Rising freshman in SFS looking for language choice?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Georgetown University
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<p>So I'm going to be a freshman in Georgetown SFS this fall and I'm picking classes. Since proficency in a foreign language is required, I've been trying to pick one for the first semester but am having a hard time deciding.</p>

<p>Right now I'm trying to decide between Arabic and Chinese. I'm leaning towards Arabic because I think I would enjoy it more, but Chinese seems to be a lot more useful of a language (plus I'm not really sure how long Arabic will be relevant for once the US starts to get less involved in the Middle East over the coming years).</p>

<p>Any advice?</p>

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<p>Why don’t you take Arabic? You’ll probably perform better in the class if you like it more. And I don’t foresee that the Middle East will suddenly become irrelevant in the coming years. Even if we’re no longer fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, we’ll still have to communicate with their officials, ambassadors, etc.</p>

<p>Not that Chinese wouldn’t be useful. China is a huge player in world politics (duh). If you’re more interested in US-China relations, then maybe you should take Chinese. At the crux of the matter is the area you’re most interested in (Middle East vs. China).</p>

<p>(I’m just a random browser, btw. But I hope I’m making sense.)</p>

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<p>I’m not in the SFS, I’m in the FLL, but I’m an Arabic major. The main reason is, like MissxSilverwing said, that I’m more interested in the Middle East and Middle East relations. Ideally, I’ll be able to double major in a field where I can focus my Arabic and then even look for a job in that area of the world (Dubai, Egypt, etc.) </p>

<p>Both languages are really important - Chinese and business are usually seen together, while Arabic and political-based fields are also seen often. I don’t think Arabic will become “obsolete” or irrelevant as you said… Chinese is on the rise but Arabic will continue to be important. </p>

<p>Choose whichever you think you’ll do better in and whichever one you’re interested in - the SFS core is difficult and choosing a language that you’re interested in will just help you learn the language faster. Good luck! (:</p>

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<p>Learning a language is a major commitment, so it’s good that you’re giving some thought to which language you’d like to learn. Obviously, a language can help you further your career objectives, but I’m skeptical about how clear those can be for someone who’s just finishing high school. Here is how I would decide:</p>

<p>1) Is there a particular country in which you have a strong interest? A particular culture whose movies/films/books you greatly enjoy? If so, learn the language of the that country or culture. Passion goes a long way, and any language can help you with some things.</p>

<p>If and only if you have no particular passion, then think about the following:</p>

<p>2) Are you interested in a business career? If so, then the logical choices are Chinese, German, or Japanese </p>

<p>3) Are you interested in international security/a career with the CIA/NSA/Department of Defense, etc.? If so, the logical choices are Arabic, Persian (Farsi), Korean, Russian, or Chinese</p>

<p>4) Are you interested in international organizations such as the UN? If so, the logical choice is probably French</p>

<p>5) Are you interested in a particular region of the world? Spanish is best for the Americas, French for Africa, Arabic for the Middle East/North Africa, Russia for the former Soviet Union, etc.</p>

<p>6) Are you interested in a particular sort of history? E.g., Latin for the ancient world</p>

<p>There are many other questions, but those are a few of the ones to consider. I can’t emphasize enough, though, that you need to take a language that interests you and that is spoken by people who interest you. It’s very hard to get through a language you don’t care about.</p>

<p>As for the Arabic v. Chinese dilemma, I think it’s simple. IF you’d enjoy Arabic more, take it more. Even IF (not when) US involvement in the Middle East declines, it won’t be like after the end of the Vietnam War when there was suddenly no need for Vietnamese speakers. Arabic is spoken by half a billion people (280m or so as a first language) putting in the global top 5. It’s an important language not just for security and terrorism, but also for business (particularly oil, but also in other areas as Dubai emerges as a financial center and the ME generally develops more), history, and culture.</p>

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<p>Adding to what potatoes345 said, you should also consider the area of business you’re interested in, if you are interested in business. The Japanese are more technology-oriented and the Germans are strong in the automotive and renewable energy industries. Of course, the Chinese has become the world leader in exporting cheap, affordable goods due to the large number of factories and cheap, cheap labor, so many companies use them to create their products.</p>

<p>While Spanish might not be a strong business language on the international level, it would be a very helpful language if you’re doing business locally in the United States.</p>