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英語とフランス語の勉強をしたいのと海外の友達を作りたい
This is a line I saw online in a supposed native Japanese speaker's bio. What seems new/unusual to me is how they nominalize the first part and connect it with the second part with a と, instead of using ～たり～たり. Is this grammatical and/or idiomatic? When I can connect sentences like this?
That sentence seems a bit awkward to me, too. I think we usually use と to connect nouns only. Here, 英語とフランス語の勉強をしたい + の forms some sort of noun (nominalizes) but 海外の友達を作りたい is a sentence. I guess that's why I feel it unnatural.
英語とフランス語の勉強をしたり、海外の友達を作ったりしたい
As you pointed out, this seems fine since two sentences are connected. I would say this way.
英語とフランス語の勉強をして、海外の友達を作りたい
Two sentences are connected again. This is also fine.
英語とフランス語の勉強と、海外の友達作りをしたい
Two nouns are connected and a verb したい follows. I think this is still OK, though 友達作り seems a bit formal and strict.
Here's the summary: If you want to connect nouns only, you can connect them with と. If sentences only, connect them with して or たり. If their forms differ, unify them with one.
Although the sentence is indeed unnatural, I guess young Japanese tend to use this kind of words, especially on Twitter or something. I can take in the meaning at least.
