Learning a foreign language is on the bucket list of many individuals. Whether we seek to travel the world, watch famous films in their original language, or simply chat to the interesting person next door, there are a host of reasons to become fluent in another language. The most rewarding aspect of speaking another language is the ability to communicate and connect with a different and more diverse range of people. However, there are several additional benefits to learning a new language as well.
1. Start Learning a New Language Today
Given the multitude of benefits derived from possessing a varied language repertoire, it is no wonder that many people are using their pandemic downtime to improve on their language skills. Traditionally, it has been hard for aspiring polyglots to pick up new languages due to the difficulty of finding suitable language tutors in the vicinity. In addition, face-to-face classes typically have numerous students, making it challenging for students to proceed at pace conducive to their individual learning. Physical classes often have rigid schedules as well, meaning that students have to play catch-up if they miss even a single session.
Conversely, flexibility and personalization are where online classes shine. This is why many people choose to learn a new language. Certain quality online language programs offer personal tutors who provide one-on-one lessons. Students can schedule classes at a time that is convenient for them without having to sacrifice school, work, or family commitments. They can log on to class from the comfort of their home without having to brave the stress of commuting.
With private classes, students receive more personal attention from their tutors and feel less self-conscious, allowing them to practice verbally and build up fluency easily. Some online language platforms even have attractive discounts for college and university students, who can use the extra language skills to boost their CVs.
2. Understanding Different Cultures
With the Internet breaking down physical borders, our world is becoming increasingly multicultural. Learning a foreign language can help you to understand the history and ideologies behind another culture. This can foster the appreciation of unique traditions, customs, and beliefs, and help you to view various life experiences with a refreshed perspective. With this comes empathy and respect for cultures outside of your own. As many communities currently struggle with racism and xenophobia, language learning is a route to better awareness and acceptance of that which is unfamiliar. By widening your world view and shifting your personal paradigms, you can recognize cultural stereotypes and help to combat prejudice.
3. A New Challenge
The learner’s mindset is particularly useful in your day-to-day life as well. While being willing to make mistakes in front of strangers is a necessary part of learning, it puts many people outside of their comfort zone. Yet, the sense of accomplishment that comes with mastering another language can increase your confidence ten-fold. Likewise, being bilingual or multilingual can make you more interesting to others—in particular, employers.
4. Increase your Employability
In this age of globalization, individuals with the skills to communicate with clients from multiple countries are in high demand. Hence, picking up a second language might be the key to a sought-after position or an exciting alternative career path. Bilingual jobs across the globe include translators, international sales representatives, and even scuba diving instructors!
5. It’s Good For your Brain
Outside of practical considerations, learning another language can bring with it neurological benefits. Neuroplasticity refers to the ability of the neural networks in the brain to change and reorganize constantly. When we acquire information and go through fresh experiences, we encourage neuroplasticity, allowing our brains to make novel neural connections and alter our default mode of operation. Multiple studies have shown that learning a foreign language results in the physical growth of the language-related areas of our brain—the hippocampus and the cerebral cortex. By forcing our brains to ‘work out’ with the stimulation of a foreign language, we improve various cognitive functions such as concentration and reasoning capability.
Studying a second language activates areas of the brain that are dormant in monolinguals, paving the way for new neural associations. Because multilingual people need to memorize significantly more language information than monolinguals, speaking another language reinforces both your short-term and long-term memory. Due to grammar and vocabulary rules differing across languages, multilingual people also develop the cognitive flexibility to retain several sets of information at the same time. This enables them to be more efficient at multitasking and controlling their attention span. The heightened activity in the brain has also been proven to delay the onset of dementia, with lifelong bilingual people experiencing unfavorable symptoms five years later than monolingual people.
Conclusion
As vaccinations roll out around the world, it will soon be routine to travel again. Whether you want to learn Russian to visit Saint Basil’s Cathedral, Spanish to read Pablo Neruda poems to your crush, or German to get a job at Daimler AG, knowing another language will open doors for you around the world. With so many languages to express yourself in, why settle for knowing only one?