Learning two languages simultaneously would be a help or a hindrance?

[Aishia22]

Hello all, I’m looking for some advice and was wondering if there are any language learners out there who could help me…

I have just returned from a French language course in France, a final part of my degree which has consolidated all what I learnt and left me more or less fluent. It has fired my passion for language learning so much so that I am not only considering languages as a career but also considering learning another language. But this is what worries me, I don’t know whether it really is a good idea or not. I certainly don’t want to lose my French level! Considering one of my main interests is Italy, I thought about learning Italian – but slowly and steadily, whilst keeping up the French too. For this I was considering taking a viaggi di studio Montreal which would basically be going to an Italian school but in a French speaking city. So though the main focus on my language learning trip would be Italian (given that it is the new, target language), I would be mixing with French people (and so practising French) outside of class hours. Furthermore, I was considering giving one to one English lesson to French (or Italian!) speaking people as a way to earn money and a way to meet and mix with people.

What worries me is that the two languages are relatively similar and so I don’t know if this would be a help or a hindrance…

If anyone has experience of learning two languages simultaneously, please do let me know how you manage and differentiate between the two! I’d hate to try for both and end up with none!

[Jan]

Probably ,it depends on languages which you are going to choose.
At the same time,it differs between nationalities
, your mother tongue shall give you better grasp on some of languages ,while other would be simultanleously much more complicated.
It is said that for Polish is not recommended to learn English and German but supposedly, it is good ,or at least no problem, when Polish native speakers would begin to study English and French together.

That plan which you have depicted above, looks very impressive.

I wish you a lot of fun while studing .

Myself, I would take a risk ,at least the risk to start, you could evaluate quite soon your progress and would be able to decide, if is better to limit yourself just to one of them or both are no problem.
I think after one year, it would be possible to see if that has some sense,though somebody could have had some bad experience about studing together French and Italian, it does not need to work same way in your case, many people are very gifted on a linguistc field.
Jan

[Aishia22]

Hi Jan!

Good day!

Thank you so much for your advice it helps a lot to enlighten my mind and think which is the best I way I should do, either to choose one language or pursue between the two languages that I've started.

Yes you’re right other people are gifted in regards with languages. But me I really want to learn more languages in preparation when you visit other places or when you meet people that have different languages.

Thank and see ya later.