Some people say that the only reason for learning a foreign language is in order to travel to or work in a foreign country. Others say that these are not the only reasons why someone should learn a foreign language.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Learning a foreign language offers many benefits. Of course, work and travel are definitely good reasons to learn a foreign language, but those are not the only reasons to be bilingual or multilingual.
Learning a second or a third language helps the learner in so many ways. Studies have shown that bilingual or multilingual people are smarter than monolingual people. By simply learning a foreign language, we can increase our brain activity. This, in turn, will make us smarter and sharper. Studies have even shown that learning a foreign language can delay the onset of memory ailments like dementia.
Another advantage of learning a foreign language is that it allows us to learn more about the culture associated with that language. Language and culture are intrinsically linked. It is almost impossible to understand a foreign culture without learning their language first. By learning a foreign language, we also get to enjoy the literature and music in that language. Of course, translations are available but they will never beat the original. For example, the Russian language has numerous classical novels written in it. While these novels have been translated into many languages, one has to learn Russian to be able to read and enjoy the original writings.
Also, in this age of the internet, people who are fluent in a foreign language can find work as translators or interpreters within their country itself. They do not necessarily have to go abroad to use their knowledge of international languages.
To conclude, considering all the advantages it is not hard to see that travelling to a foreign country or working in a foreign country are not the only reasons to learn a foreign language. Rather, there are many other equally compelling reasons to learn a second or third language and in this age of globalization people get plenty of opportunities to use their foreign language skills within their country itself.
Some
people
say that the
only
reason
for
learning
a
foreign
language
is in order to travel to or work in a
foreign
country
. Others say that these are not the
only
reasons
why someone should
learn
a
foreign
language.
Discuss both these views and give your
own
opinion.
Learning a
foreign
language
offers
many
benefits.
Of course
, work and travel are definitely
good
reasons
to
learn
a
foreign
language
,
but
those are not the
only
reasons
to be bilingual or multilingual.
Learning a second or a third
language
helps
the learner in
so
many
ways. Studies have shown that bilingual or multilingual
people
are smarter than monolingual
people
. By
simply
learning
a
foreign
language
, we can increase our brain activity. This, in turn, will
make
us smarter and sharper. Studies have even shown that
learning
a
foreign
language
can delay the onset of memory ailments like dementia.
Another advantage of
learning
a
foreign
language
is that it
allows
us to
learn
more about the culture associated with that
language
.
Language
and culture are
intrinsically
linked. It is almost impossible to understand a
foreign
culture without
learning
their
language
first
. By
learning
a
foreign
language
, we
also
get
to enjoy the literature and music in that
language
.
Of course
, translations are available
but
they will never beat the original.
For example
, the Russian
language
has numerous classical novels written in it. While these novels have
been translated
into
many
languages
, one
has to
learn
Russian to be able to read and enjoy the original writings.
Also
, in this age of the internet,
people
who are fluent in a
foreign
language
can find work as translators or interpreters within their
country
itself. They do not
necessarily
have to
go abroad to
use
their knowledge of international languages.
To conclude
, considering all the advantages it is not
hard
to
see
that travelling to a
foreign
country
or working in a
foreign
country
are not the
only
reasons
to
learn
a
foreign
language
.
Rather
, there are
many
other
equally
compelling
reasons
to
learn
a second or third
language
and in this age of globalization
people
get
plenty
of opportunities to
use
their
foreign
language
skills
within their
country
itself.