Learning a new language
Introduction
Ever since I was a kid, I've wanted to learn Spanish. But before I knew it, I was already in college and then again when I got back into the workforce. Now that my son has been born and we're living in Germany, there's no better time than now to learn another language!
If you travel a lot but are limited to the English language, you may want to learn a new language. Some benefits include:
If you travel a lot but are limited to the English language, you may want to learn a new language. Some benefits include:
It can be good for your career. Learning a foreign language can help you get better jobs and make connections in other countries.
It's an excellent way to meet people from abroad, especially if they speak one of your target languages (such as Spanish). You'll also have plenty of opportunities to practice speaking with them as well!
Language learning is an important skill that will benefit you in many ways throughout life.
being able to communicate in many more places
As you can see, learning a new language is not only about learning to speak. It's also about learning to communicate with others in the new language and being able to understand what they're saying. This can be a great way to meet people from other cultures, get an idea of how different cultures think about things (for example, if you're from an American background), or even learn about your own culture by understanding more about theirs.
enjoying learning a new skill
As you learn a new language, you’re likely to enjoy it in ways that may be different from how adults enjoy their native languages. For example, adults often want to use the language for professional purposes or because it has become an important part of their identity. Adults also tend to seek out other people who share their interests and passions when they are learning a new language.
But children do not have these same motivations; instead, they experience learning through playfulness and curiosity. They often use games as a way of practicing words or phrases before using them in conversation with others (and perhaps even creating sentences). Children also enjoy being able to communicate with others through various activities like drawing pictures together or playing games like charades where everyone gets involved!
giving yourself a boost in your career ( e.g., through promotions or as an interpreter)
Having a second language can help you get a promotion.
Having a second language can help you get a better job.
Having a second language can help you get a job in another country.
Being bilingual is an asset for interpreting, translation and interpreting work, especially when interacting with people from other cultures who speak different languages than your own (and sometimes even if they don't).
finding it easier to learn other languages
If you’re interested in learning a new language, it can be easier to do so as an adult than as a child. This is because adults are more likely to be able to focus and learn something new when they have the motivation and desire for it.
When you were young, your brain was developing rapidly, so it took longer for your cognitive abilities to mature enough for you to be able to focus properly on learning languages other than English or your native tongue. As your brain matured into adulthood though, this process sped up significantly — meaning that now there's less of a gap between where your brain is at right now versus what it would've been like if you'd started learning languages then instead!
feeling like part of a larger community of speakers, especially if you don't live in an English-speaking country.
When you're learning a new language, it's easy to feel like a fish out of water. You might feel like you don't belong somewhere when your native tongue is not spoken there. But if you have been learning English for some time now and are looking to practice speaking other languages, then this can be a great opportunity for growth!
When conversing with people who speak another language, they will often use their own words rather than English ones (that's why we call them "foreign" or "non-native"). This makes your communication more natural and fluid by allowing both parties to express themselves in their own way without having any negative effects on each other's understanding of the conversation at hand.
However, it's not easy to learn another language because humans lose their ability to pronounce sounds that they don't hear frequently after age six or seven years old. This means that when we're adults, our speech apparatus just can't duplicate some sounds such as 'th' or 'r.' You'll have to train your mouth muscles, which can be hard work; and even then, there will always be traces of your mother tongue left over (e.g., my German friend's pronunciation of 'the').
However, it's not easy to learn another language because humans lose their ability to pronounce sounds that they don't hear frequently after age six or seven years old. This means that when we're adults, our speech apparatus just can't duplicate some sounds such as 'th' or 'r.' You'll have to train your mouth muscles, which can be hard work; and even then, there will always be traces of your mother tongue left over (e.g., my German friend's pronunciation of 'the'). But if you stick with it and keep practicing until the right sound comes out correctly every time (which takes a lot more than just one lesson), then eventually you'll start sounding like a native speaker!
Conclusion
If you're serious about learning a new language, then don't give up. You just have to train harder and longer than most people think. And the good news is, it can be easy to do if you keep at it. If you want more tips on how to improve your pronunciation and accent or how to learn a new language using apps like DuoLingo or Memrise, check out our blog posts on those topics!