Recommend me a second language to learn

[rpapo]

So you guys smoke then?

Absolutely not me. I've never smoked nor drank, and have no interest in taking up such habits now.

[Mystes]

My great-grandpa used to smoke and drink.

[ainsoph9]

I have an occasional drink now and then, but most of what I drink is for religious purposes. I do not smoke and never have, never will.

[Mystes]

I have an occasional drink now and then, but most of what I drink is for religious purposes. I do not smoke and never have, never will.

...religious purposes?

[ainsoph9]

Wine and all.

[Mystes]

BOT, how about Italian?

[Doraneko]

BOT, how about Italian?

As one of the romance languages, to me Italian is something stuck in between French and Spanish.

French has a more interesting cultural heritage (literature) and contemporary culture (comics). It may also be true for Italian to a certain extent, but I am not that into opera and classical music.

As for difficulty, it seems to be on par with or slightly more difficult than Spanish. But considering that it is likely easier to find a Spanish speaker around given its dominance in the Americas, practically speaking it is relatively harder to become good at Italian.

[rpapo]

As one of the romance languages, to me Italian is something stuck in between French and Spanish.

French has a more interesting cultural heritage (literature) and contemporary culture (comics). It may also be true for Italian to a certain extent, but I am not that into opera and classical music.

As for difficulty, it seems to be on par with or slightly more difficult than Spanish. But considering that it is likely easier to find a Spanish speaker around given its dominance in the Americas, practically speaking it is relatively harder to become good at Italian.

Both languages are descended from street Latin, so to speak, but have diverged in different ways. Being fluent in Spanish, I don't have much difficulty reading written or understanding spoken Portuguese. Reading Italian is a little bit harder. Understanding it when spoken is a good deal harder. This difference is even more pronounced with French: I can read it a bit, but hardly understand a word spoken to me.

Once upon a time, Italian, German and Polish were somewhat useful languages in the larger cities in the USA. But that immigration stopped long ago, and all their children speak English. The only second language generally useful in the United States now is Spanish. If you are in Canada, then French is useful too, though the French you learn in Quebec would probably earn you a frown in Paris.

[Mystes]

though the French you learn in Quebec would probably earn you a frown in Paris.

The opposite stands too.

[rpapo]

though the French you learn in Quebec would probably earn you a frown in Paris.

The opposite stands too.

Knew you would comment. That's why I put that line in there.

[ainsoph9]

I know that the same holds true for Dutch speakers in certain parts of the United States. If they go back to the Netherlands, they are not well-liked in general.

[Mystes]

I know that the same holds true for Dutch speakers in certain parts of the United States. If they go back to the Netherlands, they are not well-liked in general.

I didn't know about that.

[ainsoph9]

Although the divide is more because of religious reasons, there is somewhat of a linguistic divide as somewhat of a result. For example, from what I know, the Dutch in Iowa hate the Dutch in western Michigan, and both are hated by the Dutch in the Netherlands. Basically, it comes down to who is the most Dutch and among the "frozen Chosen."

[Mystes]

I didn't know about Dutsch in Iowa...

[rpapo]

I didn't know about Dutsch in Iowa...

You'd be amazed. There are Finnish the north of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan (the place was cold and snowy, just like Finland), German people in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, Dutch in western Michigan, Scots in the Appalachian mountains and Irish in Boston and New York. And then there's the French Acadians (Cajuns) in Louisiana. Italians, Greeks, Polish and other southern and eastern Europeans arrived later, and are mostly city people.

The problem, of course, is that all this immigration happened long ago, and everybody simply speaks English now.