Do people get mad at you for learning a language?

[Nanari Uchiha]

I had that problem. My dad doesn't particularly hate it but he always complains that I'm wasting my time when I 'should' be doing something else.
It's like...'come on...I did everything else I want some leisure time and
learn a language. It's kind of discouraging when he complains
but still, I love learning another language so I try to forget about it.  

[Sockers]

Einllikoach

TurtIe Tracks

Also, most people in my school think the only language anyone needs to know is English. That may or may not be true but it still really gets on my nerves.

During one of the conversations I had with my cousin - who has been living in Australia most of her life and pretty much monolingual - she told me they were never really taught foreign languages, at least not enough to use them, because of that general perception of English as Franca Lingua there.
Hence I don't think your classmates are necessarily guilty for that attitude, if their surrounding never exposed them to the importance of having more than just one language in the hand. neutral

Really? I've heard the exact opposite. My friend had to learn a language in school, and is very fluent in German and wants to learn other languages as well and she's an Australian.  

[Anzthuniel]

My parents doesn't even know I know some French, Swedish and Korean. rofl but they wouldn't care I think.

They also don't know I'm fluent in British English. o.o (I'm not in the U.S.)  

[Henneth Annun]

Cirdan Elanesse

My parents doesn't even know I know some French, Swedish and Korean. rofl but they wouldn't care I think.

They also don't know I'm fluent in British English. o.o (I'm not in the U.S.)

Same here. ninja

I was driving downtown one day with my dad and we stopped at a red light, and there was this giant billboard in Korean which I proceeded to read.

Me: *reads billboard*

Dad: Whoah! Since when can you read that?! eek

Me: mrgreen  

[Dragonfire Goddess]

I've never had anyone get angry with me, but sometimes people annoy me with their reactions when they hear I'm learning German. For example the other day my mom mentioned in front of my cousin (who didn't know I was learning) that I might be interested in majoring or minoring in German. Of course my cousin had to wrinkle her nose and giving me the disbelieving "Really?" I wasn't feeling diplomatic so my response was "Yes, and you have no idea how tired I am of getting THAT reaction." stare  

[Fem_chan]

Dragonfire Goddess

I've never had anyone get angry with me, but sometimes people annoy me with their reactions when they hear I'm learning German. For example the other day my mom mentioned in front of my cousin (who didn't know I was learning) that I might be interested in majoring or minoring in German. Of course my cousin had to wrinkle her nose and giving me the disbelieving "Really?" I wasn't feeling diplomatic so my response was "Yes, and you have no idea how tired I am of getting THAT reaction." stare

Are you (or your relatives) from a country that was taken/occupied by the Germans during the World Wars?

My grandmother disliked all things German for a very long time (my family suffered greatly during both wars). She didn't even allow for my mother to pick up some German later, it was 'wrong', it was treacherous.
I have a friend from Poland, she's my age, who still today, does not like Germans. Danish people don't seem to like Germans either (I lived there for a while)?

Language is so often tainted by politics and history. It's a shame.

My father doesn't approve of me mixing languages up. He wants my speech to be 'untainted'. It's the pride of an immigrant I think, a counter-reaction. He doesn't get mad at me learning things, he gets mad at me not perfecting them.  

[Prince Rilian]

I mix languages all the time. I say whatever comes into my head and why should it happen all in one language?  

[Dragonfire Goddess]

Fem_chan

Dragonfire Goddess

I've never had anyone get angry with me, but sometimes people annoy me with their reactions when they hear I'm learning German. For example the other day my mom mentioned in front of my cousin (who didn't know I was learning) that I might be interested in majoring or minoring in German. Of course my cousin had to wrinkle her nose and giving me the disbelieving "Really?" I wasn't feeling diplomatic so my response was "Yes, and you have no idea how tired I am of getting THAT reaction." stare

Are you (or your relatives) from a country that was taken/occupied by the Germans during the World Wars?

My grandmother disliked all things German for a very long time (my family suffered greatly during both wars). She didn't even allow for my mother to pick up some German later, it was 'wrong', it was treacherous.
I have a friend from Poland, she's my age, who still today, does not like Germans. Danish people don't seem to like Germans either (I lived there for a while)?

Language is so often tainted by politics and history. It's a shame.

My father doesn't approve of me mixing languages up. He wants my speech to be 'untainted'. It's the pride of an immigrant I think, a counter-reaction. He doesn't get mad at me learning things, he gets mad at me not perfecting them.

My grandfather on my father's side was from Poland, and the family was originally from Russia. My grandmother on my father's side is actually of German heritage, but as far as I know that wasn't something she ever acknowledged much. So yes, I do have a bit of that attitude to contend with, more from my dad than my mom anyway. Luckily he's okay with it although I'm not sure he really understands my fascination with German, but a lot of people don't understand my fascination with languages in general, so that's not uncommon.
...But that particular cousin is from my mom's side of the family, so she has no excuse. XD She was probably just going by that annoying stereotype that German is 'harsh and ugly.' In all honesty I think that English is much sharper, at least when spoken properly.

Where is your father from, if I may ask?  

[07LTS Hawk]

My brother said it's useless to learn Japanese.
He also said that I should not learn German because it's too difficult.
And, he would have an heart attack if he knew that I'm going to learn Polish next year xD
I think he hates languages because he can only speak french, and barely speak spanish and english.  

[The Star is Vain]

Not too long ago, my parents would get really annoyed with my language obsession, but I think now that they've given up and are rather resigned. Just like they are about my vegetarianism. I remember that when I was nine, though, I told my dad that I wanted to be a psychologist and I wanted to learn to speak six languages. He responded by saying instead of filling my head with a bunch of languages, which were useless, I should devote my intelligence to whatever I want to be in life.

I guess my response to that was to decide I wanted to be some kind of linguist, so I can do precisely what he said and still get to study languages. xd  

[sayurihaxx]

My friends (or well, one friend in particular) constantly makes negative comments about what a freak I am (for various things, languages included). Like if I'm talking to myself in another language, she'll just b***h about how she can't understand me, even if I'm not talking to her. She just makes fun of me for it.

My other friends aren't like that, really, though. Some are even learning other languages themselves. But a lot of people I've met just think it's stupid.  

[Verene]

I've never had a problem with friends or family when it comes to studying foreign languages. The worst experience I had, hurt mostly because it was confusing and I think caused entirely by a cultural misunderstanding.

While studying abroad, I went to a conversation table where russian students could come meet and speak with american/brit/other exchange students and vice-versa.

We were having a discussion about educational systems between the U.S. and Russian. Somehow in my mini-group this devolved into this russian guy completely attacking my desire to learn russian and explaining how I was going to end up abandoning my family and being a horrible mother and never able to get a real job and on and on and on... apparently something like this happened with some one he knew who became and English translator. I don't think he understood that in the U.S. and language major =/= becoming a translator or teacher of that language.

Most Russians and Non-Russian Russian Speakers I've met are quite enthusiastic and supportive of my learning their language - if a bit perplexed as to why I would force myself to go through the effort of learning it, when many of them have told me they consider English to be easier to learn.  

[Verene]

I've never had a problem with friends or family when it comes to studying foreign languages. The worst experience I had, hurt mostly because it was confusing and I think caused entirely by a cultural misunderstanding.

While studying abroad, I went to a conversation table where russian students could come meet and speak with american/brit/other exchange students and vice-versa.

We were having a discussion about educational systems between the U.S. and Russian. Somehow in my mini-group this devolved into this russian guy completely attacking my desire to learn russian and explaining how I was going to end up abandoning my family and being a horrible mother and never able to get a real job and on and on and on... apparently something like this happened with some one he knew who became and English translator. I don't think he understood that in the U.S. and language major =/= becoming a translator or teacher of that language.

Most Russians and Non-Russian Russian Speakers I've met are quite enthusiastic and supportive of my learning their language - if a bit perplexed as to why I would force myself to go through the effort of learning it, when many of them have told me they consider English to be easier to learn.  

[Karo Kiba]

My parents always encouraged me to learn other languages. But when I was in 9th grade and I had to register for classes my mother threw a fit because I wanted to register for french and not Spanish. She said that since the Hispanic culture was a part of my heritage (my grandmother on my dad's side was columbian.) that I should learn it instead of french. I ended up signing up for Spanish and I grew to love it! I still want to learn a bit of french but there are other languages that I want to learn. I want to learn Arabic and possibly be an Arabic Major! Arabic majors have a variety of career options including teaching, law enforcement/security, counter terrorism, intelligence, religious vocations, and humanitarian work. I just really hope that people won't be all like "ZOMG AMERICAN TERRORIST IN TRAINING! SHE IS GOING TO FORSAKE CHRISTIANITY AND CONVERT TO ISLAM!"

There really is a lot more to the arab world than that. It's a sad stereotype. The Arabic people have a beautiful culture and not all of them are even Muslim!  

[Fullmetalrunt]

Yes, I get the "REALLY?!!!" reaction from people when I tell them I'm learning German too. I think that must be because I'm Chinese, and it's rare to see Chinese people speaking languages other than the asian ones and English...?


Anyways, I did a personal speech in English class and spoke in German for 20 seconds. Everyone's face went from neutral --> eek