Why You Will Become Smarter If You Decide to Learn a Foreign Tongue
Probably, it is not written in your textbook in Spanish or Japanese. Still, it would help if you always remembered when you decided to start learning numerous combinations of foreign signs, sounds, and meanings. Learning a foreign tongue is not only about mastering pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar; neither only about speaking and writing.
No doubt, all these components are essential and cannot but be considered by anybody who is devoting their time to comprehending and deciphering riddles of the chosen foreign language. Moreover, each language is built, and functions like a system carefully thought out and perfectly organized, formed by the elements mentioned above.
Nonetheless, the process of learning a foreign tongue implies much more aspects. And now we will shed some light on most of them to prove how helpful a foreign language, in addition to your native one, can appear to be on your way of self-development and in your education generally.
See What You Can Learn
Have you ever noticed that people who can speak at least one foreign tongue very fluently usually tend to be quite widely educated? Indeed, they can amaze you with their in-depth knowledge of certain facets of our life in this world or, maybe, even beyond its bounds.
You see, the thing is that when you make a real effort to enter the world of a different language, you cannot escape learning a lot of other things about the people who speak it and who, in essence, live in and build this world. Simultaneously, you will inevitably need to find out more about everything that makes up their unique lifestyle with all its rules, patterns and traditions.
This will help you considerably in learning because the language is tightly interconnected with literally every sphere of our life. These connections may seem rather tricky as they depend on many different factors. However, our aim here is to describe them without digging very deeply into their nature and interdependence.
So, here we go!
It Is About History
We have already mentioned that each language is inseparable from the history of the area where it originates from. It is essential to understand that numerous influences, caused by various historical circu mstances, have formed the language you are learning (or trying to learn), as well as your mother tongue. So, if you want to understand it, you should know and understand history.
It Is About Politics & Economics
At least once you face a text about the country’s politics and economics where the language you learn is spoken. Suppose you feel like you are an upper-intermediate or even advanced student. In that case, you can be recommended to try watching or reading (though doing both is more preferable) the news in the language you are mastering.
It Is About Culture
A lot of exciting features the language possesses are determined by the traditions and customs of its speakers. Or even vice versa, some cultural features can depend on the tongue. Catch an example: the Chinese believe that it is terrible to cut pear with a knife. The thing is that the word combination “fen-li“, which means “to cut a pear” sounds just like the word “parting“. Consequently, if you happen to cut a pear, you may lose someone you love. So it goes.
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