Why Should I Learn a New Language?

Why should I learn languages, especially if I speak English? This is the attitude of many monolingual English speaker. 

Well, having already established the fact that studying or working abroad enables you to think in a more complex and creative way, in this post we will focus more on the importance of learning a foreign language. There are some surprising psychological and physical benefits of language learning.

Perhaps I am preaching to the converted since many of you already speak several languages and believe in their importance. However, it doesn’t hurt to remind ourselves anew of the advantages that learning a new language can bring and also, what's to stop you from learning yet another foreign language?

To encourage you in your endeavors, whatever country you are in and whichever language you are learning regardless of the level you are at now, here are some language facts you may not have known before…

6 cool facts about why you should learn languages:

• Many scientists believe that knowledge of another language can boost your brainpower.
• A study of monolingual and bilingual speakers suggests speaking two languages can help slow down the brain’s decline with age.
• Bilingualism makes the learning of additional languages easier, enhances the thinking process and fosters contacts with other people and their cultures.
• Around 75% of the world's population doesn’t speak a word of English and a grasp of a different language improves your abilities to use your first language and explore other cultures more successfully.​
• According to research, on average, people who use languages in their jobs earn around 8% more.
• Speaking language makes you much more employable when looking for a job – even if the job you’re applying for doesn’t require the language(s).

Bonus fact: Speaking another language is an impressive skill – your friends and family will be super impressed!

Moving to a new country and adapting to another language and culture can sometimes be a stressful experience, especially when you don’t know the language. When put under such pressure, the normal and physiological reaction that we experience is the “fight or flight” response, which ultimately determines our survival.  Sometimes our response at first might be to shy away from integrating and instead find people from our own cultural and linguistic background. After all, it's easy to stay in your comfort zone, but we all know by now that this is not where the magic happens!

Taking the step to learning the language of the new place you are living in is a hugely rewarding experience, not only because you will feel so much better connected to the people and culture around you, but because it will definitely bring benefits in the long and short term. And actually, you might just find out along the way that learning a language is a fun and enjoyable experience! Furthermore, it is better to take a leap of faith into the unknown than being stuck and feeling powerless. If you don't know how to start it, you can always hire professional help, such as Language Trainers. They tend to use language level tests to help you understand your current level and what's the best approach to take in this journey.  

Do you see? There are lots of reasons why you should learn languages - even if you already speak more than one!

For more fascinating language facts check out this link!