My Background with Languages
I speak four languages each to a different extent. The language I speak best is English. It is the language I have most command over as a native speaker. Interestingly however, it is not my ‘first language’ or ‘mother tongue’. That language would be Odia. It is the language of the Indian state of Odisha where my parents come from and where I was born. And coming from India and having lived in New Delhi for multiple and varying periods of time throughout my life, I also speak Hindi. And finally, I speak Spanish. I have lived in Bogota, Colombia since 2017, and since then have become fluent in the language. More interesting than the fact that my mother tongue is not my best language is the levels of proficiency I have in the languages I speak. My order of proficiency is as follows: English, Spanish, Hindi and finally, Odia.
From childhood and well into young adulthood I was never interested in languages. I would avoid Hindi and Odia when I could, sticking only to English. But when I moved to Colombia my perspective changed. I came to Bogota not knowing much Spanish but also knowing that I had the opportunity to learn it by virtue of living in Colombia, a Spanish speaking nation.
After nearly 5 years of having lived in Colombia, I now am fluent in Spanish, which is the fourth language I speak. Being a multilingual person with experiences in multiple languages I have a few opinions about language learning. And in this article, I would like to explore my thoughts on multilingualism.
Benefits of Learning a New Language
There are several economic and social advantages to learning a new language. The economic benefits are clear both at the individual level as well at the national and international scale. The more languages we speak, the more employment opportunities we have. Speaking multiple languages boosts one’s personal economic output as well as the global economy. Multilingualism reaps rewards such as more successful international trade and a more innovative workforce. A report by the University of Guelph that looked at how languages boost earning power further suggested that speaking multiple languages is a sign of cognitive power, perseverance, and a good education.
By speaking more languages, we also increase our social and cultural capital. Because I speak Spanish, I can directly enjoy Spanish literature, reggaeton and telenovelas. And I can communicate directly with the nearly 500 million native Spanish speakers across the globe. This in turn allows me to build strong networks within the Hispanic world.
How to Learn a New Language
There are several ways to learn a new language. The most classical way is at school or university. But unfortunately this does not work for everyone. I studied French for 8 years from 5th to 12th grade. After 8 years of studying the language one would assume that I could speak it. But that is not the case. I do not speak French. My French is limited to the following: Je m'appelle Tridib et j'ai 11 ans / My name is Tridib and I am 11 years old. Why 11 years old, you ask? Simple. That is how old I was when I started learning French and was one of the first things I learnt in the language. And embarrassingly it is the only thing that I remember. Most schools and universities teach languages in outdated manners, resulting in students not reaching high levels of proficiency. Another traditional way to learn a language is at a language school. This works a bit better because these schools have expertise on language teaching and training. However, not everyone has the time or money to enroll in a language course.
In my opinion, the most effective way to learn a language is online. Though this requires a high level of intrinsic motivation and discipline it works. There is a wealth of online resources that one can use to develop reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. If the individual has a high level of desire to learn the language, along with sustained focus and consistency, s/he can gain proficiency.
Learn a New Language Please!
To learn a new language is not easy, especially as an adult. Children have it easier when it comes to this. They are like sponges, and can absorb vocabulary, grammar, and syntax quicker than adults. But this does not mean that adults cannot learn new languages. What adults need are motivation, discipline, and resources. There is no excuse for lack of resources if one has access to the world wide web. The internet is full of free resources that one can use to learn anything. That leaves us with motivation and discipline. Do you have the two? If so, go ahead and learn a new language!
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