# Would you rather learn another language or play a musical instrument? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 10, 2009, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-learn-another-language-or-play-a-musical-instrument/520660 "2009-12-10T00:21:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-learn-another-language-or-play-a-musical-instrument/520660/21 "2009-12-11T07:21:17Z")
I already have a few languages, but I suck at any non-drum music, so learning an instrument would make me very happy. I have experienced how being able to play an instrument transcends language barriers when traveling, so even if I only spoke English, I could always whip out that guitar or penny-whistle and make friends, whereas I’d have to trust to luck that I’d leaned the right language for wherever I find myself. However, if the choice was between “learn one thing very easily - either new languages or new instruments”, I’d have a tougher time choosing. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-learn-another-language-or-play-a-musical-instrument/520660/22 "2009-12-11T13:42:20Z")
Second language, definitely. Whilst knowing how to play an instrument is nice and all, a language has practical applications such as being able to move countries more easily and get jobs. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-learn-another-language-or-play-a-musical-instrument/520660/23 "2009-12-11T15:02:27Z")
Both would have to be my answer, though I just don’t have the time to add anything new to the mix. Constantly working on both is just part of my job. (Classical singer.) The hard part isn’t the learning, it’s the maintenance or making progress that kills me. The trick with both is there’s no upper limit on your proficiency. I agree with **robardin** - most folks are going to be up to speed quicker in a language than with an instrument. It’s the hardest thing about teaching grown-ups; kids just play with instruments until they get good, but grown-ups are often self-conscious because they _want_ to get good. Contrast little Janey coming home saying “Mummy! Daddy! I learned how to sing ‘Twinkle, twinkle, little star’!” versus your SO coming home and saying the same thing… One thing I will say, though - your appreciation of music gains breadth and depth through learning an instrument. I’ve been studying piano seriously for about 6 years now, and I have just got to the stage of playing my first Bach Prelude and Fugue (WTC Book 1, c minor, for those who care). I’ve known the piece to hear it for at least 30 years, but it wasn’t until I tried to play it that I really came to appreciate how incredible it is. I hope to understand the piece someday… ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-learn-another-language-or-play-a-musical-instrument/520660/24 "2009-12-11T15:25:02Z")
I speak a halting Spanish but have played guitar for 30 years. I kinda made my choice back then…but I would still love to speak Spanish better… ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-learn-another-language-or-play-a-musical-instrument/520660/25 "2009-12-11T16:09:26Z")
Would that I could play the piano. I imagine I’d never stop. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-learn-another-language-or-play-a-musical-instrument/520660/26 "2009-12-11T16:13:06Z")
I don’t play any musical instrument besides the stereo, but I picked “language”. I would like to learn Spanish. Or possibly Hmong, or Chinese, either Mandarin or Cantonese. I have neighbors who speak all of the above. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-learn-another-language-or-play-a-musical-instrument/520660/27 "2009-12-11T16:22:36Z")
Both are extremely desireable to me. I owned a drum set at one point and took a few lessons, and I play Rock Band with full abandon. Being a musician would be awesome. Having said that, however, I took language courses throughout elementary and high school and absolutely loved gaining knowledge of another language (I took Spanish in elementary and junior high, and three years of Latin in high school). It would be a dream for me to take an immersion course and truly become fluent in another language. Due to my locale, I’d choose Spanish, Mandarin or Japanese. So yes, I chose language in the poll. ---
**Author:** ![Peg\_Leg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/90db22/32.png) [@Peg\_Leg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peg_Leg)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-learn-another-language-or-play-a-musical-instrument/520660/28 "2009-12-11T16:28:12Z")
How funny. I was just having this conversation with my bf. I want to learn the viola. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-learn-another-language-or-play-a-musical-instrument/520660/29 "2009-12-11T17:17:51Z")
For personal enhancement, enjoyment and aesthetic reasons I’d like to pick an instrument, but practically speaking, another language would likely have more financial rewards so I’d choose that. WOOKINPANUB, who is too poor to have ideals.:(😉 ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-learn-another-language-or-play-a-musical-instrument/520660/30 "2009-12-11T17:44:41Z")
I’d rather learn another language. Not only would it have a more practical application (for me, anyway), but then one could learn something really beautiful sounding too. Like Hebrew. ---
**Author:** ![twopiecesofeight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5e9695/32.png) [@twopiecesofeight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twopiecesofeight)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-learn-another-language-or-play-a-musical-instrument/520660/31 "2009-12-11T17:51:06Z")
To use an XKCD reference: **Southern Yankee** , get out of my head! 😃 I would love to learn both. It rarely works out that way, though, eh? When I was in middle school (Grades 6-8), I had to make a choice. Either take music or (and only or) learn a foreign language. I wanted to do both, but in the end, I could only join the band. When I entered high school (Grades 9-12), foreign language was a graduation requirement. I had a _terrible_ time learning a foreign language, and I was envious of my classmates who already had a few years of experience learning foreign languages in middle school. Luckily, due to more relaxed administrative rules at the time, I was able to take band and foreign languages simultaneously throughout my high school years. This was before the financial meltdown and education budget cuts. (Cuts? I call them limb lop-offs.) Still, it took a lot of agonizing work and time for my grades in French to finally catch up to my music grades. I think foreign languages and music are of equal importance to a well-rounded and enjoyable education. If push comes to shove, I’ll pick learning a musical instrument, for two reasons. One, music (like mathematics) can act as a universal language that can cross language barriers. Two, music acts like a type of martial-arts-slash-yoga-slash-meditation-slash-therapy-thingee for me. Playing music just makes me feel better and puts me in a better mood. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BomTek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bomtek/32/21364_2.png) [@BomTek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BomTek)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-learn-another-language-or-play-a-musical-instrument/520660/32 "2009-12-12T21:22:51Z")
If I could download information like on _The Matrix_, but I only had one program to download, it’d be the guitar. But I think I’d also like to learn the harmonica and possibly the piano. As for language, I fully intend to learn more Spanish before I start teaching, but I’ve also considered learning Arabic. I also have no idea when I’ll do any of these things, what with BomTek Jr to look forward to when I get back from Iraq. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-learn-another-language-or-play-a-musical-instrument/520660/33 "2009-12-13T16:43:01Z")
I’ve spent my life learning so many of both, I couldn’t possibly choose between them. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-learn-another-language-or-play-a-musical-instrument/520660/34 "2009-12-13T17:06:46Z")
Definitely an instrument. While a second language would be a cool thing to have, and useful in certain circumstances, with a musical instrument I can have fun at home by myself, just messing around and playing music. Fluent Spanish doesn’t really give you the same opportunity for joy. _Estoy cocinando la cena_. Wheeeeh! ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-learn-another-language-or-play-a-musical-instrument/520660/35 "2009-12-13T21:50:26Z")
> [@faithfool](#): > > I’d rather learn another language. Not only would it have a more practical application (for me, anyway), but then one could learn something really beautiful sounding too. Like Hebrew. Either you’re joking, or you’ve never heard Hebrew spoken. I can’t decide which is more likely. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-learn-another-language-or-play-a-musical-instrument/520660/36 "2009-12-14T00:00:42Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > I’ve spent my life learning so many of both, I couldn’t possibly choose between them. I knew you were a linguist of some note, but what do you play? ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-learn-another-language-or-play-a-musical-instrument/520660/37 "2009-12-14T00:22:40Z")
Piano, guitar, various drums, various flutes, clarinets, trumpet, violin… etc. Mostly guitar these days. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-learn-another-language-or-play-a-musical-instrument/520660/38 "2009-12-14T00:29:30Z")
Ah, so you’re a linguist of many notes. Sorry, but somebody had to… ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-learn-another-language-or-play-a-musical-instrument/520660/39 "2009-12-14T17:18:46Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Piano, guitar, various drums, various flutes, clarinets, trumpet, violin… etc. Mostly guitar these days. Kewl. 🆒 Used to scrape the cello myself, later the double bass, more recently moved onto the trumpet, and busk on the keyboard - if the church springs for an instrument with pedals I might actually make the leap to being a real organist, which I’d take in preference to a language any time. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-learn-another-language-or-play-a-musical-instrument/520660/40 "2009-12-14T17:21:11Z")
In my dreams of what my life should have been, I’ve often wished I’d learned to play a different musical instrument and a different foreign language every year. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-learn-another-language-or-play-a-musical-instrument/520660.md?page=1)