Learning a Second Language: Why Should You
More than 7000 languages are spoken worldwide, which makes it impossible for one person to master them all. But why not devote some time to study one or two? Though learning a foreign language takes persistence, and quite some time, the benefits are numerous. Travel abroad, professional opportunities, development of cognitive capacities: you can easily open up new horizons by learning a new language.
Learn a New Language for Daily Pleasure
One of the reasons to study languages bringing much joy to a person on a daily basis is to do it for love and passion. Even if it is your professional obligation, you may find out that you are a massive language lover. It will also permit you to take full advantage of your travels, making them more enjoyable as well. All in all, the interest in learning a new language is justified in an infinite number of fields.
Go Live Abroad Easily
Learning the language beforehand will allow you to better adapt and communicate with the maximum efficiency if you move to a foreign country. Even if a majority of the inhabitants of the country in question speak your language, learning the local language shows your interest in the culture of the country and your willingness to integrate, work and live in it. If you’re going to move to Singapore, have a look at Newport Residences condo freehold project at Tanjong Pagar, Singapore and will be released for purchase in 2022 by CDL.
However, it is possible to move for work or studies and master the language when you are inside the cultural context.
Dialog with Your (or Someone Else’s) Family
Many children of immigrants have not had the opportunity to learn the mother tongue of their parents. Learning Chinese at https://www.slcedu.sg/o-level-chinese-tuition-singapore is not only a way to communicate with family members who speak it, but also to reconnect with your roots and the culture of your ancestors. The language can thus be transmitted to future generations and enrich their cultural competences. For couples where two persons are of different origins, learning a foreign language is also a way to understand their in-laws, to integrate better, and to show respect for this different culture.
Increase Your Professional Opportunities
If your job requires you to communicate frequently with people around the world, mastering their language will allow you to establish more effective relationships with them while reflecting a more professional image. Not to mention that, on average, a multilingual employee can expect from 5% to 20% higher compensation depending on the sector. On another note, learning a foreign language opens up your professional horizons and improves your geographic mobility.
Travel Abroad
Learning a new language is a passport to have a stay of better quality when traveling abroad. This advice is particularly true in the case of a long trip and for staying in less developed tourist areas where it is tough to be understood unless you speak the local language. You will make the most of your host country and its cultural and gastronomic experiences. You will also be able to understand the safety instructions and signs and, in such a way, strengthen your security.
Fully Enjoy Leisure Time
Literature, movies, cooking, music … Whatever is your favorite activity or a topic of conversation with friends, learning a new language is often a way to spread your passion to the practices of other countries and to communicate with enthusiasts around the world. What is more, you obtain access to more information, which may be limited in your mother tongue due to various government policies and strategies.
Boost Your Brain Capacities
Learning a new language helps maintain and improve cognitive skills. According to the scientific journal Annals of Neurology, adults who learn a foreign language have a quicker mind and are more reactive. People who speak two or more languages have better cognitive skills at the age of 70. In this way, you are slowing your brain’s aging by studying a new language. Could it be an elixir of eternal youth a human being has been looking for centuries?
Keep Alzheimer’s Away
It is a fact that Alzheimer’s disease can affect anyone. The good news is that a study presented in the scientific journal Neuropsychologia shows that bilinguals, on the average, develop the disorder under consideration 4.5 years later than other people. Learning a new language would, therefore, be a great way to maintain your memory and prevent such neurologic diseases as Alzheimer’s.
Better Analytical Skills at School
Learning a new language brings benefits from an early age. Some studies prove positive effects for kids attending school: they were better able to repeat a series of numbers, perform mental calculations, and reproduce identical pictures. Chances are higher that it can help adults with developing analytical skills at work as well. Need help with those spreadsheets?
Better Academic Performance
Bilingual students have heightened intelligence and are more focused, according to various studies by York University. Bilingualism makes them better learners and gives a competitive advantage over their monolingual classmates. It also makes them better communicators. However, writing assignments might be rather challenging at first, so often, students turn to Google with ‘help me write my essay’ requests and look for professional writers to help them with proofreading or editing before they master this skill.
Better Adaptation to Change
People who speak two or more languages would also be better able to change tasks quickly and multitask. Multitasking is one of the most required skills for most of the jobs. Studying languages represents the most pleasant way to improve this competence without being subjected to too much stress. Accustomed to juggling between two languages, translating words in the thoughts and out loud, listening, and translating simultaneously, the brain turns into a multitasking tool that easily adapts to various changes.
Optimal Concentration
Learning a foreign language implies a considerable effort of attention. In order to retain a particular vocabulary, rules of grammar and conjugation, you need to concentrate on the logical connections between new pieces of information. Besides, listening to a conversation in another language requires additional effort to understand and formulate an answer. All of the operations mentioned above contribute to the better concentration for your daily tasks.
Apart from all of the exciting things about learning languages mentioned above, it’s worth mentioning that each language reflects a different culture, historical background, and even a way of thinking. Learning a new language means learning how people who speak it live and think. It is a fantastic opportunity to walk in someone’s (international) shoes.