The Beauty of Learning a Foreign Language

Out of the eight billion inhabitants of this planet, only two billion can claim to speak at least two languages. Moreover, half of these two billion can speak a second language because they were born in a multilingual society. People born in a Latino area in California or a city in the ex-Soviet Union fall into this category. If the former learn Spanish at home and English in society, the latter bear the language of their forefathers and the language of their forerules, who were Russian speakers. The other billion bilingual people have learned in school or alone. Moreover, trilingual individuals make up roughly two hundred million people worldwide. Polyglots – people who can speak four, five, or more languages – are rare birds, with some estimating that fewer than two million people can speak eight languages.   A second language helps anyone stand out. A person who can master a second language receives more respect from others. Give directions in English even though he lives in Wasaw impresses an English native. Compliment in French on the streets of Bejing, and the French will be pleasantly surprised. A multilingual person impresses those around him.   However, learning a language is even more relevant and respectful than speaking it. A certain beauty for the soul and mind comes with language learning, and this beauty makes the effort worth it.   What kind of beauty does learning a language bring?     It helps the learner stay mentally young and sharp. He or she appreciates life better. Beauty is there even when life does not offer the best.   Also, learning a foreign language may prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Many believe that the mental effort required in language acquisition builds neuronal paths in the brain and even brings dead neurons back to life. Learning a new language will transform a person neurologically – into a person who can spark more beauty in life.   Beauty comes in the life of a language learner by ways of interacting with others. Language learning, as well as the ability to communicate in a different language, puts a new spin on social life. Anyone can meet new people by learning or mastering a foreign language. A great hobby always opens the gates to new, interesting people. Language learning will also help the learner meet natives, a splendid opportunity by all accounts.  What does that mean? Meeting people from other cultures helps widen horizons. New things and new ways of going through life can a new language teach. This comes with great beauty to life. Human interaction can be more enticing in multiple languages, and that plays its part in the beauty of learning a foreign language.     Last but not least, learning a foreign language, even mastering it, plays a role in self-improvement. It is an essential piece of the self-improvement puzzle. The mind becomes sharper. Communication becomes better. The horizon becomes wider. Overall, life improves by learning a new language: Life gains more beauty through the experiences of the language-learning journey.   Learning a new language takes time, effort, and energy. It can bring joy and frustration sometimes. It can bring doubt in one’s intellectual abilities. Still, in the end, the process of learning a new language brings beauty to life because it makes it more enticing.   The beauty of learning a foreign language consists in the journey, with all the friends and foes that come along the way. It’s full of beauty because it makes life more beautiful by widening horizons.