We are social human beings. Social interaction plays one of the major roles in our lives.
One of the things that can help you socialize and meet other people is learning foreign languages. Do you know why learning a second language is beneficial?
Learning and speaking a second language has many benefits. Besides more job and promotion opportunities, speaking foreign languages has a positive impact on your memory. There are also many health benefits of learning a second language that can save you from some diseases, such as Alzheimer’s or dementia.
But one of the biggest benefits of learning foreign languages is of social nature.
Here are the top 9 social benefits of learning a second language.
Better Connection With Native Speakers
When you communicate with other people in a language both of you speak, that is a good thing to talk about anything you want.
But when you speak to a person in his native language, it shows not only that you respect your speaker, but also that you would like a deeper bond with him.
For example, when you speak with a native Spanish speaker in English, you may feel a little more respect from him. And when you give your best and communicate with him in Spanish, he will be pleased because he senses the respect you give to him by trying to talk to him in his native language.
Better Communication
Even though English is considered a world language almost everyone speaks, you will be surprised, but not everyone speaks English.
Communicating in another language with its native speakers, especially with those who don’t speak English, will make overall communication more clear.
Even though you don’t speak the language fluently, you can use the words and phrases you already know and explain the native speakers in their language.
Besides their full respect, even if you haven’t said it correctly, they will understand what you are trying to say.
Better Understanding of a Native Language
When you start learning a second language, slowly, you’ll understand your native language.
Most of us learned our mother tongue from the day we were born, naturally, by hearing and then practicing one word at a time. We are immersed in the language from our first days. It also means that we might not know how our native language works, its rules, exceptions, and logic.
In learning foreign languages, you learn rules. Parallel with this, you also learn how your native language works because quite often some of the rules correlate between your native and target language. And that way, you understand better your native language and its rules and logic.
Understanding Similarities Between Languages
Even though languages are different, most of them mainly share the same ancestor.
It means that deep in some parts of their languages, words, grammar, or sounds, they are similar.
For example, most languages spoken in Europe and some parts of Asia are descendants of the same ancient language. A long time ago, they were one. Over time, they started to spread and every one of the tribe members went in another direction, looking for, perhaps, a better life. During decades and centuries, they started to develop and differ from each other, which resulted in today’s so many different languages. But, some things they surely preserved from their ancient language.
And that is what language learners can find out to ease the language learning process.
Appreciation of Language Differences
The same as you would understand and use similarities between languages, knowing and accepting differences benefits you in many different areas.
When you speak more different languages, you understand different people, starting from their body language and lifestyle to culture and tradition.
And when you understand them better, you appreciate the differences and respect that people aren’t the same.
After all, if we all were the same, the planet would be so boring.
Possibility to See Things From Different Angles
When we talk about social situations, being able to see things from different perspectives is one more advantage language learners can be proud of.
As we mentioned in the previous lines, a person who speaks more than one language understands other people from different places and people who don’t speak the same language as that person. The explanation is in the possibility of the person to understand that we aren’t the same, and just like we speak different languages, we also behave differently and live our lives in different ways.
Better Cultural Awareness
You must be wondering how on Earth learning a foreign language can help with cultural awareness?
The answer is simple.
Knowing more than one language helps you get to know different cultures and traditions.
If your native language, for example, is French and you are studying Chinese, you’re probably learning about the Chinese fun facts, culture, and tradition, which is entirely different from French.
Getting to know some new and different things about other languages and nations, is a lesson on its own. It shows you that other cultures, although different from yours, are also fascinating.
It also shows you that differences between people and nations can get you even closer together.
Language Learners Are More Confident
Learning and practicing foreign languages isn’t an easy task.
At times, it can also be hard and you can feel like a complete failure. But all that is just one challenging step that leads you to the end of your road.
When you complete your missing called learning a second language, you are proud of yourself and feel more confident.
During your path not only do you learn the language, but you also improve many other things, such as social interaction, understanding that making mistakes during studying is an experience more, and improve your self-awareness. In other words, you know who you are and what you want to be for yourself and others, as well.
Better Opportunity For Learning Other Languages
Once you succeed in learning a second language and start speaking with native speakers, the feeling of joy and pride overwhelms you.
You show yourself that you did it; you’ve learned a foreign language.
Many language learners go further. They start learning their third, even fourth language. And every next language is easier to learn because you already know which things to closely pay attention to and which tips and tricks to use to memorize as many words and phrases as you can.
And if you choose to learn a similar language to the one you already speak, then learning one more language will be a piece of cake for you.
If you’ve, for example, learned Spanish, then you surely understand many Portuguese words. Learning Portuguese in cases like this will take twice as faster as learning Spanish was. And you’ll be rich with one more foreign language and the opportunity to meet new, interesting people.
Learning a foreign language isn’t easy. However, it doesn’t have to be a nightmare, especially when you think about the reward you’ll get. From the first lesson, you will see the social benefits we were talking about.
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What are some benefits of learning a second language?
More career opportunities, healthier brain, deeper connections with other cultures, better communication skills, a better understanding of similarities between languages, better cultural awareness
How does learning a foreign language help with cultural awareness
Knowing more than one language helps you get to know different cultures and traditions. If your native language, for example, is French and you are studying Chinese, you’re probably learning about the Chinese fun facts, culture, and tradition, which is entirely different from French. Getting to know some new and different things about other languages and nations, is a lesson on its own. It shows you that other cultures, although different from yours, are also fascinating. It also shows you that differences between people and nations can get you even closer together.
How does learning a second language help benefit you socially and culturally?
Knowing more than one language helps you get to know different cultures and traditions. When you speak more different languages, you understand different people, starting from their body language and lifestyle to culture and tradition. And when you understand them better, you appreciate the differences and respect that people aren’t the same. After all, if we all were the same, the planet would be so boring.
