Photo of Damon Young in Paris Copyright Ruby Boukabou
How many languages do you speak? It’s never too late to tackle a new one. And with all the apps and online learning possibilities it’s easy to get going right away from the comfort of your own phone to give you a boost of confidence for your next adventure, whether that be across the globe or merely down to the local Italian or Japanese restaurant.
Here are 10 reasons (and there are many more) why learning a new language, or brushing up on one, is a good idea.
1. Saying a few words in another language can be terribly satisfying. You don’t need to even be travelling. A little ‘Pardon’ or ‘Scusi’ to excuse yourself when passing someone in a French patisserie or Italian pizza joint can bring a smile to the face of the owner and transport you for a minute to another country. Learn some basics and enjoy the fun of it.
2. It’s humbling. Being able whip up punchy puns and amazing with alliteration in English is a great skill. Being made to concentrate on stringing a simple sentence together in another language can be humbling. It gives you empathy on how non English speakers can sometimes feel frustrated or need a bit of patience before appreciating the communication.
3. It allows you to enjoy the subtleties of another culture. Sure you can enjoy visiting a Persian palace or the flavours of a pekin duck. But understanding a little of the language of the creators of buildings and recipes is taking your into a whole new dimension.
4. It’s sexy. Being able to dash out a quick thank you note in Spanish or throw out a French phrase here and there is an appealing quality.
5. It helps you to travel. Sounds obvious but an incredible amount of people travel just with English assuming that they should be able to get by. But travelling isn’t about being able to ‘get by’ with your language, it’s about diving into other cultures and experiencing them from the inside. Be brave, dive in, or at least have a splash.
6. Practicality. It’s also practical when you do meet people who don’t speak English and can help for directions, conversations and emergencies. It’s amazing how much you absorb of another language when put to the test (visiting Italy many years ago and being lost over bridges we’d never crossed before on the way home to make the hotel curfew, we suddenly remembered the word ‘dove’ ‘where is’).
7. To develop concentration. It’s been known that some people can get lazy in learning new skills and talents as the years go on and rather stick to what is comfortable. Learning a new language takes a bit of concentration. Get those neurones working! You can do it whether you’re 20 or 70! Do a crash course or a simple half an hour a day or an hour every weekend- you choose! There is so much to explore, wake up and smell the kahwa!
8. Unwind and clear your mind. You can’t remember if a verb should finish with an i an e or an a if you’re thinking about your to-do list or got your mind still at work. Learning a new language can help you wind down and switch off from work and take you into another space. Thinking about how to order a meal in Russia will sweep you away. Do it alone or with friends or family, then have fun by making dinner time an English free zone.
9. Think flexibly and jump between realities! Semiotics says that we create our worlds and realities through language and that there is no actual factual world that language merely interprets (the rainbow which is the same all over the world has different amount of colours in various languages). When I arrived at this class at uni, it blew my mind. Learning a new language can literally change your reality.
Learn a few and you can hop between worlds. Choose English or German to get to your destination faster, French to enjoy the journey, Italian to get a little dramatic and Arabic or Spanish to connect to your gut.
10. Because language is like glasses. Why wear one pair all your life when you can change between shades and looks and makes. There’s even a Virtual Reality language coming out soon I hear… 😉
There are many ways to learn a new language in classes, travelling or online. I’m currently enjoying brushing up my French grammar and learning Italian with Babbel which has great courses that are interactive and easy to follow. Bon courage and a presto!
