with the rest of China.

BOOMER!!!! BOOMIE BOOMIE BOOMER!

HAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That's friggin awesome.

Mutt Cylon no way! Just a mutt. Starbuck's ALIVE!!!! ALIVE!!!!

Holy shit 22 languages!?!?! Good luck with learning all that to whoever does.

I say 12. Just because it's a nice round number.

I hope we didn't hijack this thread.

Well they chose unlikely characters to be part of the Final 5 so either they stick to making Starbuck THE Final Cylon or they'll choose someone else completely out of left field. Maybe it is Apollo! Oh think about it. Hahahahaahaha!

chinese!!!

I say Mandarin...for the future.

Besides we can study together...I'll be there this summer.

::deep, long gasp::


FOREAL!?!

M

I bet you're going to be semi-fluent (at least) by the time you return to the States. If I picked up some of it, just by living in Chinatown, you'll probably do so easily. How long are you going to be there for? A semester?

Bring some sand back for me. 🙂

haha, I shall sprinkle it all over your posts 😛

Yes, hopefully I'll pick up something b/c right now, I know absolutely nothing. 🙂

I'll be there for 6 weeks...and going to the Olympics 🙂