Why do you need to study foreign languages?

June 14, 2019 Olga Sylvia

Communication with other people is a basic, biological need of every human. When one lacks this essential interaction, one experiences feelings of loneliness, isolation, and depression. Longer periods of such deficiency can lead to severe mental illness and even death. The primary and most sophisticated tool that humans use to convey their thoughts is language, which is often considered the manifestation of reason.

Until relatively recently, most people around the world remained in their birthplace, having very little or no interaction with people outside of their geographical and cultural circles. However, due to the immense and sudden advancement of transportation and technology in the modern era, millions of people now have to or want to communicate with people of other cultures and nations. These changes have provided plenty of opportunities for jobs, studies, investment, romantic partners, immigration, and, of course, traveling for the sake of knowledge and pleasure.

Unfortunately, the divergent development of different places due to geographical isolation has left a language barrier in modern-day intercultural communication. However, this final barrier between distinct cultures can be surpassed with proficiency in a foreign language. One might argue that this barrier has already been dissolved since English is the language of international communication, and therefore people in other countries are expected to have some ability to speak it. However, even in countries where English speakers are commonplace, the language can only be used for primitive, superficial interactions. When traveling, English is usually enough to order at a restaurant, check into a hotel, or rent a car, but if a traveler wants to actually understand a culture and its ideologies, or participate in the everyday activities of a country, they really need to master the local language. Abundant opportunities open to those that invest in learning a foreign language when in a country that uses it, including cheaper accommodations, exclusive experiences, and more respect from the locals. The cost of living in major American cities goes up considerably each and every year and becomes less and less affordable to many retirees. Meanwhile, very modest retirement incomes (by American standards) can allow people to live lavishly in many other parts of the world if they know the local language. Those are just a few examples of what comprehension of another language can give to those who bother to gain this understanding. However, there is another less practical but equally important reason why everyone should study a foreign language at some point in their life. Someone who masters a language not only learns the mere vocabulary and grammar but also discovers a completely novel perspective on everything in life. For this reason, learning a language can act as a preventative measure or a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, according to research done in the area.