Self Improvement: The Benefits of A New Language

Just a few essays/articles of my own thoughts on various areas of self improvement. Feel free to comment.

Why should you ever feel compelled to learn a new language? I get it a lot from people who ask me why I decided to start learning German at the age of 25, and I can honestly say I don't know why I figured German to be an attractive language. French is more spoken in my native country, Spanish is infinitely more useful, but there was something that I liked about the language and there you have it. Sometimes it can be that easy.
Since then I have been able to refine my answer from discoveries made along the way, since I started this language learning journey five years ago.

1) Languages and Societies
If you ever want to truly take in a culture for all it is worth, then you need to spend time immersed in that culture, and part of that is language. While you can get by on one language relatively fine, it is a very humbling feeling for me as a North American when I meet people who speak four different languages, and I only speak one.
It infinitely gives me the impression of being left out, because that is exactly what it does. People are driven by our ability to communicate, when the language of a country is not spoken it hampers our ability to do so, and further more appreciate the various aspects of the culture. No I'm not saying you can't enjoy a culture without skills in the language, but even a little understanding starts to help with understanding the way people perceive things, and some of their unspoken social norms.
It also allows you to connect with people on a level that is not available with just one language. While most of the basic aspects of the language are the same universally, IE small talk, there is something to be said for being able to communicate with someone even basically in their native language makes you feel closer to the people around you, and also has an endearing effect on the locals.

2) Appreciation for Foreigners.
Part of what I mean by this is the experience of having been somewhere where you don't speak the language, can be humbling and something you never forget. In terms of human charity it has made me more patient and willing to understand those who don't speak English as their first language.
Secondly and in respect to being humbled, it makes you realize that you are not the center of the universe and brings you outside your culture. You begin to see that monolith of your own culture is not the only one out there and in return it can make you appreciate the host culture and foreign culture even more.

3) It can reveal a lot about society around you.
Nothing to me is more funny when a German person will say a colloquialism, then ask if we have one in English. 90% of the translation is verbatim, and makes you realize that despite the major differences in our cultures, there are also a lot of stark similarities that tend to go unnoticed, but can be brought out in conversation.

In closing I'd say that even if you are crap at it, it is worth trying to learn a new language, if anything it will give you something that you can laugh at, and its a great icebreaker for you to get to know people from that part of the world.
They are always more receptive to people who speak their own language, even if its just a touch.
There are so many learning resources out there, that casual practice is super easy, but you should always try to meet up in real life and talk to people in the language.

 

Thanks for the feedback.