What do you consider the 5 most important languages a human being should learn?

[YukisUke]

Well since I already know english, I'm gonna say:

Spanish-there are a lot of spanish people in America.
Chinese-A lot of asian people as well.
Japanese- same response as the second.
Russian-Brighton Beach has alot of russians.
German- and germans as well.

[Encyclopod]

Originally Posted by IamKira

obama's not black to a blind man, thus by scientific method, his blackness is revoked, for it only takes one negative response from an experiment to disprove a theory

Being blind doesn't affect light or colors, just the perception of the person with the disability, so he's still black even if everybody is blind.

[IamKira]

Originally Posted by Encyclopod

Being blind doesn't affect light or colors, just the perception of the person with the disability, so he's still black even if everybody is blind.

actually that's false, since we wouldn't be able to interpret the wavelengths of what we call light.. if we can't interpret them, the man wouldn't appear black.
the only reason you are saying that is because you have eyes and can use them to interpret energy right now... what if you were born without eyes and never saw from day 1? would a white man still be white?

[burkhartdesu]

LOL how existential

[hatsuto11]

Originally Posted by MMM

If you wanted to be able to communicate with the greatest number of people in the world it would be

1) Mandarin
2) English
3) Hindi
4) Spanish
5) Arabic

Arabic should be placed before Hindi!

[Kurochii]

English
Japanese
Chinese
French
German

[ozkai]

So it looks as if English is still tops, although I still think Chinese will be the future most wanted second.

Then it makes you wonder about the population of India and the ever increasing presence of it's people around the world.

Maybe It's because Chinese are more willing and able to interact with Western cultures out of China, where as possibly Indians prefer an enclave survival amongst their own.

I think the days of Japanese playing an importance in world business domination is approaching a thing of the past.

This is unfortunate as the quality, expertise, manufacture and perfection of Japanese related products was without doubt a comforting thing.

What we are seeing is a decrease in pricing and ultimately quality of products now which of course the Japanese cannot compete with.

[xYinniex]

english because it the current universal language now
mandarin [there is a difference between chinese languages- dialects and all]
Arabic [dubai/saudi arabia are damn rich and are leading business districts]
french
perhaps japanese. =)

[ozkai]

Originally Posted by xYinniex

english because it the current universal language now
mandarin [there is a difference between chinese languages- dialects and all]

Cantonese and Mandarin.. Are their more?

I think the expectation is the language coming from mainland China.. Is that one dialect?

Is Hong Kong and China in the whole totally different?

I remember saying "Che chen" (spelling) at a bakery in Nathan Road Kowloon, and the lady could not udnerstand.. Maybe it was my pronunciation..

[xYinniex]

Originally Posted by ozkai

Cantonese and Mandarin.. Are their more?

I think the expectation is the language coming from mainland China.. Is that one dialect?

Is Hong Kong and China in the whole totally different?

I remember saying "Che chen" (spelling) at a bakery in Nathan Road Kowloon, and the lady could not udnerstand.. Maybe it was my pronunciation..

well yeah, there are loads of dialects
I can only list southern ones because my ancestors are from the south ^^
Hakka, Hokkien, shanghainese, teochow,