Here is the original article: http://www.leadwithlanguages.org/why-learn-languages/top-ten-reasons-to-learn-languages/
1. Connect
Being able to communicate and connect with other people is an incredible human experience that can widen your world views. And being able to connect in more than one language is an eye-opening experience. You can make friendships and experience the world in a very different way, and consequently learn more deeply about yourself and what motivates your actions.
2. Advance your career
Speaking a language different than English is one of the top eight skills that employers in virtually every sector look for. So, if you speak another language you are actually ahead of the game as a desirable candidate for any job.
3. Feed your brain
There are many advantages that speaking another language brings in terms of developing your brain capacity. The brain is like a muscle. You can train it by learning another language to memorize better, to problem-solve, multi-task, think critically, concentrate better, to be more creative and flexible, switch between tasks and monitor the environment than a monolingual person is able to. The part of the brain that is associated with learning languages is also associated with learning math, so learning a language enhances your ability to understand and learn math as well.
4. Deepen your connection to other cultures
When you learn a language, you learn to appreciate the culture, which is the traditions, the religion, the arts and music, associated with that culture. You also become more tolerant, empathetic, and accepting of others, and you have a more positive attitude toward that culture.
5. See the world
Knowing another language allows you to explore the places, where this language is spoken more deeply and to connect with the local people. It also means opportunities for studying or working abroad.
6. Go to the source
Speaking another language allows us to enjoy and assess media and entertainment on the Internet that we would not otherwise have access to. It is nice to be able to observe other worldview points.
7. Become a polyglot
When you learn a language different from your native, your communication skills improve and your vocabulary in your native language multiplies. But this is not the only advantage: your brain now is primed to learn a third and fourth language even faster, because it has made the net connections that allow it to do so (see the video link in the article).
8. Boost your confidence
Speaking another language means making a lot of mistakes and really going out of your comfort zone, but once you start using it and are able to have a conversation with a native speaker, you feel such a rewarding feeling of accomplishment.
9. Strengthen your decision making
Studies show that decisions made in a second language are more reason driven than when made in a mother tongue, because you are able to distance yourself emotionally, hence you make better decisions.
10. Gain perspective
Learning about another culture makes us see our culture from a different angle. We might see some positive or negative aspects of it that otherwise we would not be aware of, and as a result we might become more appreciative of what we have or decide to shake things up.
1. Connect
Being able to communicate and connect with other people is an incredible human experience that can widen your world views. And being able to connect in more than one language is an eye-opening experience. You can make friendships and experience the world in a very different way, and consequently learn more deeply about yourself and what motivates your actions.
2. Advance your career
Speaking a language different than English is one of the top eight skills that employers in virtually every sector look for. So, if you speak another language you are actually ahead of the game as a desirable candidate for any job.
3. Feed your brain
There are many advantages that speaking another language brings in terms of developing your brain capacity. The brain is like a muscle. You can train it by learning another language to memorize better, to problem-solve, multi-task, think critically, concentrate better, to be more creative and flexible, switch between tasks and monitor the environment than a monolingual person is able to. The part of the brain that is associated with learning languages is also associated with learning math, so learning a language enhances your ability to understand and learn math as well.
4. Deepen your connection to other cultures
When you learn a language, you learn to appreciate the culture, which is the traditions, the religion, the arts and music, associated with that culture. You also become more tolerant, empathetic, and accepting of others, and you have a more positive attitude toward that culture.
5. See the world
Knowing another language allows you to explore the places, where this language is spoken more deeply and to connect with the local people. It also means opportunities for studying or working abroad.
6. Go to the source
Speaking another language allows us to enjoy and assess media and entertainment on the Internet that we would not otherwise have access to. It is nice to be able to observe other worldview points.
7. Become a polyglot
When you learn a language different from your native, your communication skills improve and your vocabulary in your native language multiplies. But this is not the only advantage: your brain now is primed to learn a third and fourth language even faster, because it has made the net connections that allow it to do so (see the video link in the article).
8. Boost your confidence
Speaking another language means making a lot of mistakes and really going out of your comfort zone, but once you start using it and are able to have a conversation with a native speaker, you feel such a rewarding feeling of accomplishment.
9. Strengthen your decision making
Studies show that decisions made in a second language are more reason driven than when made in a mother tongue, because you are able to distance yourself emotionally, hence you make better decisions.
10. Gain perspective
Learning about another culture makes us see our culture from a different angle. We might see some positive or negative aspects of it that otherwise we would not be aware of, and as a result we might become more appreciative of what we have or decide to shake things up.