Whether or not I understand someone isn't dependent on "motivation" for a specific goal, a determined purpose: language operates on much deeper level. I intuitively grasp those Spanish words because they easily fit in my existent framework of understanding. I'm surprised you don't, given Italian-Spanish overlap 80% in vocabulary.Giuseppe wrote: ↑Thu Oct 13, 2022 9:22 pmIt depends from motivation.
I have learned to read French only because the best mythicist authors were French. Note that I have never dealt with the French language in the school. So the learning is due exclusively to motivation.
But since there are no Spanish mythicists of equal importance, then the motivation is absent.
Of course we all judge the book by it's cover. My mind seeks comprehension of the ideas, reading the words on a page. Only then do I decide whether it's worth it. I live in a city, note the same function in personal interactions. If someone approaches me talking, I instantly read the situation, tune out crazies and beggars, assist tourists and engage neighbors.
My project (and research method, generally) has me reading alot of useless 'data' that must be filtered. The complexity of German philosophical thought continues to amaze me: I see why much of it isn't translated for the anglophone mkt. (Too dense! Why bother: Americans won't, etc.) The deepest French philosophers are, however; French is considered "easier" than German. And forget Russian, Arabic or Chinese!
Reading Spanish is a breeze, by comparison -- from this American's vantage point. Again: I'm somewhat shocked an Italian would find it "very hard to read." That contradicts everything I've heard from travelers, in school, etc. I thought you were being ironic, actually.
YES I know many ppl are not linguistic and find all 'other' languages challenging or 'not worth it'. But if you read German and French, that cannot be the case ("motivation" notwithstanding) here. Spanish is not so strange to Italian, in fact.
Your personal mileage varies, obviously.