Despite living in an age of multicultural assimilation and immersion, multilingualism is underappreciated and its benefits on both a smaller and larger scale are overlooked. Multilingualism provides cultural exposure, better job opportunities, and a clearer insight into the world around us. As described in Ludwig Wittgenstein’s "Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus," “The limits of my language are the limits of my world.”
The United States has a rate of 3.7% in terms of multilingualism. In comparison to countries such as Israel (74.7%) and Spain (68%), this seems almost laughable. Citizens of countries with high rates of proficiency in more than one language often have more diverse options for job opportunities. Fluency in a secondary language offers effective communication in the workplace, as well as an advanced connection in transcontinental business transactions. Ryan McMunn, language expert and CEO of BRIC Language Systems states that those entering the workforce with second language fluency had a 10 to 15 percent pay increase
Learning a new language provides you with new insight into the world around you. According to the Sapir Whorf Hypothesis, a study conducted by linguist Edward Sapir and his student Benjamin Whorf, “In linguistics, the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis states that there are certain thoughts of an individual in one language that cannot be understood by those who live in another language.” This theory is easily demonstrated through the indigenous language of the Inuit. In the words of Edward Sapir, “The Inuit can think more intelligently about snow because their language contains more sophisticated and subtle words distinguishing various forms of it.” Although the English language is extensive, many languages have words with no English equivalent, such as Fernweh, a German word for “The feeling of homesickness you get for a place that you’ve never been to.”
For many people, speaking another language provides a connection to their ancestral heritage. UNCG upcoming Freshman and compound bilingual Omar A. Obregon-Cuebas states “Speaking two languages is being able to access two different worlds. At home and with other Spanish speakers, I participate in a world where the culture and customs are different. Every time I speak Spanish, I bring my parent’s homeland here.”
Learning a new language is made easy through apps such as Duolingo that work to promote multilingualism through simple yet challenging language retention exercises. Duolingo offers free courses in languages such as Spanish, French, Brazilian Portuguese, and Italian. Overall, there are so many benefits to speaking another language. Increased job opportunities, ancestral connections, and new ways of seeing the world become accessible through the retention of a secondary language.
