Children are told “learn to read and it will open up a new world to you”. This is true for adults too, especially when it comes to learning another language. Whatever your reasons for learning, the benefits of a different language are numerous.
As the author and scholar Nicholas Ostler says:
“Most people in the world are multilingual, and everybody could be; no one is rigorously excluded from another's language community except through lack of time and effort. Different languages protect and nourish the growth of different cultures, where different pathways of human knowledge can be discovered. They certainly make life richer for those who know more than one of them.”
Here at Lingoo we have a passion for languages, and have helped many people in their journey to becoming fluent in everything from French to Mandarin Chinese. We have compiled a selection of reasons as to why taking the plunge and getting to grips with another language is highly beneficial. Read on to find out.
1. You’ll Feel More Comfortable Abroad
It can be daunting to take a holiday in a foreign country where English isn’t widely spoken. Instead of floundering with a phrasebook or clumsily asking for directions, it’s hugely comforting to know the language. It will increase your confidence as a traveller and make you feel truly at ease in your surroundings.
2. You Can Connect with People Better
One of the best things in life is friendship, and speaking another language opens you up to a whole new world of people. The ability to converse easily in another language is the best way to connect with people on a more intimate basis.
3. You’ll Increase Your Ability to Memorise Information
A perfect brain trainer, learning a new language gets the part of the brain that stores memories working in overdrive. This helps it to expand and increase its ability to store information better. Learning a new language is linked with better brain health overall, too.
4. It’s Perfect to Add to Your CV
It’s a fact that most, if not all, businesses work with clients in different countries. Thanks to technological advances, it’s become so much easier for companies to make overseas contacts and sales. Many employers will see huge potential in a job candidate that can speak a different language fluently.
5. You Get to Truly Understand a Culture
A primary reason for learning a new language is an interest in understanding a particular culture at a deeper level. From poetry and literature, to how a society functions, being able to read, write and speak the language will give you the ability to truly immerse yourself in the culture and give you an astute understanding of it.
If you are just starting out, then check our helpful list of basic principles for learning a language to see what methods will suit you.
