One of the primary
benefits of learning English is that it is often considered the
language of global business. The international business community often
uses it for communication, even among people who do not speak the same
native language. Speaking and understanding English can let a person
more easily communicate with others and find more job opportunities not
only in his or her home country, but around the world as well. There are
also many professional informative publications printed in English,
which means it is often an essential language for anyone working in
science or research.
Professional Opportunities
For many people, the
benefits of learning English include broadening their employment
opportunities, since it is used so commonly in business. People who
speak two or more languages are often ideal candidates for jobs in
travel, international business, or translation. Many government agencies
and employers that offer work with the general public, such as
positions in law enforcement or healthcare, often look for multilingual
candidates.
Ad
Social Networking and Relationships
Many people see the
ability to communicate and talk with others as one of the major benefits
of learning English. Even outside of a professional environment, people
often like to be able to talk to individuals from around the world.
Many people find great social and cultural benefits in having pen pals
from other countries, and the Internet makes such communication fast and
easy. Knowing English can broaden the types of people you can speak to,
whether its via email
or on an online discussion forum. A tremendous number of websites are
available primarily in English, and anyone who does not understand the
language may have difficulty using them.
For anyone interested in
traveling to countries in which English is the primary or common
language, it is often essential to understand and speak it. Throughout
the UK, US, and Canada, traveling and shopping are often made easier by
speaking the language since many individuals may not speak any other
language. One of the most important benefits of learning English is the
ability to explore these regions and more easily communicate with locals
to learn about places and events that might otherwise remain unknown.
Many people in European countries learn English in school, so knowing it
can also be of benefit when traveling in locations even where it's not
the native tongue.
Learning a language can
also be a great way to meet people, even if you never plan on leaving
home. A class at a local community center or college can introduce you
to a wide variety of people who are also interested in English, and give
you the opportunity to interact with them in a controlled setting.
Language courses often encourage students to carry on conversations with
each other in the language being learned, and this can be a great way
to break the ice with new people.
Immigration
Immigrants to
English-speaking countries who do not speak the language are often at a
serious disadvantage economically. It's much more difficult to get and
hold a job, find a place to live, and even do everyday tasks like
grocery shopping if you don't understand the language. Learning English
not only benefits immigrants themselves, it also helps families by
allowing parents to be involved more fully in their children's lives and
education. In addition, these children don't have to translate for
their parents, allowing them to be kids instead of interpreters.
Entertainment and Cultural Understanding
A huge amount of popular
entertainment comes out of Hollywood, and nearly all of it is produced
in English. American movies and TV programs are distributed all over the
world, and are often subtitled for people who don't speak the language.
Knowing English can allow you to better understand the subtleties of
dialog that subtitles frequently miss. It can be a challenge to
translate concepts and terms that don't match one-for-one between
languages, and nuances of meaning can be lost.
Language is an inherently
cultural construct. How people speak, the words they choose, and the
topics under discussion are deeply tied into the culture of a place. By
learning English or any other language, you are putting yourself into
the mindset of a native speaker and are introduced to many of the
concepts that he finds important. Gaining a better understanding of
other cultures can help you to enrich your own understanding of the
world and how others see it.
Research and Academics
Many of the most prominent
and well known publications throughout the world are written and
printed in English. Scholars interested in doing research at an academic
level, or working on new scientific developments, should consider the
benefits of learning English to read these periodicals and publish their
own work. Publication in peer-reviewed journals is often required for
someone who wishes to remain in academia, and the ability to read and
write in English may be necessary to maintain such a position. Even
learning about current events often requires an understanding of the
language, since so many global publications and news websites use it.
Education
Because English is a first
language for many countries, many other nations teach it as a
requirement in schools. It is estimated that over a billion people in
the world speak English on at least a basic level. For many people, the
benefits of learning English involve the new opportunities that become
available to someone who understands it. Anyone interested in attending a
university in the US, for example, needs to speak it or be able to pass
a test proving that he or she is fluent.
Different Forms of English
People who do decide to
learn English may need to consider what type of English is best for them
to know. The two most common forms are British English and American
English, and they can be quite different in some respects. The
fundamental underlying language is the same, and people who learn one
are likely to still be easily understandable by someone who speaks the
other, but there will be instances in which words are phrases don't mean
the same thing.
Much of the decision
about which type of English to learn will depend on where a student is
learning it and what his or her ultimate goals are. To understand the
language generally, any type of class will be of help. Many people don't
have a wide variety of options to choose from, and a local college may
only teach British English, for example. Someone who lives in Europe is
more likely to be taught this form simply because he or she is closer
geographically to the United Kingdom.
Individuals who are
learning English for a job, however, might want to seek out a class that
is specifically tailored to business language or to the form spoken in
the country they will be doing business with. A person who will be
regularly working with an American company, for example, may better
understand the nuances of her coworkers if she is familiar with the
terminology and idioms of that country. Specialized classes also
typically focus more on the language used in business rather than casual
conversation, which could be important if that's the student's main
goal.
Share this
Klik if you like :