Overwhelming Truths About Learning A Foreign Language!

I've been learning French for the past 90 days.

At a time, I stopped because of reasons I couldn't even explain to myself.

One day, I was going through my daily journal and saw entries about the language I was learning. They sounded cool, and then again, I asked myself: "why did I stop?" I've heard more reasons not to learn a language than I ever would have imagined. I even used to make excuses for myself until I realized that they were just flimsy reasons which held no value.

The existence of every living organism and organisations is based on the presence of communication.

Language is not just spoken words. It is any form of communication between two individuals which includes, signs and spoken words.

Language is considered to be an essential element of human society, designed to be a form of communication to facilitate growth and prosperity.

In This Article, I Present Five Reasons That Made Me Continue With Learning A New Language.

• Creating a World of Employment Opportunities

Learning a second language opens up many career opportunities. I'm not just talking about location-based or self-employment such as being an entrepreneur or a freelancer, though these are great ideas that I used. Speaking two or more languages can improve your job prospects in many other ways. It'll improve your business relationships.

The world is changing rapidly. More and more companies are active in many countries, often in dozens of them around the world. However, you can not do this without employing employees with a global mind who speak at least one foreign language. Even as an entrepreneur, one day, you'll have a reason to take your business across the borders of your resident location.

Even in small local businesses, the ability to speak a second language is likely to make you stand out from your colleagues.

Even as a freelancer, I need to learn at least the basics of other foreign languages. I once had a client that wasn't a native English speaker, and he found it very hard to communicate what he wanted across to me. I wished I was able to understand his language. I knew he'd have been able to explain himself better that way.

This was my first reason. I want to be a global freelance writer, and I'll come across such clients once in a while. Hence, if I've been able to study the language when I come across such a client, we can have better communication without translators.

• Establish Deep Connections

On my birthday, I received lots of wishes from many people, especially my LinkedIn family. Some people wished me in their different local languages, and I had to go on google translate to know what they said exactly before I could reply to them. I have foreigners on my contact list, and sometimes, they post WhatsApp status in their local language, which I'm not able to interpret. Even on LinkedIn, some people post in their local languages. At that moment, I wished I had a superpower to understand the language without looking it up and then comment brilliantly. I realised how the experience could have been enriched by knowing that person's language.

• Cross-Cultural Friendships

Has this ever happened to you? I visited a food stall at a local market while on my vacation in another part of the country with another language. Another local came by while I was waiting, she ordered some food in the local dialect and started talking cheerfully with the cook about something I didn't understand. A minute later, the cook stopped talking and handed my plate with a simple "Thank you, bye!" Ouch! That hurts. I had to hide behind my phone's screen scrolling through LinkedIn.

I just missed out on an authentic cultural experience because I couldn't join in.

• Become More Interesting and Meet More Interesting People

If your first language is English, the second most spoken language in the world, and yet you are eager to learn another language, rather than hope that the world will take into account your monolingualism, you're a rare breed. Likewise any other speaker of the language you're born into. That makes you interesting. People will approach you. They will want to talk to you. You will want to know what motivated you to "get into trouble" to learn another language. Believe me, if you speak English and speak two or more languages, you will talk much more vividly and more excitingly about a variety of topics than usual. Of course, you could spend your life in English, but it is boring. Be interesting! Be funny! Be multilingual!

• Stay Smart As A Tourist

There is always a risk that obvious tourists are the target of visitors or feel provoked about funny remarks, which can ruin their experience in a place where people are truly warm and sincere. The "obvious tourist" is usually anyone who speaks English or another foreign language. But everything changes if you use the local language.

Okay, so I can not learn all the languages of the world and know all the cultures of the world. But if there's only one culture I want to understand better. Or just one person in my life who I want to know better; the best way to start learning is to speak your language.

Everyone has their reasons for wanting to learn another language. The reasons may be different, but they can all be implemented in the same way: by committing yourself to stop excusing yourself and speaking the language, you have always wanted to learn. If you had your first conversation in a foreign language, trust me: you will never look back.

Have you learned a new language? What's your experience in learning a new language?