So, I'm not extremely experienced. I've used ActionScript 3.0, javascript, and Python for my own stuff, and C, C++, assembly, and Python in school.
My favorite is JavaScript. It's simple and intuitive. It's very high-level, and I like that, because there's certain details I prefer not to have to worry about when all I want is to move objects around in a 2d or 3d context, save info, and make menus. I really like how the more advanced features are designed to look like the basic features. For example, instead of learning a new syntax for classes, you make objects that used function syntax, and establish inheritance by assigning to a property (prototype). I also like how you deal with "private" and "public" variables by making local vars and setting properties. You can do a lot of things with the same syntax rules, which I feel makes the language feel more fluid. When writing class files in other languages, I feel like I've been handed a blank sheet of paper by someone saying "please fill out this form". I feel like javascript is much closer to a natural language, which makes it more fun to write in. I also like how it deals with types. I love that a var can be whatever type it wants to be and change its mind at any time. I love how you can put multiple types in an array, so that I can make a list of dialogue lines to go through, with a function in the middle of the array giving you 3 potions. And speaking of which, I love that functions can be treated as vars. It makes them so much easier to work with. And I love anonymous functions.
C++ is kind of an awkward mix between high level and low level, I think; there are a lot of things it doesn't take care of for me that I wish it would...I hate segfaults...Also, it is very structured and has all these fences to keep me under control (where javascript makes me feel like I'm in this giant, beautiful valley and I can run around as I please). I've gotten used to C++ and understand the paradigm it is based on, but I still think it's my least favorite. I also don't really like assembly, because it takes away some layers of abstraction, and I prefer to be able to abstract freely
. For some reason, though, I kind of like C, because it has familiar syntax that allows me to more easily abstract while still avoiding the illusion that I'm working with a magical box rather than a machine.
I feel like ActionScript 3 is an awkward mix between strongly-typed, formal languages and javascript, but it's not too bad.
Python is my second favorite, because it is also very intuitive and it looks very clean (I think that counts for something!). Also, I like how easy classes are. I was talking to a recruiter at school, and he asked about my experience with Python, and I said I didn't know how to do classes, and then I was like, hey, actually, I think I do know how. I saw an example online the other day while I was learning about something else, and I think I have it down. I took a Bioinformatics course where we used a lot of Python, and I really like python's tools for working with numbers and reformatting text.