Learning a new language may seem like a hard task, but anyone who has gone through the effort of doing so will know that it’s definitely worth it. There are so many reasons why learning a language can enrich your life, and in this article, we’ll look at ten of the best reasons why it should definitely be something you tick off your bucket list.
1. Because you can
It’s kind of stating the obvious here, but the best reason to do this is simply because you can. There are no downsides to learning a new language, but there are plenty of benefits. If you really believe it’s too difficult, then consider this; children in countries where English is the second language can often speak it fluently before the age of ten. If a young child can learn a second language, why can’t you?
2. Banish the possibility of unemployment
There are always going to be jobs available for translators and linguists. There are employment opportunities in schools, intelligence agencies, call centres, tourism businesses, and major corporations. Knowing the local language will also make it easier if you’re intending to teach English in a foreign country.
If improving your employment prospects is the primary motivation for learning a new language, then it’s best to choose one that provides good opportunity. Spanish, for example, is the primary language in 22 countries, and there are 52 million Spanish-speaking people in the United States alone. Bulgarian, on the other hand, is only widely spoken in Bulgaria.
For work in the tourism sector, languages such as Chinese, Japanese, and French may prove useful. For intelligence, policing, and military work, all languages are in demand (even Bulgarian), but especially Indonesian, Korean, Chinese, Hindi, Punjabi, Farsi, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, and French.
3. It can make travel easier and more interesting
Knowing a foreign language obviously helps to smooth the way when you are travelling in a country where that language is widely spoken. Some languages even help you in countries where the language is not the primary language.
For example, knowing Indonesian will also be helpful when travelling in Malaysia, because the two languages are very closely related. Most Indonesians can understand Malaysian, and most Malaysians can understand Indonesian. Many other languages have similar cross-over ability.
4. It can help you understand more advanced areas of study
While knowing a foreign language isn’t strictly necessary for success in other fields, you’d be surprised how often foreign words are necessary in certain subjects. For example:
- The study of psychology and parapsychology often involves a lot of German words
- The study of music involves a lot of Italian words
- The sciences, law, and medicine all use a lot of Latin words
- Greek is used extensively in the study of philosophy.
5. There are cognitive benefits
Even the word ‘cognitive’ comes into English from another language (Latin). Numerous studies have found that learning additional languages has many benefits to the mind. Among the benefits claimed include:
- Improved ability to learn new things
- Improved memory retention
- Improved decision-making skills
- Improved multi-tasking capacity
- Decreased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
6. The world becomes more accessible
With additional languages in your repertoire (that’s originally a French word, by the way), you’ll be able to enjoy more books, movies, and live performances, without needing to rely on translations to assist you.
7. It can save your life
Would you believe that knowing a foreign language can save your life? Well, it’s true, and there are various reasons why, including:
- Many warning signs in other countries may not be translated, or may be incorrectly translated. Understanding these signs properly is vital for keeping safe.
- If you get arrested or you’re involved in a traffic accident in a foreign country, the local people won’t enjoy the usual advantage they’d have over you, because you will understand what they are telling the police, and you will be able to negotiate directly with the police yourself.
- You may be able to talk your way out of a dangerous situation if you find yourself in trouble with locals while travelling.
8. It can save you money
Many countries unofficially (and sometimes officially) have two-tiered pricing – one price for tourists and another for locals. Sometimes, simply being able to speak the local language is enough to prevent you being charged the tourist price.
9. It’s impressive
Not everyone makes the effort to learn foreign languages, so the fact that you have done so is sure to win you respect and maybe even admiration from others.
10. It can give you a competitive edge in business
Being able to communicate in more than one language can help you close deals more easily than competitors who can’t. You can also cut out middle-men, reduce the risk of being cheated, and it helps show respect for the other business party you are dealing with.
Learning a new language is never boring
Probably the best reason to learn a new language is because it’s fun. You will find much joy in the process of discovery, and as your skills improve you’ll have good reason to feel proud of your accomplishment. With so many good reasons to learn another language, and no real reason not to, it’s really something you ought to consider.
