If you're wondering whether or not it's worth the time
to learn a foreign language, read these Top Benefits of
Learning A Foreign Language before you decide.
#1 Reason for learning a foreign language: More money
and better job opportunities
A recent article in the NY Times quoted New York State
Attorney General Eliot Spitzer on the subject of a
lawsuit filed against the State of NY charging that
"lack of basic translation services in several New York
City hospitals is endangering immigrant patients and
violating state and federal law."
It's lawsuits like this that underline the importance of
employers hiring people that can speak a foreign
language. As the lawsuit points out, it's no longer a
matter of political correctness to be able to service
your customers in their native language. In some
instances, such as public health and public safety
organizations, it can be truly a matter of live or
death!
Many employers are responding to the need to hire people
who speak a foreign language by offering more money to
start and higher raises throughout their career.
In addition to pay scale, being able to speak a foreign
can also help open the opportunity to qualify for more
exotic and interesting jobs such as foreign service
officer for the CIA or State Department, or foreign
language specialist for the National Security Agency.
#2 Reason for
learning a foreign language: Increased perception of
intelligence
It is a generally accepted notion that people who speak
a second or foreign language are perceived as being more
intelligent than those who do not have any foreign
language skills. In Europe, where the majority of the
population speaks their own native language as well as
at least English, if not a third or even fourth foreign
language, Americans are perceived as being less
intelligent because we are not bilingual for the most
part.
#3 Reason for
learning a foreign language: More social opportunities
When you speak a foreign language you have the
opportunity to associate with others who either speak
the language natively or have learned a foreign language
in addition to their own native language. You end up
expanding your circle of social and business contacts
and, as a result, you are open to being invited to more
social and business functions.
#4 Reason for
learning a foreign language: More rewarding travel
opportunities
It's just plain more fun and interesting when you
vacation in a country where you speak the language. Not
only do the locals treat you better, because they see
that you made an effort to learn their language, but you
get better service in shops and restaurants because you
can read the signs, understand the menu, and converse
better with the staff. Being able to speak the native
foreign language can be a lifesaver if you have a
medical emergency and have to communicate your symptoms
to medical staff who may not speak English as well as
you would hope they could.
