Here at Ouino, we spend our lives creating language courses and continually work on finding methods to learn languages more effectively. We are obviously very passionate about languages, but we are well-aware that this is not the case for everyone. It is no secret that English is becoming more and more popular around the world. Considering you can get by with English in many countries, you might ask yourself: “What’s the point? Why should I learn a foreign language?”.
This is a very important question to ask yourself, because until you have a clear answer, even the best language-learning method in the world is useless. You simply cannot become fluent in a language if you don’t see the purpose. In order to take on the challenge of learning a new language, you must have strong personal reasons for doing so. The stronger the reason, the better your odds of success. In this post, we will take a look at some of the benefits of learning a new language. Some of these reasons may or may not apply to you, but the goal here is to give you some ideas to help you think of your own individual reasons.
Brain Training and Cognitive Abilities.
Learning a new language has been shown to improve memory and decision making abilities. Studies have shown that bilingualism can even delay Alzheimer’s disease. Like every muscle in the body, the brain requires training to keep it sharp. Learning a new language is like a workout for the brain. It’s an excellent way to keep it working at its full potential. In order to learn a new language, you will need to learn thousands of words, understand sentence structure, recognize and reproduce new sounds, and you will get a better understanding of how your brain works. This brain workout can also improve your memory and help you learn other things in the future.
Personal Growth and Development.
Learning a new language is a journey, and with any journey comes personal growth. Whether your goal is to learn a new language, earn a black belt in karate, or start your own business, you will grow to become a better, stronger and more capable person. Learning a new language will force you to get out of your comfort zone repeatedly. Speaking with people in a language you are not very good at can be quite scary. Conquering that fear and embracing the fact that you do not need to be perfect to communicate is an amazing feeling. This will help you become a more courageous person overall. You will also get a strong sense of achievement from all the little victories throughout the learning process.
More Valuable in the Marketplace.
Speaking another language will be a major factor that boosts your chances of landing a job. This is a highly appreciated skill in all fields of business. Employers see multilingualism as a sign of competence and intelligence even if the languages spoken are not necessarily needed in the field. It is always a great skill to have on a resume. It is incredible how many opportunities come to you when you speak a new language. You will be able to speak to clients in their mother tongue, thus improving your relationship with them. Your coworkers may even start sending clients your way. Obviously, this all depends on the type of job you have, but in many cases, it will benefit you greatly and make you more likely to find and keep jobs at a higher salary.
Discover a New Culture.
The things you learn when you study a new language are not limited to the language itself. It will expand your horizons and change the way you see the world. You will meet interesting people with completely different lives. A new language will also make travelling a lot easier and more enjoyable. It is true that English is often spoken in main tourist attractions across the globe, but learning the language will allow you to go off the beaten path. You will find that you don’t have to go very far outside the main tourist areas to see that not everyone speaks English. Being able to speak to everyone in their native tongue changes the travel experience entirely. You can dive right into the culture and find yourself having dinner with a random local family who lives in a way that is very different from you. These types of interactions will open you up to the world and allow you to discover an interesting cultural diversity. You will also get access to a bunch of new material like movies, songs and books without losing the richness of it through translation.
Final Note.
Learning a language will enrich your life in countless ways. It will not only change your perspective towards other cultures, but also improve your brain’s ability to cope with problems and develop creative solutions. All the reasons listed in this post are difficult to put into words. You will need to experience it for yourself to truly understand the benefits it can bring you.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE OUINO METHOD.
We have combined everything we know from years of language acquisition and research to create an awesome language-learning method. Visit OUINO.com to learn more.
