Reading the title, you might not be expecting much - just some idiot ranting about his love for languages and why everyone should listen to him. But there are many things that can come from learning languages that can greatly benefit you in the future.
Most of the world is bilingual, no doubt about that, with 56% percent of people being able to speak more than just their native tongue. Yet, here in the UK, we only have a measly 5-8% of people able to speak a second language.
One of the most diverse places for languages in the UK is London, where there are more than 300 languages spoken in households in and around the city. Many of these languages are taught before English, with, often-times, immigrants speaking their native tongue at home and English when out and about. However, there seems to be a certain stigma against languages in our country. Forced to learn French from an age where we weren’t interested in becoming master linguists and too old to have the neuroplasticity babies have when learning to speak. This gives most of us a dislike towards languages, thanks to our misunderstanding and lack of will to push forward with a subject we find difficult or else boring.
In S5 at SMC, there are only 19 kids studying either French, German, or Spanish. This is extremely disappointing as the doors opened from learning a foreign language are incredibly useful. For example, if you had the exact same
qualifications as someone else, yet you could speak a second language, you would almost certainly be hired instead. Being able to speak a foreign language also enables you to work and travel abroad with ease. Always wanted to work in Asia or Europe? Speaking Mandarin, Spanish or German will help you greatly. You could work as a teaching assistant in a school abroad. You could receive better treatment while on vacation, as natives are known to be kinder to those who try to learn their culture. And who knows? Maybe you’ll meet your soulmate or your best friend while abroad. Many people who learn another language often find their personality changes when they speak away from their native tongue. Maybe you’re more expressive when speaking Italian, or more flirtatious when speaking Spanish.
Learning languages can greatly improve your status amongst your peers, especially in terms of how your friends see you. Being able to get directions without any hassle might just impress the people who are travelling along with like.
As the world becomes more and more diverse culturally, languages are an enormous part of culture and how people see each other. As Nelson Mandela said, “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his native language, that goes to his heart.”
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