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Author Topic: What languages should I take?  (Read 5100 times)

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Offline Jonathon

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What languages should I take?
« on: February 27, 2008, 12:41:04 PM »
For the linguistics MA, I'm going to have to study two languages, at least one of which is non-Romance and non-Germanic. Of course, my top two picks would've been French and German, but that's not an option. I'll probably stick with French because I know it best and could probably jump back in at the 200 level. As for the other option, I'm a little stumped. Here's a list of options (on the right).

Anybody have any suggestions?
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Offline Neutros the Radioactive Dragon

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What languages should I take?
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2008, 12:44:24 PM »
Cantonese and Mandarin would be useful.  So would Japanese.
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Offline Jonathon

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What languages should I take?
« Reply #2 on: February 27, 2008, 12:53:07 PM »
Actually, it looks like that list isn't as useful as I thought, because it only lists foreign language courses that fulfill a particular GE requirement. I believe there are other languages that could fulfill the major requirement that aren't on that list.
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Offline Tante Shvester

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What languages should I take?
« Reply #3 on: February 27, 2008, 02:47:43 PM »
Frisian's not on the list.  I already know how to negotiate for a dairy cow in Frisian.  A brown one.
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Offline Jonathon

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What languages should I take?
« Reply #4 on: February 27, 2008, 02:49:00 PM »
Even if Frisian were offered at BYU, I couldn't take both it and French.

[/hyperliteralness]
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Offline Porter

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What languages should I take?
« Reply #5 on: February 27, 2008, 02:49:13 PM »
Germanic.

edit:  Beaten to the hyperliteral punch by the King!
« Last Edit: February 27, 2008, 02:49:35 PM by Porteiro »
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Offline Jonathon

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What languages should I take?
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2008, 01:13:58 PM »
Okay, help me figure out if I'm understanding these program requirements:

Quote
Competency in three languages:
  • English (ESL 404 Advanced Composition is prerequisite for all nonnative English speakers; ESL 301 Advanced Academic English, 302 Advanced English Pronunciation if indicated by OPI results. ESL 404 and OPI should be completed before or during the first semester.)
  • Competency in one language other than English* (300 level)
  • At least 12 credit hours (200-level competency) in a second non-English language* or 12 credit hours of approved computer science (C S) or Computers and the Humanities (CHum) courses
*One of the non-English languages must be a non-Germanic and non-Romance language.
Does this mean I can be competent in French at the 300 level and take 12 hours of CS or CHum classes, with CS/CHum counting as my non-Germanic, non-Romance language?
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Offline Zalmoxis

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What languages should I take?
« Reply #7 on: April 22, 2008, 02:32:07 PM »
Looks that way to me.

Is there any possibility that you would go on and get a doctorate degree?

Because if so, I'd suggest you acquire the third language. And your decision on which language that is should be informed by that possibility. e.g. it should be one that you are going to want to do research in.

---------
Dang. Maybe I should have gone to BYU. I can't believe that they even offer an Intro to Romanian Literature and Culture.

Edit to add: Never mind. Upon examination it looks quite basic.  
« Last Edit: April 22, 2008, 02:36:56 PM by Zalmoxis »
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Offline Jonathon

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What languages should I take?
« Reply #8 on: April 22, 2008, 02:38:38 PM »
Yes, there's a possibility I'll go on for a doctorate (though not at BYU, because they don't offer one). Some of the PhD programs I've looked at require one language, some require two but don't specify what they need to be, and some require two specific languages, usually French and German. So those various requirements (especially the last one, which isn't compatible with BYU's requirement) make it a little hard to plan. Also, I think I'm most interested in doing research on Romance and Germanic languages, which is one reason why I'm reluctant to take something else just to fulfill the requirement.

And on the other hand, if I decide to stop at a master's and go back to work in the real world, some programming skills might come in very handy.
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Offline The Genuine

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What languages should I take?
« Reply #9 on: April 22, 2008, 08:34:48 PM »
Here comes a potentially super-stupid question.

Is Latin a Romance language?

Loophole-seeker that I am, it would seem that Romance languages are descended from Latin, but don't include Latin itself.
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Offline Jonathon

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What languages should I take?
« Reply #10 on: April 22, 2008, 08:39:47 PM »
I believe that Latin is not Romance, but they list Latin along with other Romance languages here. I suppose if they wanted to be really accurate, they would've said "Italic" instead of "Romance."
« Last Edit: April 22, 2008, 08:42:59 PM by Jonathon »
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Offline The Genuine

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What languages should I take?
« Reply #11 on: April 22, 2008, 08:41:42 PM »
Too bad.  But I'm glad I asked, because now I know about Wymysojer.
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What languages should I take?
« Reply #12 on: April 22, 2008, 08:45:47 PM »
I find it funny that they included a couple of random extinct or near-extinct languages on that list. How many people on earth have actually studied Yola?
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Offline The Genuine

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What languages should I take?
« Reply #13 on: April 22, 2008, 08:49:18 PM »
Fade teil thee zo lournagh, co Joane, zo knaggee?
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Offline Porter

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What languages should I take?
« Reply #14 on: April 22, 2008, 08:59:55 PM »
Quote
I find it funny that they included a couple of random extinct or near-extinct languages on that list. How many people on earth have actually studied Yola?
Not that many anymore, since they only let you study one on that list. <_<
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Offline rivka

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What languages should I take?
« Reply #15 on: April 22, 2008, 09:03:34 PM »
Isn't one the min, not the max?
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Offline Porter

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What languages should I take?
« Reply #16 on: April 22, 2008, 09:05:17 PM »
He has two study two languages, and one of them must be non-Romance and non-German.

Which means that he can study a maximum of one Romance language and have it count toward those requirements.
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Offline rivka

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What languages should I take?
« Reply #17 on: April 22, 2008, 09:29:52 PM »
Quote
. . . and have it count toward those requirements.
Yes. But he could study more if he wanted to.

And if he really cared about the poor, unloved, near-extinct languages, he would!
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Offline Tante Shvester

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What languages should I take?
« Reply #18 on: April 22, 2008, 10:09:29 PM »
I hear Shvesterish is mounting a resurgence.
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Offline Porter

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What languages should I take?
« Reply #19 on: April 23, 2008, 06:36:24 AM »
Quote
Quote
. . . and have it count toward those requirements.
Yes. But he could study more if he wanted to.

And if he really cared about the poor, unloved, near-extinct languages, he would!
Which doesn't contradict my assertion that because of those rules, fewer people are likely to study languages like Yola.  
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Offline goofy

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What languages should I take?
« Reply #20 on: April 23, 2008, 07:35:22 AM »
It seems that Romance is a subcategory of Italic.
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Offline Jonathon

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What languages should I take?
« Reply #21 on: April 23, 2008, 08:02:55 AM »
Quote
Which doesn't contradict my assertion that because of those rules, fewer people are likely to study languages like Yola.
Yeah, but I'm not convinced that many people were studying it to begin with. I don't think there are a whole lot of people who wanted to study it but now can't because of the requirements of one master's degree program.
« Last Edit: April 23, 2008, 08:07:34 AM by Jonathon »
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Offline Jonathon

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What languages should I take?
« Reply #22 on: April 23, 2008, 08:05:45 AM »
Quote
It seems that Romance is a subcategory of Italic.
That's strange. Shouldn't it be a subcategory of Latino-Faliscan? Ethnologue puts Latino-Faliscan and Romance as branches of Italic, which I don't believe is correct. It should go Italic > Latino-Faliscan > Romance or something similar.
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Offline Porter

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What languages should I take?
« Reply #23 on: April 23, 2008, 08:48:16 AM »
Quote
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Which doesn't contradict my assertion that because of those rules, fewer people are likely to study languages like Yola.
Yeah, but I'm not convinced that many people were studying it to begin with. I don't think there are a whole lot of people who wanted to study it but now can't because of the requirements of one master's degree program.
After being subjected to a three-prong hyperliteral attack, the Funny is officially dead. :)
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Offline Jonathon

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What languages should I take?
« Reply #24 on: April 23, 2008, 08:50:11 AM »
*moment of silence*
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