As a sophomore in high school, I'm a year advanced in my language education, level four of Spanish. Although I may have the skills of a Spanish 5th grader, I love every second that I'm working with the language. I love being able to mold the words and let them flow off of my tongue in rapid-fire, nothing fills me with a greater satisfaction. Although the reasons I am so passionately in love with this language are infinite, I've managed to narrow it down to a top five.
1. Spanish is the 2nd Most Spoken Language in America
After English, Spanish is the top language in America, if you're planning on living in this country, it might not be a bad idea to hit the books and start studying up. Even if you aren't planning on becoming fluent, it's a good idea to have some of the basics, even if its just "hola".
2. Jobs and Applications
Seeing as it's the fastest growing language in America, it's a major boost to have on any resumes. Employers and colleges are constantly looking to see if a person has skill in a language, offering a major advantage to those who do. In fact, almost all colleges require a minimum of two years of language study, with the more prestigious requiring four.
3. Benefits of Learning a Language
Besides the obvious benefits of having a language down on a resume, learning any language will offer more latent advantages. Language has been shown to increase memory, vocabulary, communication skills, and slow down Alzheimer's. These are just a few of the reasons that I have been teaching myself Greek and Norwegian in addition to Spanish. Even better, a person doesn't have to be fluent to gain these benefits, just a basic comprehension of the language will do the trick.
4. Travel
There's no better way to travel than to be able to communicate with the natives and put all those hard hours of learning to use. Language is one of the few things that high schoolers learn that can actually be applied to real life. Speaking the same language at the natives allows travelers to truly experience and become immersed in the culture. Every time I travel to a Spanish-speaking country, I always try my best to talk with the people who live there in their own tongue. Even if I make mistakes in every other sentience, most people appreciate the effort.
5. It's Just Cool
As a final reason, learning a language is just plain awesome. I love being able to chat with my friends in a different tongue, with people around us having no clue as to what we are saying. Eventually, you may even start to dream in another language.
Clearly, there are a multitude of reasons to learn a language, with these being just a few. Learning a language is a unique experience and offers rewards that everyone should be able to claim.
