• Question: Can you speak any other languages apart from English?

    Asked by 428terb33 to Angeline, Catherine, Philip, Shona on 19 Mar 2015.
    • Photo: Philip Moriarty

      Philip Moriarty answered on 19 Mar 2015:

      Unfortunately, and embarrassingly, not. This is despite doing French for five years at school (a purely written course!) and Irish for 14 years (it’s mandatory in Ireland). I also spent about six months in total in Germany for my PhD and yet every time I tried to speak in German, I was answered in English. Not a great confidence boost!

    • Photo: Shona Whittam

      Shona Whittam answered on 20 Mar 2015:

      No. If you have the opportunity to learn a language take it. Some physics (and I’m sure other science) jobs it would help you get ahead as somecompanies have head quarters in Germany or France.
      I did French at school and can say a few phrases but the phrases they taught us at school weren’t that useful. Like I can ask where the library is in french but if I’m in France I won’t be going to the library.

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