Better enjoyment of foreign films. A person watching an English translation of a foreign film is missing out on much of what the author originally intended. This is because much is lost in the translation. Often plot lines hinge on very subtle nuances on what is said. Only someone fluent in the original language of the film can fully appreciate it.
Literature. There is a world of reading material, books, and magazines that are inaccessible to you simply because you can only read English. It doesn't matter what your motivations are for reading. If you read because of intellectual curiosity, for entertainment purposes, for practical advice, or to advance your career, there is so much more untapped material out there. If you like to cook exotic foods, fluency in another language would open up a huge untapped source of new recipes.
Brain health. The phrase "use it or lose it" especially applies to our mental functioning as we age. Once we become adults and have settled into our lives, we fall into familiar routines and do tasks at home and at our jobs that don't give our brains much of a workout. Exercising a skill that you already have is just a form of following routines and does not tax the brain. There is evidence that a brain that coasts along in life is more prone to dementia. Acquiring a new skill or learning something completely new exercises the brain and can put off the onset of dementia. Learning a new language is a perfect way to do this.
Understanding different cultures. In the age of the Internet, all of the cultures of the world interact daily with each other. Sometimes these interactions can be quite hostile and are the result of misunderstandings of where the other is "coming from". Knowing the language of another culture gives great insight into their beliefs and views of the world. Seeing the world through the eyes of another culture will free you from your own biases and prejudices.
Career opportunities. While most of the world is still recovering from the effects of the recent recession, china's economy is growing in leaps and bounds. They have a huge demand for expertise in their country that cannot be met. This can be a great opportunity for you especially if you know the language. They also have a big demand for English instructors. Again, knowing their language is an asset that increases your chances at landing a teaching position there.
More social interaction. Fluency in a foreign language cannot be accomplished in complete isolation. You can learn vocabulary and grammar by yourself. You can improve listening skills using audio recordings and listening to foreign broadcasts. But in order to learn how to converse with another person fluently, you must actually speak to people. Sometimes you may already know someone to practice with but often you will have to step out of your social comfort zone and converse with new people.
Literature. There is a world of reading material, books, and magazines that are inaccessible to you simply because you can only read English. It doesn't matter what your motivations are for reading. If you read because of intellectual curiosity, for entertainment purposes, for practical advice, or to advance your career, there is so much more untapped material out there. If you like to cook exotic foods, fluency in another language would open up a huge untapped source of new recipes.
Brain health. The phrase "use it or lose it" especially applies to our mental functioning as we age. Once we become adults and have settled into our lives, we fall into familiar routines and do tasks at home and at our jobs that don't give our brains much of a workout. Exercising a skill that you already have is just a form of following routines and does not tax the brain. There is evidence that a brain that coasts along in life is more prone to dementia. Acquiring a new skill or learning something completely new exercises the brain and can put off the onset of dementia. Learning a new language is a perfect way to do this.
Understanding different cultures. In the age of the Internet, all of the cultures of the world interact daily with each other. Sometimes these interactions can be quite hostile and are the result of misunderstandings of where the other is "coming from". Knowing the language of another culture gives great insight into their beliefs and views of the world. Seeing the world through the eyes of another culture will free you from your own biases and prejudices.
Career opportunities. While most of the world is still recovering from the effects of the recent recession, china's economy is growing in leaps and bounds. They have a huge demand for expertise in their country that cannot be met. This can be a great opportunity for you especially if you know the language. They also have a big demand for English instructors. Again, knowing their language is an asset that increases your chances at landing a teaching position there.
More social interaction. Fluency in a foreign language cannot be accomplished in complete isolation. You can learn vocabulary and grammar by yourself. You can improve listening skills using audio recordings and listening to foreign broadcasts. But in order to learn how to converse with another person fluently, you must actually speak to people. Sometimes you may already know someone to practice with but often you will have to step out of your social comfort zone and converse with new people.
About the Author:
There are many different methods of learning a new language. This page explains and compares the major language learning software that people have used to learn a foreign language.
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