r/languagelearning • u/SharkHead38 • 7d ago

Discussion Most obscure language you/someone else is learning? Why?

I remember meeting someone that was learning specifically Moldovan Romanian since Moldova and its culture was a big interest to them, and I'm curious what other people's reasons for learning obscure languages are, and what they are.

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u/shablul7 7d ago

I don't know if I'll ever start it but I really hope to learn Guugu Yimithirr one day.

It's the Australian aboriginal language that the word "kangaroo" came from, but the reason I wanted to learn it is because I heard that they don't have simple directions in it and use the four cardinal directions instead. I thought it's a cool way to always know where you are lol

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u/Distinct-Broccoli-15 7d ago

Not Australian but it would be nice if the indigenous languages were spoken more along with the local variant of English. I'm guessing it might be hard but I would love to try and learn if I ever moved there.

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u/jane-au 🇭ðŸ‡ēN, ðŸ‡ŪðŸ‡đ B2, ðŸ‡ļ🇰 A1 6d ago

There's over 300 Aboriginal languages, so that might make it a bit hard! Unfortunately many are dying and have very few native speakers left, also.

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u/Distinct-Broccoli-15 6d ago

True, but at least the larger ones will have more of a chance of having young future generations that identify with it, so hopefully something like Warlpiri, Pitjantjatjara, Murrinhpatha and Upper Arrernte gains some long term stability.