If you’re debating picking up a second language, it may be motivating to know that it has a plethora of benefits for your brain. So, what are the best reasons to start practicing a new language?
By Jayne Turner – Staff Writer
Cognitive enhancement
Any activity that requires active attention enhances cognitive ability and focus, but learning a new language is associated with neurodegenerative disease prevention. Your brain doesn’t just have one “language center.” Language recruits the whole brain, with emphasis on a few specific areas. Interestingly, different languages activate different brain areas. So, when you learn a new language, you may be activating part of your brain that you don’t usually use.
Though it is well known that language has a critical period for full syntactic fluency, it is still beneficial to begin studying a new language after that period ends, which is around age 7. That is, it will be harder for you to learn a new language as an adult, and you may never become as fluent as native speakers, but the cognitive benefits are still there!
Bilingual children are shown to have better attentional skills since the skills necessary to switch back and forth between languages seem to be memory-dependent and require active listening. These are skills that could definitely use some practice in today’s society, full of short-form content and quick entertainment.
Read more about the beating brainrot here.
Career opportunities
If you’re interested in a career in business or technology, speaking a second language is highly advantageous, as these fields are increasingly global. You automatically get a competitive edge, which employers will like.
Not only does it open up more job opportunities, but it also provides the chance for a higher salary based on your skills. When you have a skill that is in demand, you can ask for a higher salary. Most times, you’ll make at least 5% more than your monolingual colleagues.
Social connection
Speaking a second language opens you up to connections with more people, period. Whether you use that to network for your career or just to make friends, you’ll open up a world of cultural experiences that you wouldn’t have had before.
You don’t have to be fluent to make friends who speak another language. Oftentimes, they will be trying to learn English, too. You can help each other gain fluency by conversing in both languages. The best part? You don’t have to travel to get practice speaking your new language. You can get a pen pal! Many people have luck finding a snail mail or internet pen pal, but programs like Global Penfriends allow you to find a pen pal with ease.
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Travel experience
One of the best ways to learn a new language once you know the basics is by immersing yourself in the culture. By having conversations with natives of the language, you learn the slang and nuances that a textbook can’t teach you.
That pen pal that you made? You can visit each other! It is an unforgettable opportunity to travel and learn with a friend.
