So you’ve read up on why you should learn a foreign language and you’re finally convinced that it’s time to join the ranks of the billions of polyglots around the world. Now the big question is which language should you invest all that time and energy in? Consider the following to help you narrow down your options:
Some languages are more useful in certain professions than others. Anyone working in fashion, for example, would benefit from learning French, since so much of the industry works out of Paris. Mandarin happens to be an excellent language to learn if you’re interested in international business. Do some research on your individual career to see if any particular languages pop up as being especially important. Having the right foreign language skills in the right industry can really propel your career forward in exciting and unexpected ways.
Mastering a foreign language takes years of practice and a lot of grit. The best way to work through those challenges is to have an authentic passion for language learning. Think about places in the world that you’re deeply curious about and follow that intrigue. Or if you have any favorite poets or writers who speak a particular language, you may want to let that steer you in a certain direction. Use these passions to motivate your language learning.
Learning another language is difficult, but there are definitely some languages that present a much steeper challenge than others depending on your current language knowledge. Latin languages like Spanish and French are easier to pick up for English speakers because they share a lot of vocabulary and use nearly the same alphabet. Languages like Arabic and Mandarin, on the other hand, use completely different symbols and alphabets and share almost no vocabulary or words with English. Starting from zero with a new language is a bigger challenge, but that also makes it a greater accomplishment when you finally do learn the language.
It’s nice to know that once you learn a foreign language, you’ll have a place to speak it. Think about your geographical region and whether or not you have people around you that you could practice this language with. Consider immigrant populations in your area and different cultural centers that may be nearby.
Though some people swear by online and computer teaching methods, there’s really nothing compared to learning in the classroom or, even better, through immersion. Languages need to be spoken and utilized to truly sink in.
If you have a region of the world that you would love to explore, why not learn how to speak to the locals? Knowing the native language is a great inside track into understanding and discovering another culture.
The best way to learn a foreign language is through immersion. That’s one of the great advantages of living abroad in a country where you don’t speak the local tongue – you get to learn a new language! Internships abroad are an excellent way to attain that immersion experience in a professional context, while also gaining industry experience in your field.
Sources: http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/learn/#which, http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/
Photos
1. based on chinese is hard, by Bridget Coila, CC-by-SA 2.0
2. based on 스페인어 학습 시작… 공부가 제일 쉬었어요 #Spanish #Lecture #Textbook, by Jude Lee, CC-by-2.0
3. by Elizabeth Trovall