[SheRa]

I'm moving back to Florida in a few months, and (besides Spanish, which I already speak), what are the best languages to learn? (I've always been interested in languages, and it's just always been a goal of mine to speak several). My guess is that Brazilian Portuguese or Haitian Creole would be the most relevant in FL. Any different suggestions?

[Eresh]

It depends on what part of Florida you are moving to. Spanish is an obvious one, like you mentioned. There are Spanish-speaking people from many different places, so maybe you could work on different dialacts? Portuguese and Creole are also good, depending on where in Florida you want to move. Also, how about Vietnamese, Korean, or Hindi?

[Doctor Octagon]

Spanish and Creole. The number of Spanish and Haitians in FL is very large. Orange Co just became a minority-majority county. And some counties (like Dade) were like this a long time ago.

[Lilybeans]

You might as well learn Chinese. With all the Walmarts and Chinese mortgages here, that will be the most useful in a few years.

[On-da-Beach]

This is an interesting point of view. You want to learn a language to be able to converse with people within Florida...
I can see learning a language if you were going to another country who's native tongue was different from your own.

Make no mistake, I've always worked on being multi-lingual (Moneypenny used a different term) but I've also thought that those Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Korean, Hindi or Spanish-speaking people from many different places (or others for that matter) should consider learning english if they prefer to live in America.

Just my .02

[SheRa]

Originally Posted by On-da-Beach

This is an interesting point of view. You want to learn a language to be able to converse with people within Florida...
I can see learning a language if you were going to another country who's native tongue was different from your own.

Make no mistake, I've always worked on being multi-lingual (Moneypenny used a different term) but I've also thought that those Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Korean, Hindi or Spanish-speaking people from many different places (or others for that matter) should consider learning english if they prefer to live in America.

Just my .02

Actually, I never said that the reason I wanted to learn another language was to be able to converse with people within Florida. (I gave the reason of my own general interest in languages.) Like most people, I too believe that one should learn the language of the country one moves to. However, I also just have an overarching interest in learning new languages, and I figure if I'm moving back to FL, I may as well learn a language I might encounter/be able to practice frequently.

[compelled to reply]

Learn whatever you want, because (yes) Florida is part of the United States and speaks English unless you want to live in Hialeah. Haitian Creole acutally isn't particularly relevant because most Haitians learn English very quickly in order to seek employment. The Brazilian population is actually small in Florida and interested in assimilation, so Portuguese is fairly irrelevant as well. The only sizable Brazilian communities I can think of are Miami Beach, Deerfield Beach and Pompano Beach. There are also small pockets of nearly any ethnicity in most medium to large-sized Florida towns, but Spanish is by and far the most relevant of foreign languages spoken in Florida and can help you find a job in some positions and areas.

Basically, I would lay it out like this...

Spanish could be functionally useful in Miami-Dade, Osceola and parts of Orange and Palm Beach Counties, and could be spoken frequently and help you find a job in Broward and Hillsborough County.

If you really want to practice Portuguese, you can certainly have an opportunity to in Miami Beach and especially northeastern Broward County.

Italian is widely spoken in Miami Beach.

Hebrew is also widely spoken in the orthodox Jewish community in Miami Beach and Hollywood.

Russian is widely spoken in coastal Miami-Dade County.

German is spoken frequently by tourists in SW Florida, especially Fort Myers.

Haitian Creole is mainly spoken at home or amongst families. That being said, the largest Haitian populations are in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade County, respectively. Your best opportunities to speak it are in the Little Haiti section of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Riviera Beach, and Miramar.

There are pockets where Vietnamese is spoken in Orlando and the panhandle.

If you want to brush up on Jamaican Patois, which is still largely based on English, Broward County is your place.

The most linguistically diverse city in Florida is probably Miami Beach.

[On-da-Beach]

Originally Posted by SheRa

Actually, I never said that the reason I wanted to learn another language was to be able to converse with people within Florida. (I gave the reason of my own general interest in languages.) Like most people, I too believe that one should learn the language of the country one moves to. However, I also just have an overarching interest in learning new languages, and I figure if I'm moving back to FL, I may as well learn a language I might encounter/be able to practice frequently.

When the title is: "Moving to FL: best languages to learn?" it sounded like your reason.
Please forgive my confusion...

[Doctor Octagon]

Originally Posted by On-da-Beach

This is an interesting point of view. You want to learn a language to be able to converse with people within Florida...
I can see learning a language if you were going to another country who's native tongue was different from your own.

Make no mistake, I've always worked on being multi-lingual (Moneypenny used a different term) but I've also thought that those Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Korean, Hindi or Spanish-speaking people from many different places (or others for that matter) should consider learning english if they prefer to live in America.

Just my .02

LOL, you obviously dont live in S FL or parts of Central FL! HAHA!



And I agree, but it doesnt seem to happen, atleast not in many parts of FL. Especially in S FL or in Orlando, what's the point of learning English when you can get by EASILY speaking only Spanish?

[JohnVosilla]

Originally Posted by Doctor Octagon

LOL, you obviously dont live in S FL or parts of Central FL! HAHA!



And I agree, but it doesnt seem to happen, atleast not in many parts of FL. Especially in S FL or in Orlando, what's the point of learning English when you can get by EASILY speaking only Spanish?

I agree it is Spanish with no other languarge worth mentioning. Of course Brazilians speak a different dialect from Cuban, PR,,ect.. Many jobs outside of Dade County now require you to be bilingual especially in Broward and Osceola. When I hear someone speaking in Italian, Chinese, French, Russian it is like culture shock..We aren't the north end of Boston or Chinatown in San Fran down here...lol