Why Is It Important To Learn A Foreign Language?

Why is it important to learn a foreign language? Basically, the advantages of learning foreign languages have the ability to set you up for success in nearly every aspect of your life. Check out these seven reasons to study a foreign language:1. Learning a foreign language is sexy.With its warmth and voluptuous sounds, hearing someone speaking a foreign language is like the sound of gold coming to embrace you. Speaking a foreign language is incredibly sexy, and it can make you more attractive, interesting, and gives you an air of intelligence. A lot of people find a certain language or accent to be really sexy think Pen lope Cruz s Spanish or Monica Bellucci s Italian you get the picture.

2. Travel becomes cheaper and easier when you learn a foreign language.It s 10 p.m. You just got off a 14-hour flight and all you want to do is fall face-first into your pillow. If you are solely armed with a smattering of navigational terms in the local language, finding your place to crash could turn into a painfully slow process. Without the right lingo, you are limited to expensive or slower options. So you save yourself some time, money, and grief when you learn a foreign language. Just as a few key phrases will make transportation that much faster and cheaper, and the same is true for choosing a place to stay. This means lower rates and a better (even more authentic) experience.

3. Learning a foreign language opens up a world of job opportunities.It s no secret that learning a foreign language can improve your employment prospects. More companies than ever are doing business in several often dozens of countries around the world, but they can t do it without hiring people who have a grasp on at least one foreign language. Even in small, local companies, chances are that the ability to speak a second language will set you apart from other applicants. And in an increasingly competitive job market, why not give yourself every possible edge?

4. Foreign language study grows your brain.Studies have demonstrated the cognitive benefits of learning another language, no matter how old you are. These studies have shown that bilinguals tend to have bigger brains, better memories, are more creative, better problem solvers, etc. Not only do these advantages make it easier to learn yet more languages, they also make it easier to learn, well, anything. The ability to quickly switch between tasks is especially important in today s busy, multitasking world. Bilinguals can switch between tasks much faster than their monolingual counterparts and can handle many more tasks at once.

5. Form meaningful friendships when you study a foreign language.Meeting new and interesting people and developing lifelong friendships are certainly objectives well worth aspiring for, and learning another language is a sure way to expedite that process. Language helps express our feelings, desires, and connect with other humans around us and forms meaningful relationships. Speaking a foreign language not only opens up a massive pool of potential friends, but it also acts as an instant common denominator when you meet native speakers. Plus, speaking in a foreign tongue can be like speaking in secret code with your new besties. This approach is not exactly a foolproof Enigma machine, but it can make discussing the sordid details of Friday night s debauchery a little less embarrassing.

6. Studying a foreign language makes you more open-minded.Foreign language study is simply part of a very basic liberal education. To educate is to lead out to lead out of confinement and narrowness and darkness. Learning a foreign language and getting soaked into an entirely new culture and worldview is the surest way to become an open-minded, understanding, tolerant individual, and that is absolutely priceless. Once you are aware of the fact that we are all cultural beings, products of our own environments, and that you recognize the cultural base for your own attitudes and behavior, you are ready to consider others in a more favorable light. Seeing the world from a different perspective, and understanding where you and others come from, is a fantastic, eye-opening experience.

7. Foreign language study helps you better understand your own language and culture.Learning a foreign language can actually pull a sort of reverse psychology on you and provide you with a better understanding of your own native tongue and culture. This is one of the most unexpected advantages of learning a foreign language. You will become much more conscious of not only cultural customs, but of the grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation patterns of your first language. This likely explains the improvements in listening, reading, and writing skills that foreign language impart to former monolinguals.

Learning a foreign language is of the utmost importance, and the reasons to study a foreign language are innumerable. Studying (and ultimately fluently speaking) a foreign language helps break barriers and connects human beings on a deeper level of mutual understanding. Plus, reaching this mutual understanding will inevitably open a series of doors leading to a more interesting and satisfying personal and professional life!