Main Reasons And Benefits Of Learning a New Language
There are, of course, many benefits to studying languages, for leisure or professional development. In this article, I give my list of what I believe to be the best 5 things about learning a new language.
- Being able to speak more than one language will make you less likely to develop dementia later in life, and this is a huge benefit to your mental health.
- Being able to speak a foreign language will make you more employable, as language skills are very useful for businesses. This can give you more opportunities and earning potential. Many jobs have a set requirement for a specific language. Your dream job may require you to speak a foreign language, so make sure you don’t miss out on a great opportunity.
- Learning a new language will give you an even greater understanding of your own language. You will see similarities and differences between your mother tongue and the language you are studying. I have reflected very much on the English language while learning other languages.
- You will get the opportunity to talk to people who don’t speak your native language. This can allow you to make friends or business contacts with people you otherwise couldn’t communicate with effectively. Also, while travelling you will enjoy your visits more if you can talk to the locals in either their language or a common language between both of you.
- Finally, my personal favourite thing about learning a new language. Exposure to new cultures and different art. When I studied French at school, I was exposed to French comedy, which enjoyed a huge amount. I’m also a very keen cook, and the French language and culture are huge for gastronomy. I have since been learning Portuguese and I really enjoy traditional Brazilian music and Brazilian cinema, which I would never be exposed to without learning Portuguese first. Think of all the new films, television programmes, films, and styles of music you can discover.
What undiscovered passions could exist in your life if you started to learn a new language and immerse yourself in their culture? Is there a language you always wanted to learn, and what is stopping you?
I'm a British born teacher, who has been teaching English since 2017. I qualified with a TEFL master's course. I have worked at a variety of different English schools in Brazil.
