Why Should You Learn a Second Language and Gain New Skills?

Although the English language is lingua franca, it’s still good to learn a second language. That’s right, guys. Learning a second language never goes to waste.

It’s going to be another feather in your cap that you can use on several occasions later in life. It’s especially beneficial for those who are travel enthusiasts.

Many countries in Europe like France, Germany, and the Netherlands prefer communicating in their own language. Hence, it gets easier to travel when you know the language of the other country.

Apart from that, there are various other benefits of learning a second language. Let me highlight a few so that you can stop contemplating and make up your mind:

Improves Focus and Attention Span

People generally complain a lot about their focus and attention span as it’s narrowing down by the day. As mentioned by research, the average attention span of individuals has been reduced by four seconds. It used to be twelve seconds, but now it’s eight.

Learning a new language serves as an antidote to this issue, helping the brain stay focused while blocking out the external stimuli that act as distractions.

Boosts Memory and Retention

Have you ever seen people comparing your brain to other muscles in the body? Do you know why they do that? Your muscles expand when used regularly. It goes the same for the brain.

When used regularly, your brain expands, and memory and retention improve. You can treat it as an exercise for your brain. Understanding a new language, recalling the vocabulary, and memorizing the grammar rules strengthen your memory muscle and expand retention.

Slows Down Cognitive Decline

If you’re still contemplating whether to learn a second language or not, here’s another reason why you should. Learning a new language slows down the cognitive decline that comes with age.

It is precisely the reason experts often recommend vocabulary games to adults with dementia and Alzheimer’s. It’s also validated by various studies that bilingualism and multilingualism delay the onset of cognitive decline for up to four years.

Enhances Self-Esteem

When speaking to someone who knows a language that you don’t know, the odds of making mistakes are quite high. It is something that affects your self-esteem more than anything else.

In other words, it breaks your outer shell over and over again. But when you learn a new language, it makes you comfortable in such situations, especially when communicating with foreigners.

Nothing beats the feeling you get when talking to a stranger in their native language. It gives you self-confidence of another kind, making you feel empowered.

The Takeaway

Besides the ones mentioned above, there are a number of other benefits of learning a new language. It increases your chances of getting a job in a foreign land, builds multitasking skills, boosts creativity, and stimulates brain activity.

Thus, it won’t be wrong to say that the benefits of learning a second language are innumerable. The ones shared above are just the tip of the iceberg. That being said, it’s something you should definitely go for. I’m sure you won’t regret your decision. Good luck, my friends!