Learning a language for a hobby is retarded

[Hayashi]

Yep that's the question. There was this argument in one of the VN communities yesterday and this particular person by the name of, DM (initials, don't want to disclose names)

It was a Steins gate 0 English release thread, and this was pretty how it triggered the title question.  PS: Aga is my lad.

Spoiler

So what do you guys think about his statement? IMO, learning anything for anything is never retarded, we should all learn new stuff and move forward.

I will use myself as an example, I learned JP to read VNs initially, and now I can read any VN without problem I decided to expand my knowledge and are planning to attend UNI in Japan next academic year and see what I can start over there. Maid cafe.....  

[Nosebleed]

Telling people why they shouldn't learn something they clearly care about is even more retarded imo. 

I don't go around telling stamp collectors that spending money on stamps is stupid. Because it's what they enjoy doing. Similarly, learning a language can serve multiple purposes, and neither of those purposes is wrong (well, I guess if you're learning a language to join a terrorist organization, that might not be so great). 

[Ningen]

Nothing wrong with being retarded.

[Gaporigo]

Pretty much what you said, learning stuff is never retarded no matter the reason. I would definitely prefer to learn Japanese than to use Machine Translations, i am not doing any of them just because i have enough already translated VNs to read and i am already learning three other languages at the moment (i study languages)

[RedK]

Depends on what's your opportunity cost...

[Tyr]

Living your life by only doing what is necessary to be the working cogwheel of our society everyone expects you to be is retarded.

[DarkZedge]

2 hours ago, Nosebleed said:

Telling people why they shouldn't learn something they clearly care about is even more retarded imo. 

I don't go around telling stamp collectors that spending money on stamps is stupid. Because it's what they enjoy doing. Similarly, learning a language can serve multiple purposes, and neither of those purposes is wrong (well, I guess if you're learning a language to join a terrorist organization, that might not be so great). 

Pretty much this ^. 

No one has the right to judge the reasoning behind other people's hobbies or reasons for them to learn something. It may as well have started as learning the language to play visual novels but it can evolve in a wide array interests that may eventually lead to more learning or opportunities and other things besides of it's original purpose.

There is no knowledge that is not power.

[littleshogun]

In regard of learning language, I think there's some benefit there other than hobbies if you ask my opinion. Just looking at this article for easy explanation there. While I'm just satisfied that I knew Indonesian and English here for now, I think it's not retarded of you learning another language for hobby ie NOT RETARD AT ALL looking from those benefit at the linked article. Just saying.

[Erogamer]

If you want to take the insane amount of time and effort to learn moon runes, then go for it. Not all of us have the time, patience, or capacity to learn such a complex writing system. If someone wants to read a VN in English, shut up and leave them alone.

[Flutterz]

If people want to learn a language just to read more porn games, and not because of bullshit like "I like the culture" or "I want to go to x country" etc. then more power to them.

[Dark_blade64]

48 minutes ago, Erogamer said:

If you want to take the insane amount of time and effort to learn moon runes, then go for it. Not all of us have the time, patience, or capacity to learn such a complex writing system. If someone wants to read a VN in English, shut up and leave them alone.

@ErogamerThat too obviously. Whatever you do with your free time is your own damn business.

Learning new things is all good and everything but by going with that reasoning then clearly we have a big problem. By going with the logic that everyone who is a fan of something should learn the native language is not logical, what if you are a fan of many different things? Imagine someone who likes both russian and spanish songs, will you tell them to learn both languages just because they are a fan? Translation were meant to facilitate this process, besides not everyone has the meanings, time nor money to spend for buying expensive books or committing themselves to do a course.

[Clephas]

I thought that it was standard educational theory that motivation increases the likelihood of successfully learning something... and learning multiple languages creates healthier and more active brains that learn other things more easily.

[Dark_blade64]

19 minutes ago, Clephas said:

I thought that it was standard educational theory that motivation increases the likelihood of successfully learning something... and learning multiple languages creates healthier and more active brains that learn other things more easily.

I understand what are you saying, but I'm not talking about motivation. I don't see your point in doing an explanation for dummies. Speaking of which I don't know how much that theory holds up but I know how to use three different languages but never seen the difference pretty much when learning new stuff.

[Darklord Rooke]

Two guys had an argument on a chatroom. That it took place in a CHATROOM was clue number one that it involved a lot of shit, and I don't think the shit that was being spewed out was limited to a single side. 

I'm not going to participate in your attempt to try and shore up support for your "lad's" argument. Sort it out yourselves.

[Barktooth]

It honestly probably is pretty retarded (at least, it's not the most productive thing I could be doing) but I'm used to being a retard so whatever.

Also unless you know Japanese nearly perfectly it DOES ruin the experience IMO, namely emotional scenes where if you have to look up words in the middle of them or read slowly, it takes away from the impact. That's why I'd rather wait for the English translation of SubaHibi, as I'm pretty hyped about that one, and don't want to worsen the experience.

[BookwormOtaku]

Okay in a bit more seriousness I can acknowledge learning a new language for a hobby to seem silly to some, but really what's wrong with being silly sometimes? Also you can argue that any hobby one can be passionate about looks silly in some view or another here's a couple examples:

1) You're spending HOW MUCH MONEY to go to your favorite band/sports team's events?! Even traveling across the country?!?

2) You' re practically breaking your back at work already, why the heck are you doing even more back breaking work restoring some hunk of junk in the garage?

Me personally I'm somewhat literate in Japanese and I don't regret anything about that. I've been able to experience games and other entertainment many aren't able to, gotten some understanding of a writing and speech system completely different from my native language's and the languages it derives from, which has also helped me in learning some about another country's history and culture. To anyone who says most people wouldn't or shouldn't do that then I'll quote a certain Dornish prince (who would later go on to experience a very nasty headache ) "I don't want to be 'most of us'..."

[Zalor]

I think the guy bragging about reading VNs in their original language was the real dick. Its clear that the comment "learning an extra language for a hobby is retarded" was really just said because the guy was being a huge wanker about it. I think its great that people learn foreign languages for any reason, but that doesn't give you the license to be a dick about it. 

[Chronopolis]

8 minutes ago, Zalor said:

I think the guy bragging about reading VNs in their original language was the real dick. Its clear that the comment "learning an extra language for a hobby is retarded" was really just said because the guy was being a huge wanker about it. I think its great that people learn foreign languages for any reason, but that doesn't give you the license to be a dick about it. 

This comment is so good I'm glad when I scrolled down I got to read it a second time.

[Darklord Rooke]

24 minutes ago, Zalor said:

I think the guy bragging about reading VNs in their original language was the real dick. Its clear that the comment "learning an extra language for a hobby is retarded" was really just said because the guy was being a huge wanker about it. I think its great that people learn foreign languages for any reason, but that doesn't give you the license to be a dick about it. 

It's definitely a real possibility, and it was disguised because the OP provided a very select amount of context. I'm automatically suspicious when context is cherry picked the way it was, because context is king and the meaning of something changes drastically depending on that context. It's manipulating, TBH.

[Hayashi]

17 minutes ago, Darklord Rooke said:

It's definitely a real possibility, and it was disguised because the OP provided a very select amount of context. I'm automatically suspicious when context is cherry picked the way it was, because context is king and the meaning of something changes drastically depending on that context. It's manipulating, TBH.

It was the whole chat. The DM person just disappeared after that.

[Darklord Rooke]

1 minute ago, Hayashi said:

It was the whole chat. The DM person just disappeared after that.

It's obvious that we're catapulted right into the middle of a discussion. 

[Hayashi]

19 minutes ago, Darklord Rooke said:

It's obvious that we're catapulted right into the middle of a discussion. 

The beginning was the person in question talking to some random about the release date and how hyped or whatever he was. Then my lad went in and it went on flames.

Edited October 31, 2016 by Hayashi
I can't spell ffs

[Kawasumi]

I think you're doing yourself a disfavor if you dont learn the language from which contries media you consume the most of.

You're being a cunt if you dont do it and whine about others not translating it for you.

[Darklord Rooke]

2 minutes ago, Hayashi said:

The begging was the person in question talking to some random about the release date and how hyped or whatever he was. Then my lad went in and it went on flames.

Probably because there's a history in that chat or between the 2 you aren't explaining.

Also, you missed scrubbing out Aga’s name in one of DM’s posts. You might want to correct that if you’re serious about keeping the last name a secret ...

[yorikbad]

Firstly, you need to understand why a person need to learn another language. If it is necessary for his buisness, travel or exploring the foreign culture and traditions, it is useful exercise. But to learn the language just for the game, I don't think it's incredibly reasonable move. Just how many kamiges left untranslated for us to sacrifice our minds for moonrunes?

I've been learning English for nearly two decades and have no problem with books, novels or movies, but still it's hard for me to write and formulate my thoughts. That's because I have no experience with native English speakers in real life. You just can't call yourself a polyglot without spending time in another country.

Secondly, it's not the matter of how someone spends their free time. The most important thing is how you treat your activity. If you learn the language just for the praise, it will lead you nowhere. All efforts will be in vain. And such person will be perceived as a hypocrite. Do not treat your lifetime so lightly.

Whatever it is, everyone has a choice. And everyone is master of their time. Just think ahead before doing something.