Within a given discipline (eg web development), picking up the syntax new language isn't too difficult. Then you have to navigate the new libraries which also i

Within a given discipline (eg web development), picking up the syntax new language isn't too difficult. Then you have to navigate the new libraries which also isn't too hard. Basically.. What's the [new language] equivalent of [some method call] in [old language]. The trouble is picking-up the idiom: If you're a Java guy learning Python in this manner you're going to end up with a lot of java-looking python code. Nothing wrong with hiring a developer for a language he doesn't have a lot of personal experience with. But there's also nothing wrong with a company wanting to know which languages a developer knows. They shouldn't get a lecture for asking IMO.