So you’ve decided to learn a language – good for you! This is a great hobby that gives real results that you can use in your everyday life, whether you are planning a vacation, or want to add diversity to your resume. And with over three hundred and fifty million people in the world speaking Spanish, what better language could there be to learn?
With twenty-five countries in the world speaking the language as their official or primary language, learning Spanish makes sense. While acquiring any language as a second one has many benefits, such as improving memory and problem-solving abilities, enhancing one’s ability in any mother tongue and improving self-esteem, choosing a language that has huge practical applications increases the value of the study involved. With the US being the third largest Spanish speaking country in the world, and this language second only to English in the frequency it is spoken in homes, learning Spanish is a wise choice.
Whether Spanish is learned as part of a school curriculum or taken up in later life, the benefits of gaining an understanding of this language in particular are manifold. A knowledge of Spanish can afford an important edge in today’s competitive job markets, particularly as an increasing number of corporations are opening offices in South America. The NAFTA treaty signed by the USA, Canada and Mexico has also increased trade and communications between these three nations, making an understanding of the Spanish language more useful than ever in the work place.
Studying Spanish is also valuable in providing enrichment at a personal level, as the countries in which the language is spoken offer a multi-layered cultural heritage that can be best explored through its native tongue. Many literary masterpieces were written by Spanish authors, and can be enjoyed to their full extent in their original language. An understanding of the Spanish language also cultivates the desire to travel to foreign lands, opening up new and fascinating worlds to the student.
Learning Spanish can open up so many avenues of exploration, from those in the business world to more personal paths of discovery. Enhance your understanding of the world around you by learning about the linguistic heritage of another culture, and see the world you live in as never before.
Word count: 379