Photo taken by me in Ryukyu Mura, Okinawa

Read classic English literature and you will notice that there are often characters that are multilingual, speaking one if not all the romance languages. Why is this not the case anymore? As English speakers, why do we feel comfortable just knowing as much? Why do we get angry or feel threatened when there is a possibility we have to incorporate Spanish into our school systems? People have more access to technology and means of travel than they did back in the days of Humbert Humbert. So why are we satisfied with traveling the world knowing just English?

If you couldn’t tell by my posts as of late, I am all for learning foreign languages. Here are some reasons why you should learn a foreign language:

Improves your conversation level in your native language
As strange as it sounds, learning a foreign language does help your own native language. You will understand broad grammatical concepts better and even learn words you didn’t know existed (like, um, moxibustion.)

Educates you in another culture
This is a great plus when learning a language—you inevitably have the learn the culture, and how much better you will understand a foreign culture when you know the language!

Understand humor in a different way
What, did you think all humor revolved around a guy in a suit with a mic? Humor is expressed differently all over the world, most of the time in ways that can’t be understood in the English language.

Exercises your brain
This is an obvious one. Learning another language requires you to learn a grammar structure that is unlike English grammar—this involves more thinking and brain activity. And because there is a correlation between math and a language, you might find yourself being able to solve logical puzzles easier.

Fights Alzheimer’s
This relates to the previous point—studies have shown that knowing a second language may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease because it forces you to use your brain. I’d imagine this is because speaking in another language requires more brain work than speaking your native one.

Broadens your world
Another obvious point, but one that might be missed, especially those in education systems that require foreign language credits, where it’s easy to see learning a foreign language as a chore rather than something that can open up your world entirely.

Books, movies, and music
You can read books in another language, which means you have access to those that have not (or never will!) make their way into the English speaking world. You will also have access to more music and movies and not be limited by forms of entertainment that are in English only.

Increase job opportunities
It is no secret that learning a foreign language is a huge plus when trying to get a job. A lot of times companies will hire you for the language factor on its own, even if you’ve had no training in the field you’re applying for. Letting a prospective employer know that you are fluent, or even still studying, a foreign language will catch their eye and help you stand out from all the rest.

Can be passed on to future generations
To be able to pass on a foreign language is a great way of enriching your children’s lives. They will have so many opportunities unavailable to those limited to English, and as children they have an easier time learning a new language than adults.

Opens doors to other languages
Learning a language such as Chinese or Spanish will pave the way for learning similar languages, since vocabulary and grammar structures are often shared. This probably explains why many characters in classic novels were able to speak not just in one language, but in several. Think of M. Arronax in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, who could speak not just French, but in English and Latin (!) as well.

It’s not that hard
English by default is a really hard language to learn—there are so many grammatical rules and exceptions, it’s no wonder a lot of people think that they can never learn another language. But if you sit down and look at the grammatical structures of another language, chances are you’ll find they are really logical.

People will respect you in other countries
It’s really easy to encourage negative stereotypes of English speakers abroad (particularly Americans) when they visit countries that they can’t speak the language of. Some people even have the audacity to assume everyone across the globe can speak English, which is entirely untrue. But if you go to a foreign country and rattle off what you know, even in a broken form of the language, it is better than not knowing anything.

There are sooo many more positives in learning another language, but hopefully this will give you an idea of some of the major ones!

2 Comments »

I go to Hong Kong and the big cities in South China every lunar new years since 2001. I learned manderin in 2005. now my visits are so different. Its like there country changed so much,when in real,thay didnt. it was me that changed. “COM-UN-I-CATE-ION” is what changed!

Said by billy garman | February 23, 2009 @ 4:54 am

Learning a new skill is beneficial because a person would have a higher self-confidence, and there are lots of good career opportunities if a person knows how to speak a second language.

And there are lots of people today who are learning Spanish. And you could use Spanish as a hobby, especially if you are into arts and literature.

Said by Louie @ Spanish Language Grammar | December 12, 2009 @ 3:01 am

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