Language impacts our daily lives, no matter what our race, religion, class, caste, age or gender is. Since its inception, language has always helped us to express our feelings, desires, and queries to the people around us. Learning a new language was once considered nothing more than a hobby, but as the world continues to become increasingly connected, learning a language other than one’s native tongue is now considered to be a necessity. Advancing technologies have afforded us the ability to communicate, no matter where we are in the world, amplifying the importance of foreign language study. If we are travelling, whether for a business purpose or just for pleasure, a willingness to adapt to a new culture is essential. Adaptability includes being ready to communicate with new people in various languages. It will be nothing but unjust to expect the people, of the country which one is travelling to, to understand and communicate in one’s native language only. Being unable to communicate to people makes it extremely difficult to adapt and get along with those whom we meet. After all, men’s biggest fear is to be lonely and not able to speak.

The ability to communicate in multiple languages is now becoming important in the increasingly integrated global business society. No matter what career we choose, if we have learned a second language, we always have an additional advantage. Communicating directly with the new clients and companies in their native language is one of the first steps towards founding a long- lasting and stable international business relationship. Being able to do this automatically puts any multilingual person miles ahead of his or her peers in the competition for jobs. Learning to communicate fluently in multiple languages not only gives people a sense of acknowledgment & appreciation from the people interacting to, but also provides an additional job security and advancement opportunities in today’s uncertain economic times.

Advantages of learning foreign languages

• Opening up a plethora of job opportunities

Learning a new language always opens up a ton of career opportunities. Speaking two or more languages certainly improves our employment perspective. As the world is changing fast, many countries around the world are hiring global-minded people who can at least speak one foreign language. Even in small companies, chances are there that the ability to speak a second language will set us apart from the other applicants.

• Establishing connections and cultural friendships

Dealing with another different culture enables people to learn and gain a profound understanding of their own culture. It helps to develop our interests in the poetry, literature, films, music or other aspects of the culture of people speaking a particular language and belonging to a particular place. It opens our window to another new world, another opportunity to know people belonging to another set of cultural tradition. In addition to the offer it makes, it also helps us in understanding what others think about our own cultures too. It can thus be very aptly said that it facilitates the exchange of perspectives across the globe.

Foreign languages expand one’s worldview and limit the barriers between people as barriers create distrust and fear. Foreign languages expand one’s view of the world, broadens one’s mind set, liberalize one’s experiences, and make one more flexible and tolerant. In a nutshell, it makes one confident and ready for any challenge that the world can offer.

• Language skills are best for business

Gone are those days when a commodity produced in a locality was to be consumed by the closest of the boundaries nearby in almost all the certainties. In an exceedingly shrinking world, most of the businesses simply cannot flourish if they are not aimed and addressed for the people across the globe. Now a day, multiple businesses work closely with establishments in other countries; and it is thus very obvious that they need several kinds of workers who can aptly communicate in multiple languages and understand other cultures as well. A workman who knows German or French, the Chief of a company who knows Spanish or Turkish, or a salesman who knows Russian or Chinese can work efficiently and affluently with many more cases and in many more circumstances than someone who knows only one language at the most.

• Personal and recreational satisfaction

Of course, along with the other reasons for learning a new language, no one can deny the fact that it is always fun to pronounce a word with resonances and tongue rolling. Some languages have certain social connotations that invoke feelings when heard or spoken. For example, German—it helps us to understand how to pronounce words when ordering an apfel strudel (Apple Strudel) or asking for the way to the autobahn (Motorway) or in French- saying Bonjour means (Hello). This feeling of competency and control can alleviate much of the stress. Further, it helps indeed in establishing healthier connections and cross-culture friendships as well.

Regardless of the reasons for learning a new language, we should always explore new linguistic territories. Strong language skills are such an asset that promotes a lifetime of effective communication with a long-lasting impression.  Learning multiple languages will always serve to enhance the quality of life, and even if we never use that language in any practical circumstances, we almost certainly will enjoy the time spent educating our self. Language learning is a unique art in which we rarely have to spend much money to find a passionate instructor or fellow learner, and the adventure of understanding a new tongue is one experience that no one can forget any sooner. Therefore, we must foster an environment that promotes multilingual learning.