Welcome any input: Should I learn a foreign language when technology will do it for me soon?

Question

It won't be long when there will be cheap watch-like size voice translator soon, so I am just wondering whether I should use my time to learn a new language or learn a skill that computer can't replace?

Considering that it takes more than a couple of years to learn a language to a level that you can read their local newspapers and undertstand their news, let alone speaking without an accent.

Answer 1

I am a language services professional and see too many making the mistake in thinking that technology will replace human foreign language skills.  There are too many soft skills that only a human can produce.  Technology is 10 - 20 years away from developing anything that will even come close to human language communication.

If you go to any automated translation device currently and put in 2 - 3 sentences of high school level text it will be very confusing.  The general meaning of the text would be there but with a lot of misleading information due to the problems of:  intonation, sarcasm, innuendo, contextual meaning, and idiomatic phrases.

Speaking a foreign language may take a few years to learn but it is something you will enjoy for a lifetime.  

Answer 2

yep, i  can imagine the eye this watch should have to read the newspapers for you

:P

Answer 3

What about knowledge then? They'll be able to trick us and we'll be happy as if nothing had happened. I think the best we can do is to learn as many languages as we can, so we will be self dependent.

Answer 4

Well it depends on whether you will be in an area that the language is needed. Do you plan to travel or get a job that the language would benefit? If you aren't motivated to learn you proablby won't. It is always a good idea to have a understanding of a 2nd language, think about all you could do and people that you would meet. It would be nice to have a voice translator watch :)

Answer 5

Language is about communication. If you want to be able to communicate on a human level, then it is worth learning a foreign language in able to be able to do so with a wider range of people around the world.