Reports suggest that learning another language can be good for creativity, brain function, and even your quick thinking skills. However, that’s not the only way that brushing up on your language skills could change your life.
Build better relationships
It goes without saying that if you can communicate in different languages, you’ll find it easier to communicate with different kinds of people, and therefore will be able to make better relationships. Some studies have even shown that those who learn another language are better at understanding and generally more empathetic, which is beneficial in making relationships stronger.
Relationships won’t only be better because you’ll find it easier to communicate, though.
With multiple languages under your belt, you’ll be equipped to widen your social circle and interact with people from numerous backgrounds. Whether this is through travel itself or even the process of learning, within local classes.
However, admittedly, a lot of people do choose to learn independently. For example, in the digital era, a lot of students prefer to embark on their learning journey online. If you were seeking an opportunity to learn Chinese for instance, you could use services like Preply and search for Chinese classes near you. This would be ideal because online tuition would enable you to learn at a time and from a place that’s convenient.
Nonetheless, you could put your newfound skills into use by joining a local conversation club or making one yourself. The principle is to practice a language with a mixture of native speakers and other learners. Essentially, learning Mandarin as a second language can be a great way to meet and connect with people. Through building a bridge and forging a connection with somebody from a different culture/community, you can learn so much about new customs, dialects, cuisines, and traditions.
With this, there’s the possibility of learning about new opportunities, cultures, and perspectives, which leads us nicely to the next point.
See new opportunities
By speaking a few different languages, and being able to connect with more people, you are also likely to benefit from new opportunities. For example, if you’re travelling the world, your newfound communication skills may prove useful when you’re looking for things to do off the beaten path.
Or, you may just find out about job opportunities – not to mention, stand ahead of any other competition going for the role. In fact, according to a new study by The Economist, bilingual employees earn more. Those who can speak a foreign language could achieve an extra $67,000 in earnings throughout their career.
Increasingly, we’re seeing more employers looking for bilingual candidates and one report even revealed that 90% of headhunters say language skills are almost critical in today’s business landscape. This isn’t set to change either as North American recruiters say that being bilingual would be even more important over the next few years.
Enjoy richer experiences
In terms of travel, as we’ve mentioned, speaking multiple languages can help you to get the most out of your experience – in more ways than one. It makes travelling easier as you can ask for directions, interact with locals and discover things away from tourist hotspots. Not to mention, immerse yourself in the local culture, which younger travellers say is a priority.
Plus, even at home, speaking another language can enhance your life. When you’re not limited to a singular language, you have access to a significantly wider range of entertainment, as we’ve reported on Be Loveliness before. Whether you want to try and read original works or simply want to enjoy an award-winning title without subtitles, knowing international languages means you’re not restricted by any obstacles.
This is just the start when it comes to the benefits of knowing another language. The truth is, it can open up the doors to many things and allow you to view the world from a different perspective.
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