Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Is it worth studying a language like italian?

Dont get me wrong, i really like studying italian at GCSE level, but im starting starting to regret not choosing french now.

This is because not many people speak italian or need italian to be spoken, so what is the point of taking the language when no one really uses it and you dont even plan to stay at the country after maybe studying it at university.

I would like to study German and Spanish in uni if i still like languages, but i would have to take away one and put italian as its the only qualification i will have.

So am i just being pessismistic and that employers would look favoruble (spl?) at italian as not many people know how to speak it?

Reply 1

kellywood_5

If you really like studying Italian, that's the most important thing because it will give you the motivation to work hard at it and get up to a good level. It probably is less useful than Spanish, French or German in terms of the number of people/countries that speak it, but as you said, that could be a good thing when it comes to getting a job because there will be less competition. At the end of the day, unis and employers love all languages because so few Britons can speak anything other than English. A few unis will let you study 3 languages with 2 from scratch, so that could be an option, but if not, you could do a joint honours with Spanish or German.

Reply 2

kjc_us

At the end of the day, Italian may not be very widely spoken, but it is a language, none-the-less, and it also stems from Latin, as do many languages, meaning that if you stick with it, other languages will be easy to learn, like Spanish. On the employment front, I really don't know, but if you want to do German and Spanish I would suggest studying GCSE German in the 6th form off the time table. I'd keep at the Italian if you want to study Spanish, because the more Italian you do, the easier it will be to pick up Spanish later on - however German is a very different language and if you are serious about wanting to do it, I would get started now, as it is much more difficult than the 'Romance' languages.

Don't put it down, IMO it is always worth learning a language, even if it is not very widely spoken, because it gives you a solid foundation for other languages, especially similar ones.

Hope that helped! [Sorry if I'm not making much sense... I'm tired!]

Reply 3

dans

Keep it going. Any language will go in your favour, do not drop it, esp. if you like it!!

Reply 4

generalebriety

"Favourably", since you asked. :wink:

And, study Italian if you enjoy studying Italian. That's the only reason I've ever studied anything and it's worked for me.

Reply 5

brown

It is worth studying any language. French, German, Italian and Spanish are all valuable in their own way. If you enjoy Italian, stick at it, although there would be no harm in learning another language :smile:

Reply 6

Dionysus

I'm planning to learn it at Uni myself - mainly because I spend a lot of time in Italy, but also because it is always useful to have a language qualification, even if it isn't one of the more commonly used ones. The most useful languages in terms of jobs are probably Mandarin Chinese and Urdu. If you're doing it purely for a job, it's best to consider what will become most relevant in the next few decades.

Reply 7

gunners r us

but what if you want to be a journalist and may not need to use italian?

thanks for all the advice

Reply 8

Dionysus

gunners r us

but what if you want to be a journalist and may not need to use italian?

thanks for all the advice

Well it won't do any harm. Especially if you apply for an English-based or language-based course. Languages and humanities subjects will help your application.

Reply 9

gunners r us

cool, it might also give mr an edge over other applicants who may not know any language

maybe im just being too critical and looking for ways out of it, i also fear italian because of the supposed racism so that may be one reason

Reply 10

hobnob

gunners r us

maybe im just being too critical and looking for ways out of it, i also fear italian because of the supposed racism so that may be one reason

But surely the language isn't racist? :confused:

Reply 11

gunners r us

hobnob

But surely the language isn't racist? :confused:

lol, i meant italy

Reply 12

kjc_us

gunners r us

but what if you want to be a journalist and may not need to use italian?

thanks for all the advice

Journalism will send you all kinds of places - and even if it doesn't send you to Italy, the fact that you've learnt one language opens all kinds of doors for other languages. Linguistic aptitude is always favourable with most employers.

In my Futurewise Interview we talked about all my different career options - journalism being one of them. She said doing any language with this kind of job was great. She seemed to know her stuff. :yy:

Reply 13

Dionysus

gunners r us

lol, i meant italy

I've spent enough time in Italy to tell you there is not a nationwide racism or anything of that kind that I could see. The fascist elements are a little more prominent than the rest of Europe, but they don't any real power, and they're mostly confined to the cities.

Reply 14

dans

IT'd be ideal for your own linguistic development in your mothertongue; undertsanding other language's grammatical constructions always helps. Journalism is based on this.

Reply 15

hobnob

gunners r us

lol, i meant italy

Thought you did. :wink:

Still, even if Italy was indeed racist (this is the first time I've ever come across this, actually; to my knowledge there isn't any more racism there than anywhere else in Europe), I don't really see why that should deter you from learning the language... :dontknow: