You probably know the practical reasons for learning a second language like English. But there are also other benefits too. Here’s a list.
Live Longer
Learning a language lowers your risk of developing Alzheimer’s or dementia. This is because your brain trains itself to learn something new and improves your ability to read clearly, think critically, memorize more distinctly and solve problems better, as detailed by Dr. Andrew Weil, in his book “Healthy Aging.”
Improve Your Mother Tongue
As you learn a second language, surprisingly, you will also improve your first language. While you learn new structures and enhance your vocabulary in another language, you begin to reflect on the same things in your first language. According to James Cummins from the University of Alberta, exposing yourself to the structural body of language makes you more appreciate its general makeup, grammar, syntax, and nuances, whatever language it may be.
Get Paid More
The financial returns of learning a foreign language vary by language and job, but they can add up to a lot. Salary.com found that jobs with pay differentials based on bilingualism usually pay 5-20% more per hour for bilingual employees. MIT economist Albert Saiz discovered that college graduates who speak two languages make an average of 2% more than those who do not. This can add up to a lot over time, as an article in The Economist points out.
Fall in Love!
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, meeting new and interesting people (or, who knows, even the love of your life!) and developing life-long relationships are certainly objectives well worth aspiring for, and learning another language is a sure way to expedite that process.
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