Learning a second language, or if you’ve already learnt two, learning yet another language only holds a series of benefits. Many of the advantages of being a polyglot may seem obvious, but here may be some that you haven’t considered.
1 – Improving cognition abilities: Learning a new skill always improves some aspect of the mind and with languages your brain’s processing speed increases and become sharper. Memory retention also improves drastically as well as multi-task management and audible observation.
2 – Understanding the world: It’s always better to approach a foreign point of view through the native language. Learning to speak a specific language can open an individual’s understanding of a certain topic to a level previously unimaginable. Two key examples for this are reading Indian Philosophy in Sanskrit or The Art of War in Classical Chinese.
3 – Travel with ease: This in part related again to point 2. It has the added emphasis of being able to go and see beautiful places and experience other cultures without being hindered by a lack of understanding.
4 – Mental wellbeing: Being able to speak a second language bolsters self-esteem and confidence. Being a polyglot also makes an individual more capable with not just the subject language, but also their native tongue. By learning the complexities of grammar and language structure, the same elements of a first language become more obvious and easier to grasp.
No one needs to be a genius to learn a second language, though some are more difficult than others. If you can motivate yourself to keep going, then there is no reason you can’t master a myriad of languages. It also doesn’t matter why you learn it, whether it be for the beauty of the language itself, an aspiration to travel or a fascination with the culture. Put the effort in, keep going, and you will get there.
Get in touch to find out more about what learning a second language can do for you or enquire about starting your polyglot journey with one of our qualified tutors.
