Having the ability to speak multiple languages can give people the upper hand when learning and experiencing new cultures; however, being monolingual can help in today 's society. Although having the ability to communicate in different languages can be helpful, being monolingual is not a disadvantage due to the ability to communicate in today 's new and modern global world through the language of English. Society and the way it works has changed tremendously over the years. Business between countries has grown and connections have grown with it as well.The world is a boundless place full of many different cultures and has “roughly 6,900” languages around the world that are all unique in their own way (source B). Although there is an overwhelming …show more content…
Actually, the majority of people in the world “speak 1.69 languages- not high enough to conclude that the average person is bilingual” (source C). Having the ability to communicate in one language can help others communicate in everyday life from walking through town and shopping to making deals in business. Having a society that is monolingual can improve economies and relations throughout the world. Also, there was a survey in 2007 to determine the number of 5 year olds and older who spoke a language other than English at home. Out of the 280,950,438 people, 225,505,953 of them spoke only English at home (source E). This means that again 20% of people spoke a language other than English at home. English is a popular language, not just in English speaking countries, but also in countries that it is not the primary language. As the world changes, English becomes more and more of a necessity for society to communicate. As time progresses, English may be the only language needed to communicate more for people around the world. Through the globalization of the English language, its effects would greatly improve society by shortening time lost in language barriers and improve understandings of
When a baby is born, he/she comes into this world eager to learn. Always taking in information and absorbing it like a new computer. Every experience he/she encounters could possibly stick in that baby’s mind. However, some of the things that a child hears or perceives can either benefit or corrupt their learning. Teaching a child a second language has the same concept as putting in new software in a computer. Many advantages come with a safe and powerful computer and the same would come with knowing a second language. If a child was not taught a second language in their early years, that child might be at a disadvantage in their future, and as that child grows up not knowing a second language could potentially hold him/her back with grades and obtaining a job. Knowing a second language can benefit from those things and can also help with keeping strong ties with their family, culture, community, and even music.
Making english the only official and legally recognized language in the United States would certainly be a positive change for those who only speak english. The passing of this law could be used in the workforce to level out the playing field. It is no surprise that americans who speak more than one language in the United States have an advantage over those who only speak one language. Large companies and even small business are always looking for employees who are bilingual. Having bilingual employees can be very beneficial to their businesses. It allows the companies or businesses employers to communicate with a larger range of people. Albert Costa, a researcher at the University of Pompeu Fabra in Spain conducted a study where individuals were tested on their mobility skills. This study showed that the bilingual subjects had a “heightened ability to monitor the ...
I feel all people would benefit from mastering a second language. I have spent several days researching this and I have found out that there is many wonderful benefits to this skill. The job opportunities are incredible. It has even been proven that bilingualism has cognitive advantages across the entire lifespan, from children to adults.
Bhattacharjee has indicated “Speaking two languages rather than just one has obvious practical benefits in an increasingly globalized world” (Bhattacharjee, par. 1). I extremely agree with the last sentence—being bilinguals and have more than one language brings up a lot of advantage in a person life. The person who has more than language has confidence and can deal with people more than monolinguals which they will be shy to say something wrong. From my experience, I speak three languages—that helps me to be confident and strong and am so proud of myself even when it is little broken. I can understand people very well, and I have knowledge.
“Bilingualism for the individual is fine, but not for a country”, claims S.I Hayakawa in his article “Bilingualism in America”, published in USA Today in 1989. A language is a systematic means of communication. It is used to express ourselves and communicate with others. More than 300 languages are spoken in the United States but English is one of the common bonds among the Americans of all backgrounds. English is the language of freedom, commerce and opportunity around the world.
In today’s society, especially in the United States, most people are monolingual English speakers. As a result, these monolingual speakers are at a significant disadvantage compared to those who speak more than one language fluently. This disadvantage is crucial to realize since it is important to learn how individuals and the nation can be enhanced. Multilingual speakers have an advantage in global affairs that involve countries that speak different languages. Speaking multiple languages makes it easier to communicate with people when involved in foreign affairs. Those who speak multiple languages are also more aware of other cultures in society. Monolingual speakers are not as exposed to other cultures and have difficulty understanding or even recognizing them. Furthermore, being multilingual increases your
The power of language is unlimited. Some say that the language is one of the greatest inventions in human history because it’s the only thing that separates us from the other primates. Nowadays, people all around the world are used to learn and speak English beyond their native language during international cooperation. They come across the language borders and keep in touch with others by communicating and influence others with their second language. As Yudhijit Bhattacharjee states in “Why Bilinguals Are Smarter”, “in recent years, scientists have begun to show that the advantages of bilingualism are even more fundamental than being able to speak with a wider range of people.
Today the world we live in is “a global village” where no nation, group or culture can remain anonymous (Samovar & Porter, 1991). What happens in one part of the world affects all parts of the world. As the world is becoming smaller, we are increasingly interacting with people from many different cultures. While modern technology has made it easier for us to communicate with people anywhere in the world, such interactions can be difficult if we do not know how to deal with people and cultures different from our own. Here are examples of some of the obvious mistakes politicians and businesses have made when it comes to dealing with other languages cultures:
The way people communicate varies widely between, and even within, cultures. One aspect of communication style is language usage. Language has always been perceived as a link between people but it can also constitute a barrier. Across cultures, some words and phrases are used in different ways. For example, even in countries that share the English language, the meaning of "yes" varies from "maybe, I'll consider it" to "definitely so," with many shades in between . Furthermore, communication between cultures which do not share the same language is considerably more difficult . Each culture, has its distinct syntax, expressions and structure which causes confusion in intercultural communication. For example , in Asian countries the word “no” is rarely used, so that “yea” can mean “no” or “perhaps”. Therefore, an American traveling to Japan might be considered impolite if he ignores this rule. Furthermore, individuals who are not comfortable with a certain language may not be taken seriously. Such is the case in the classroom, where a student who has a perfect knowledge of the subject in question may have difficulty expressing his idea due to his inability to write properly and therefore he would not receive the grade he truly deserves. Similarly intercultural communication is dominant in the workplace. In the past, many companies and organizations could operate entirely within their country of origin and conduct their activities exclusively in their own native language. But now, due...
It has been adopted by different sectors making it one of the most used languages in the globe. This has been attributed to its effective nature, easy learning and rich history. However, conservative groups exist who argues that there should be global language since it may cause the emergence of superior cultures. Nevertheless, it is evident that different cultures ranging from the early polish immigrants, the African American community, the advertising and media will greatly benefit from the globalization of the English language. This will prove in the end that English is indeed a global
If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language that goes to his heart.” ‒ Nelson Mandela. Since the 1960’s learning a second language has decreased by 30 percent in today’s society. People who wish to learn an additional language often do so to communicate with people who reside in different countries. With an increase in today’s globalization, it is forcing companies throughout the world to break the language barrier. However, with the advancement of technology, numerous citizens find it unnecessary to learn another language, as a translation is at the tip of their fingers. The methods of learning a foreign language can differentiate between people. Nevertheless it has been
Also English is the language that consociate the whole World (Pike, 2013). It is important to learn English for being a global citizen - a person that can live anywhere, thrive anywhere, and speak to anyone (Pike, 2013), the more people learn English, the more people can approach to the World. That means different countries can exchange their idea, knowledge and technology by using English. English lead our country to be more developed and wealthy.
I truly think that multilingual education will be worthwhile, especially with the critical period to consider, just as mentioned above. People are still able to think if multilingualism fits them while trying multilingual education; yet, once the kids miss the golden period for this, it would be harder to acquire the language fully. Moreover, even though might be some doubts to think about, multilingualism still seems to do more good than harm. There is no persuasive reason to stay monolingual instead of being multilingual, so I’ll suggest that it is time to embrace multilingual
Even though there are advantages as well as disadvantages, the need for international language for communication, politics, economics and security is necessary and English is the best “language candidate” for that function. English is a language spread all over the world and it is used by millions and millions of speakers. According to my opinion, people should use English as a tool to communicate with all cultures but every country must keep their culture and language is a great part of it. In conclusion, language defines identity of a country and everyone should keep their language and explore others.
() Moreover, people who are learning foreign languages develop self-confidence. Multilingual people tend to attract people because of their skills. You can overcome your fears and doubts, become more intelligent, meet new interesting people and travel to places you would have never dared to visit before. This means that if you learn foreign languages, this is likely to improve your ability to solve financial difficulties, for example.