<p>Is that a good combination? I can already speak and read and write in both Urdu and Hindi (spoken they are essentially the same language, but use different scripts) and I can read Arabic just as easily as English and my pronunciation is like that of a native speaker. I can speak it at the basic level. With some more education I can become fluent. I am currently attending community college and am planning on taking 2 years of Mandarin Chinese before transferring.</p>
<p>Would a Chinese or Arabic major with International Affairs be a good combination? (I'd have to decide which language after taking Mandarin for a year.) I also hope to attend graduate school, most likely law school.</p>
<p>Arabic and Mandarin are both good choices. The US Foreign Service gives preference to applicants who are fluent in a critical needs language (currently both Arabic and Mandarin qualify) and the UN gives preference to applicants who speak at least two of the official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish).</p>
<p>You’ll get the greatest benefit if you are functionally fluent in whichever language you decide to pursue. Since you already have a solid foundation in Arabic, it may be easier for you to achieve fluency there. (Another consideration is that there are many Asian-Americans who were raised bilingually in English and Chinese. If your Chinese doesn’t match theirs, your language skills are less likely to be an asset on the job market.)</p>
<p>Thanks for your post! I checked the US Foreign Services website and both Hindi and Urdu are listed as Super Critical languages, which is absolutely great. I suppose I could major in Arabic, which I am very comfortable in, and minor in Chinese if I hope to continue to learn the language.</p>