Learning a new language is not always easy, I should know I’ve been learning Spanish since the womb and while I’m mostly fluent, I’m not 100% confident in my capabilities nevertheless, I love being able to speak two languages and I hope to one day change that to trilingual.
A lot of the people I surround myself with know another language, have attempted to learn one in the past or at the very least have a desire to learn another language. It’s rare for me to find someone who expresses no interest in another language at all. That will never cease to amaze me. Now, I understand that learning another language can be tough but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth it.
There are so many benefits to learning another language, even just learning a few phrases can be beneficial. For one you may find yourself making a connection with a person or a country or even a client that you wouldn’t have before if you hadn’t practiced that language.
The entire world does not speak your language and you shouldn’t expect that they will. Knowing a few helpful phrases or better yet being able to speak the language takes you from being a tourist into someone who’s made an effort. It may not seem like a big deal but, speaking from experience, it makes a huge difference.
As a student, writer and avid reader, knowing another language has increased my understanding of my own language. I’m more aware of what words I use and I’ve increased my vocabulary. The amount of words I can read per minute has increased, which might sound nerdy but is incredibly helpful when I have to read for class. I’ve also gained a greater appreciation for the stories, books and articles I read.
Then there’s the obvious reasons. Being bilingual in the workplace is a huge benefit, one that a lot of employers look for. It makes traveling and navigating around another country or place a lot easier, it may also get you an extra scoop or gelato. It boosts your confidence and increase your brain activity. And finally it’s just cool being able to speak more than one language.
In the end, whether you’re bilingual or not there will be some form of takeaway. Maybe you found an appreciation for poetry or you’ve discovered linguistics is your calling or maybe you’ve expanded your music taste whatever it is, there’s no downside to learning another language and everyone should at least try.
