Why learning a second language is important

Is it so important to learn a second language? A second language is a language learned by

somebody after the first language he or she learns at home, like English and Bahasa Indonesia. It
is important, but people think it is a waste of time and money for bilingual lessons. Even so, by
learning a second language it can increase our brain power; learn about other people’s culture;
and communicate well with new and different people who do not come from our country.

According to lingoholic.com, learning a second language boosts your brain power. In

other words, your brain power increases. A study from Sweden helped visualize the benefits to a
second language. Their goal was to see clearly the importance of a new language to the human
brain. Swedish researchers conducted a study on two groups of scholars: one that studies and one
that studies non linguistic studies. Using MRI scans, they discovered that the brains of the
participants studying languages increased in size, while the brain sizes of the other group
remained the same. In addition, learning a new one puts the brain to task by recognizing this new
language structure (from examineexistence.com). As the brain works out meaning and makes full
use of this arsenal to express ideas, it sharpens skills on reading, negotiating, and problem
solving. Bilingualism may not make you smarter, but it keeps your brain healthy and active.

Discovering a new culture is an enriching experience tied to the knowledge of a foreign

language. Based on du.edu.com, increased cultural awareness provides for enriched interpersonal
exchanges and experiences. You can build relationships with people all over the world because
you get to speak with them in their country’s language. You can discover unique histories and
traditions, and enjoy films, music and literature in their original languages. You can learn a lot
about a culture, but you can’t feel it fully without throwing yourself in, and that begins with the
language.

When traveling, communicating becomes a priority-how do you get around without

asking? Traveling through a foreign country will be much easier if you can speak the language of
that country. It shows a greater level of respect and is an easy way to communicate with other
people. Australian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein is credited with saying “the limits of our
language are the limits of the world,” and he was right. If we have the limits to the number of
languages we learn, there is also a limit of places we visit. Traveling will be much easier if you
know a second language-you can communicate easier.

So how does one learn a new language? First, study the alphabet and learn to count in the
new language. Learning the alphabet can improve your reading and pronunciation skills. In turn,
better reading and pronunciation can help you memorize words with greater ease. Numbers will
likely come up in everyday conversation. Start with easy goals and challenge yourself. Try
learning to count to ten since 1-10 is usually the easiest thing to memorize at first. Second, take
advantage of technology and install language apps like Duolingo, Anki, Memrise and so much
more. Apps can make learning a new language fun and easy. Lastly (and most likely the easiest),
watch movies and use subtitles. A similar example is to listen to music and learn the words. If
you love listening to music and do it anyway, listen to songs in your target language. Words tend
to flow more naturally when you sing, and singing makes it easier to get the pronunciation right.
Music is also fun because it’s a direct line to the culture you’re learning about.
 To conclude, we know that by learning a second language, we can improve our brain
power, interact or socialize with other people’s culture, and communicate well with other people.
By learning a second language, our brain can get healthy and active. Discovering a new culture is
earned by learning a second language. Lastly, traveling is easier if you can connect with the
people’s language.

By Kayla Alesha XI MIPA 1

Sources:

- https://www.fluentu.com/blog/fastest-way-to-learn-a-new-language/#toc_8
- https://www.wikihow.com/Learn-a-New-Language-Fast
- examineexistence.com
- lingoholic .com
- du.edu.com