Understanding the World Through the Study of Foreign Languages

Extract

[...] According to a study by Dr. Thomas Bak, lecturer at Edinburgh's School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, being able to speak more than one language helps with concentration and makes it easier to ignore distractions. Also, polyglot people have a broader and more global perspective on things and tend to be more conscious listeners and thinkers. In terms of positive social aspects, being able to speak multiple languages helps with cultural differences. A lot of foreign languages represent the country's culture through their words, expressions and sayings. [...]

[...] It can be tough, and progress can stay unnoticed for a long time, making us believe that we're not good at what we're doing. However, scientifically speaking, being polyglot is a huge advantage. It stimulates the brain, increasing its size and developing abilities that could have stayed hidden for years. Furthermore, it is a way to connect with different cultures and ethnicities, to have a better social life, to increase our knowledge. Right, it is hard. But understanding that a language is more than basic vocabulary could make you discover things you never could have expected. [...]

[...] But it helped me go through a part of the pandemic. I started exchanging with native Thai people who helped me learn their language day by day but also their culture. It was for me a way of escaping the reality of the pandemic. However, it isn't always easy. The Difficulties One May Face During the Process It can be hard not only to study a foreign language but also to practice it. For some people, it is difficult to publicly speak in a language they don't master, scared of making mistakes. [...]

[...] Constantly correcting them, mocking their accent and being impatient can be tough to handle. Obviously, studying a language is a step-by-step process. No one can become bilingual in three days or a month. Not being able to properly say what one wants to say, not understanding each other or the accent are some difficulties everyone faces, myself included. But it is important to keep going and for that, staying motivated is the key part. But how to stay motivated while facing such difficulties? [...]

[...] Understanding the World Through the Study of Foreign Languages Nowadays, communicating can be done in various ways. The voice, hands, body language or even texts can be effective ways of spreading a message. However, the main barrier stopping us from easily communicating with every single population is the variety of languages. It is to say that translating apps and other technologies help. However, misunderstandings are often to appear. But how to make sure that what we want to say is correctly transmitted? [...]