“Learn a new language and get a new soul.”
Czech Proverb
Learning a new language will not only add some new words to your vocabulary and make ordering a cup of coffee in a foreign country more effortless, but it will also change your way of thinking. Languages open doorways to understanding other cultures, traditions, jokes, proverbs, literature, music, and most importantly other people. Of course, your visit to the country of your focus language will also be more meaningful, since you are able to understand more of your surroundings and interact with the locals.
Every language that you add to your knowledge, is able to broaden your views and offer you the best of multiple worlds. It is like living in different dimensions, you are able to access more information, enjoy diverse entertainment, keep on learning in different fields, and broaden your expertise in various subject areas. Knowing one language well keeps you in a comfort zone, so when you decide to start tackling a new and complex language, you might feel overwhelmed at first. However, accepting that there is no end to knowledge and no such thing as ”perfect fluency” will help you step out of this comfort zone resulting in enjoyment for this new challenge. Being bilingual makes you able to switch between perspectives and think in both languages, imagine what you would be able to do with more than two languages.
Words in another language are not just mere translations of the already-known concept in your vocabulary. Because in every language certain words have a broader meaning to them. For example, the colour blue; in English, this word could also mean sadness, while in Japanese it is often referred to as being youthful or having the best time of your life (青春、”blue spring”). In Dutch, it could be used to say ”een blauwtje oplopen”, which means being rejected or dumped, and in Russian, it could even mean having a certain sexual preference. So when you are familiar with these languages, it changes your perspective even on a simple thing such as the color blue. I have all kinds of associations with words, because of my language-learning journey. By learning a new language, I am also creating a new identity for myself. Every language tells a new story about me, so far I am a Russian who lives in the Netherlands, loves Japan and Japanese culture, reads and writes in English, and who occasionally makes time to learn Spanish. These five languages (and countries!) are the core of my being and I am excited to find out which languages I could add to my personality in the future.
Besides understanding people and their culture, by adding a new language to your knowledge, you will also improve your brain function! Multiple studies have shown that learning a new language (and reviewing) will add new connections between different brain locations, which makes your brain work faster and also improves learning skills in general, leading to better academic performance. Our brain stores our thoughts, so even on a physiological level, a new language will change your way of thinking and the ideas that you have. Your brain exercises by deepening existing knowledge (reviewing grammar & vocabulary) and by adding new information. Brains love novelty!
In conclusion, if you want to broaden your worldview and understanding, I would suggest picking up a second language (or maybe even a third, or fourth?) There is no endpoint in learning!
References
Interested in more information about the benefits of language learning? Then, you can read the references that I have used 🙂
A report on the cognitive benefits of language learning
Speaking a second language may change how you see the world
Learning a new language changes your reality
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