<p>Ok so let's say that you have a kid in A & S and he has extra room for extra classes and stuff and he is reeeeally into languages. He is also sort of complusive/ambitious/slightly greedy? (shamefully so) and wants to learn many languages. Also, say that he is already very advanced in one foreign language, intermediate in another, and plans to take more classes in both and perhaps concentrate in the two. </p>
<p>NOW...the question is, would it be stupid of him to take like only the first and second intro level classes for several other different languages (3 or 4) (assuming that he can handle the workload and they fit into his schedule), so that he can get a rudimentary knowledge of these several new languages for further study in the future? </p>
<p>The reason for this would be that obviously one cannot fully study like 5 or 6 languages in 4 years of college, so maybe at least a beginner knowledge would be better than nothing, of the extra 3 or 4 that is.</p>
<p>Well the language programs here are extremely intense. They meet every day and are pretty difficult. Double majoring in two languages will probably create an intense workload as it is, and even the into classes for some languages can get rough. Depends how much you want to work, and which languages you are interested in.</p>
<p>yea I mean I know well the intensity of our language programs and I wouldn't be double majoring, I would be getting two concentrations (French and Spanish). I am also going to take some Latin. I took it before when I was younger and just have decided to do some more (I'm actually taking a class during the summer). </p>
<p>Now, what I wanted to do was perhaps to start like Mandarin or Arabic or something. I've looked at the intro Mandarin classes and they seem intense, yes, but it would be doable, I think, of course with tons of work. What I was really asking was whether or not I should, for example, add Mandarin and start taking classes and w/e and do like a few semesters of it to get to a decent level OR start out with Mandarin and take like the first two classes, stop, then take like Arabic's first two classes. That way I could get experience in both languages, albeit at a rudimentary level. Although, if I survived intro mandarin 1 & 2, according to the school, I am supposed to be able to read and write and speak pretty decently. I don't know. What do you think?</p>