Top Ten Reasons to Learn a New Language

In the last few years, multilingualism has turned from a mere “important” skill into an “extremely advantageous” one in many aspects of life including intelligence, business, and communication. Being able to communicate using two or more languages helps you understand many different cultural perspectives as well. Of course, the main reason to learn a new language is to master an additional method of communication besides your native tongue, but it is not the only motivation. Here are ten other reasons to spark your interest:

1. Communication Skills

Let us start with the obvious one. Learning a new language is the process of improving your communication skills. It may sound surprising, but by trying to understand how to say and write things in another language, you are also improving your ability to communicate using your native tongue. During the learning process, you must pay attention to verb tenses, order of words, and other parts of speech. Whether you realize it or not, you transfer your willingness to treat your native language in the same way. Chances are you’ll be surprised to find out that you don’t always speak and write your everyday language properly.

2. Brain Training

Like every muscle in your body, the brain requires training to keep it sharp. Trying to understand a new language is like a tiring workout for the brain’s executive control center, the hub that manages cognitive processes. Learning a second language is probably the best workout regimen to keep the brain working at its full potential.

3. Concise Decision Making

Based on a report published in Psychological Science on April 18, 2012, thinking in foreign language apparently increases our ability to solve problems based on logic and reduces the role of instinct. The experiment for this conclusion involved 121 American students who also learned Japanese as second language. They were presented with a hypothetical choice as follows:

A disease would kill 600,000 people, but doctors could develop either a medicine that certainly saved 200,000 lives or another medicine that had only 33.3% of saving them all.

When the problem was presented in English, 80% participants chose the safest option: saving 200,000 lives was better than having to take more chances. In the next test, the problem was framed in the context of “losing rather than saving lives” in which the safe option number dropped to about only 47%. However, when the problem was presented in Japanese, safe option number was consistent at around 40% regardless of the context.

Based on that report, it is safe to say that thinking in native language is often associated with emotional-based decision-making process that involves natural biases. On the other hand, thinking in a second language gives more consistent ability to use logic.

4. Better Creativity

Native language is learned, it is not a natural skill gifted to you when you were born. As a child, your brain had incredible abilities to quickly master the language spoken around you. It was complemented by remarkable listening and memorizing skills. The rate at which people learn new things slows considerably into early adulthood, but it doesn’t have to be this way. When studying a new language, your brain works hard to deliver conscious thoughts, memorize new vocabulary, and plan/think before you say anything. Added with newly increased cognitive flexibility, you hone the pillars that build creativity.

5. Better Listener

Based on a study conducted at Northwestern University, bilingual people actually have the potential to “fine-tune” their auditory system, leading to better capabilities of paying attention and memorizing. When listening to a speaker against distracting background noises, bilingual people are able to distinguish or isolate only the sounds they want to hear. In real life circumstances, listening skills play major roles in building relationships with friends, employers, colleagues and other people in the social circle.

6. New Cultural Scene

Studying new languages always involves the process of understanding new cultures. It will involve studying previously untouched literary works such as books and films. If you are studying Brazilian Portuguese, for example, you will need to learn about historical events in the country, famous people, Portuguese artworks, etc.

7. Studying Abroad

One of the main reasons why people decide to learn a new language is when they are about to study or work abroad. In this case, the language spoken in the new country is not only important, but also an essential survival skill. Whether you are studying or working abroad, living in an entirely different environment with new people who have different cultural backgrounds can be difficult. Your ability to communicate will help you adjust more quickly.

8. Staying Safe Abroad

Even when you are not yet fluent, understanding basic words such as “help”, “please”, “thank you”, “excuse me”, and “how are you?” in another language will be useful. Understanding road signs will make you safe while driving too. It is not uncommon to see foreign people carrying pocket dictionaries, and you can use the same trick as well.

9. Career Prospect

Speaking in another language will be a major factor that boosts your chances of landing a job. In fact, this is a highly appreciated skill in all fields of business. It opens doors to employment and probably leads to business opportunities because you understand how to make good offers to customers from foreign countries. Employers see multilingualism as a sign of competence and intelligence even if the languages spoken are not necessarily needed in the field.

10. Traveling

Even leisure activities in a foreign country require you to have conversation with the natives. Once again, you don’t have to be perfectly fluent; being able to speak a few basic words for ordering food, asking for directions, and asking recommendations are priceless. A simple hello instantly breaks down the cultural barrier and brings a sense of friendliness.

Bottom line, learning a new language changes not only your perspective towards other cultures, but also improves your brain’s ability to cope with problems and develop creative solutions.