Learning two languages simultaneously would be a help or a hindrance?

[adalia22]

Hello all, I’m looking for some advice and was wondering if there are any language learners out there who could help me…

I have just returned from a French language course in France, a final part of my degree which has consolidated all what I learnt and left me more or less fluent. It has fired my passion for language learning so much so that I am not only considering languages as a career but also considering learning another language. But this is what worries me, I don’t know whether it really is a good idea or not. I certainly don’t want to lose my French level! Considering one of my main interests is Italy, I thought about learning Italian – but slowly and steadily, whilst keeping up the French too. For this I was considering taking a viaggi di studio Montreal which would basically be going to an Italian school but in a French speaking city. So though the main focus on my language learning trip would be Italian (given that it is the new, target language), I would be mixing with French people (and so practising French) outside of class hours. Furthermore, I was considering giving one to one English lesson to French (or Italian!) speaking people as a way to earn money and a way to meet and mix with people.

What worries me is that the two languages are relatively similar and so I don’t know if this would be a help or a hindrance…

If anyone has experience of learning two languages simultaneously, please do let me know how you manage and differentiate between the two! I’d hate to try for both and end up with none!