"To have another language is to possess a second soul"
“To have another language”, said Charlemagne, “is to possess a second soul”. That’s some insight for an emperor who lived twelve hundred years ago. But there’s no question that he touched on one of the great truths about language in general: where would we be without our writers, poets, philosophers, scientists, etc., if there was no language at all? In fulfilling basic human needs to live happily and responsibly, languages have played a significant role in civilizing humanity.
Languages are our means to communicate with others, to deliver our thoughts, ideas, dreams, prayers and meditations. It’s how we express ourselves, really, and in today’s globalized world it’s virtually impossible to communicate with anyone unless you both speak a common language. Take a city like Geneva, Switzerland, as just one example. You can get around comfortably with English but the majority of its people speak at least three other languages ‒ French, Spanish and Italian. And that’s the whole point: Language goes much further than just communication; it’s also a marvellous tool for forging friendships, cultural ties as well as economic relationships.
Some analysts say that English is probably the most widespread, but foreign languages are full of linguistics and idiomatic expressions not found anywhere in English. Learning a foreign language offers myriad benefits: mental stimulation; expanded knowledge and curiosity; extended cultural relationships; and much more fun when traveling! There are also a couple of deeper fundamental benefits of learning or knowing a language:
Language has become one of the important factors in competitiveness. In our super-advanced industrial society, knowing one or more languages is essential.
Language distinguishes us from animals and forms an unbreakable human bond from infancy, where the human connection is made, developed and strengthened, especially within the first five years of a child’s life. A language impediment can create serious problems at school.
How about these interesting facts:
There are an estimated 7,000 languages spoken around the world, of which 90 per cent are spoken by fewer than 100,000 people.
Asia is home to 2,200 of the world’s languages; Europe has just 260.
Though not linked in origin or vocabulary, almost every language has the same grammatical structure.
The United Nations Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) ranks the world’s most widely spoken languages in this order: Mandarin Chinese, English, Spanish, Hindi, Arabic, Bengali, Russian, Portuguese, Japanese, German and French.
Does it really matter why you would like to learn a new language? Exploring new linguistic territories opens up all sorts of opportunities and will always enhance your quality of life and give you loads of enjoyment in educating yourself. The British philosopher John Stuart Mill described language as “the light of the mind”, while former South African president Nelson Mandela believed that “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” Now who can argue with that?
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