Learning anything new is difficult. But, it does bring a change in your life. Most of you reading this blog might be monolingual. But have you wondered what it’s like to learn and speak multiple languages fluently? Many fluently speak 2, 3, 4, or even more languages. They can easily communicate with people wherever they go and don’t need the help of any translation app. But, apart from this, is being multilingual beneficial for you? Let’s find out!
In this post, our academic writer will discuss what it’s like to be multilingual and how it can benefit you:
Benefits of Being Bilingual or Multilingual
Here are 9 reasons why you should know two or more languages:
1. Connect With People around the World
Meeting new people and learning amazing things about them is a great experience. It is one of the most rewarding aspects of travelling. Bilinguals can communicate with people from different countries without any issues. You can go out, buy stuff from locals and communicate with them without suffering from any language barriers. You’ll learn about their habits, interesting stories, likes, and dislikes. Speak more languages to develop friendships with people around the world for a special and wholesome experience.
2. Learn About Different Cultures
If you want to learn about the culture of a place, you have to learn the language. You cannot communicate with locals and learn about their culture if you don’t even know what they’re saying. When you know the local language of a city, you can easily handle various situations. For instance, you’ll be more tolerant and empathic towards others. Studies have also shown that people who learn multiple languages are easier to approach and have a positive attitude towards people from different cultures.
3. It’s Good for Your Mental Health
Speaking many languages helps you communicate with people from different cultures and communities and is also beneficial for your mental health. According to multiple studies and surveys, students and professionals who speak more than one language have better memory, concentration levels, and listening skills. They are also better at multitasking, critical thinking, and problem solving. In addition, they can handle their daily tasks efficiently and accept and adapt to changes in their environment. Being bilingual or multilingual can also reduce the effects of cognitive decline and mental ageing.
4. Companies Prefer Bilingual Candidates
Whether you are a student looking for high-paying job opportunities abroad or in the UK, being bilingual is always a quality many interviewers look for. Consequently, bilingual candidates always stand out from their monolingual peers.
Knowing multiple languages is one of the most in-demand general skills. Many job openings in the UK require candidates to know multiple languages. Companies in the UK not only work in the UK, but they also have to deal with entities in other European countries. Therefore, employers prefer hiring professionals who can seamlessly communicate confidently with customers, stakeholders, and associates from different parts of the world.
When you add language skills to your portfolio, you can also get better salaries and bonuses.
5. Enhance Your Confidence
When you don’t know a language well and struggle to speak fluently, it affects your confidence significantly. For example, imagine going to a gathering where people don’t speak the same language as you. You’ll struggle to communicate with everyone since you don’t know their language. As a result, you may have difficulty delivering your message to your audience or listeners.
Now, while learning any new language, you will surely make mistakes. However, that’s a part of the learning process. In fact, it’s more likely to make you come out of your comfort zone and meet new people as you learn their language. And the more you talk in a new-to-you language, the better you’ll become. With time, you will become more fluent. Someone who can easily communicate in multiple languages is often the most confident person in a room.
6. Access More Information
Normally, if we are browsing online and see a piece of content written in a different language, it easily gets translated through online tools. But Google Translate isn’t going to help you everywhere. There are over 7100 languages. Now, it’s not humanly possible to learn all of those. But, learning at least an additional one could help you access information that otherwise would’ve been off-limits. For instance, you could:
- Easily browse and understand foreign content
- Read books in different languages and enhance your knowledge
- Communicate with locals to learn about the routes, best restaurants, hotels, and attractions in a foreign place
Remember, translation software won’t help you everywhere, buddy!
7. Gain Perspective
Whenever we learn something new, we draw comparisons. For example, if you visit a new city and learn about its culture, you will draw comparisons and determine the similarities and differences between it and your own.
Similarly, after mastering a new language, you can communicate with the locals better and learn about their culture and lifestyle. You will be able to learn both positive and negative aspects of every culture you might have been unaware of. After exploring different cultures, you may be appreciative of your lifestyle or might opt for changing things in your life.
8. Improve Your Decision Making Abilities
Let’s say you’re going to a local market in a foreign country where the vendors don’t speak English. While you might be able to communicate your point to them somehow, you may not be able to make them see exactly what you’re saying. Since you likely won’t understand what they’re saying, you might buy the wrong thing!
An interesting thing about making decisions in a second language is what drives them. The choices you make are more reason-driven than those you arrive at in your native language. Also, when you speak your second or third language, you tend to control your emotions and reactions much better. Our facial tics and body language give away what we’re actually thinking—and not saying! You’re more cognizant of not offending the other person without meaning to do so. This results in clear-headed and sensible decisions.
9. Develop the Ability to Learn Even More Languages
If you are bilingual, you will probably learn more languages with ease. The US is one of the countries where you’ll find many monolingual people. Many locals can’t speak any language other than English. However, in Europe, it’s common for people to know multiple languages. People here may be fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
There are many multilingual people in Europe because they never shy away from learning new languages. Wherever they go, they are quick to adapt and quickly get used to the language in the country. Moreover, when you learn a new language, your brain’s network expands to lay down new neural pathways, enabling it to learn new languages.
The Most In-Demand Languages to Learn in 2022
If you’re confused about what languages you should learn, here are some important options. We have ranked these languages based on available opportunities, usability, region, and the number of speakers:
- Mandarin Chinese
China is probably the richest and most important country in the world after the US. Moreover, if you want to communicate easily with Chinese locals, it’s best to learn Mandarin Chinese.
- Spanish
This language is not only spoken in Spain but also in other countries such as Argentina, Chile, Columbia, Peru, Mexico, Uruguay, and multiple other South American countries. So, give learning it a whirl!
- German
Many students prefer Germany over other countries for their undergraduate and postgraduate studies. However, you’ll need to be fluent in German to survive there.
- French
Deemed the language of love, French is also spoken in many other parts of the world. Moreover, Paris, the capital of France, is one of the best tourist destinations. Therefore, you should learn French if you want to travel to that peregrine hub!.
- Arabic
You might encounter Middle Eastern people in your professional life, especially if you work for an oil or power generation company. It is the main business for countries like Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, UAE, and Bahrain. If you see yourself communicating with them a lot in future, it may be time to get started on Arabic.
Verdict
Students from different countries come to the UK to study; if you’re multilingual, it will make communicating with them easier. But, no matter how well you speak their language, your real mates won’t help you with your coursework. That you’ll have to do on your own, or you can opt for the best coursework writing service UK. We offer the most affordable essay writing, editing and proofreading services online.
Author Profile
Kevin Garner
Kevin is one of our brightest and most talented academic writers. He specializes in subjects like accounting, finance, ecommerce, and economics. He’s also a great blogger and often writes insightful posts for our website. If you want an experienced writer like Kevin to work on your essays and assignments, choose our coursework writing service UK.
