Reasons to Learn a Foreign Language

Those who know nothing of foreign languages, know nothing of their own. ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

How many languages do you speak? If your answer is one, then you need to wake up and look around you - the world is getting smaller and the citizens of the world are rapidly bridging the boundaries of language and even social / cultural differences. Learning a new language can mean broadening career opportunities, educational opportunities, enhancing global exchange of ideas and information and of course enjoying the beauty of a completely alien language by getting to know the grammatical as well as sociocultural and historical aspects associated with it. Not just that. Learning a new language might also help to enhance your overall learning abilities and broaden your perspective while looking at the world. German, Japanese, Chinese, English, Hindi, Sanskrit, French, Russian, Portuguese, Spanish or any other language has its own rich knowledge base. Learning a foreign language sharpens our overall cognitive skills and helps in better understanding of several subjects and concepts associated with the language.

Learning a language is a multi-faceted learning experience, which enriches you in many ways. First of all learning a new language brings you closer to the origins of the language, and the cultural, historical and social associations of the language with its place of origin. Thus learning a language is like getting to know an entire cultural or social system, with references to the lifestyle, geography, history, arts, economy as well contemporary sociocultural practices including regional dialects and diversities, clothing style, as well as the culinary practices in the area where the language is spoken.

In addition to this, while you are learning about the culture and the language of a particular region you tend to compare it with your own language and culture. While doing this you think of the similarities and differences between your native language and the foreign language which leads to a deeper study of your own language and culture as well. Learning a new language also facilitates better understanding of grammar, sentence construction and overall linguistic aspects of your own language. Thus if you learn a new language, it will not only improve your linguistic scope but also help you to analyze and look at your own language in a deeper and different way.

Learning a new language is a great asset, which is highly valued in the era of globalization. It gives you an edge over others, as you become more equipped to face the global scenario than the people who have a limited set of linguistic skills for communication. In an age where business is crossing boundaries, foreign languages help to break the barriers of language and facilitate exchange of information. Business cannot remain limited owing to the language barriers and hence language experts who are well-versed with the multiple languages, help to promote and advertise the business in various countries using their knowledge of various dialects. In case you learn a foreign dialect it is possible for you to explore job opportunities that involve projects between different countries.

Forging new business ties and contacts for trade in various countries can only be possible with familiarity with each other's languages. Job opportunities for people who learn foreign dialects also include profiles like language translators and interpreters or travel guides in the tourism business. In case of international government and politics arena, the people who are conversant with the foreign languages also have a major role to play during important negotiations, meetings and can be well qualified to become ambassadors in outside countries.

As the world comes closer and all the nations come together to solve world issues, it is very important for people from across the world to understand each other's ideas and exchange information and suggestions. Although English is popularly known as a widely spoken and understood language in the world, it is still not the most widely spoken language in the world and there exist several nations that still are not conversant with it. People need to learn foreign languages in order to facilitate communication amongst several countries in the world. Hence if you wish to enhance the global understanding learning a foreign dialect can be an instrumental step in empowering the global mission for eradication of social and economic problems in the world.

At the end you must know that there are plenty of reasons to learn a foreign language, however, never learn a language only with an aim to grab a job opportunity. There are many people who learn a new language for the heck of it. Remember that you have not mastered a language until you can think in it. It is very easy to think in English, allow your brain to translate it into the foreign dialect and then utter a crude translation of your thoughts, but the true master of languages is the one who can think in the foreign language that he / she learns. Try and embrace the foreign dialect and experience the culture and history associated with it. The way to learn a language might be to acknowledge yourself with the basic reading, writing and speaking skills, but mastering a foreign dialect requires you to accept the language with an open heart and treat it like your own.