The Importance of Language Study While Studying Abroad

As Federico Fellini said, “A different language is a different vision of life”, study abroad brings your way a world of opportunities to learn different languages and gain new perspectives. Imagine the convenience of a polyglot (a person who speaks many languages) – no geography would look alien to him/her, no culture unfamiliar and no people unknown. In an age of IoT (Internet of things), where to go global is the norm, we must speak more than the customary English and our regional language. When on study abroad, take advantage of interacting with diverse people, peers, professors and locals to learn their native languages. Language is best learnt in context, so go ahead and enjoy learning many tongues. Here’s some important reasons why you should study language during study abroad:

Communication skills: Communication is at the heart of all our transactions, from business to education, from interpersonal to professional. Though English has been ruling the roost for centuries as the most popular tool of communication, there are many nations, like China, Japan, France, Germany etc. that prefer their vernacular over English. When you are travelling to these countries for education, work or vacation, knowing their language will naturally make things much easier for you. Consider, you want to enquire about city transport or direction, you’ll instantly get your answer by communicating in their tongue. While studying abroad, you’ll meet students from various nationalities that can help you pick the basics. Decide which language will help your future endeavours and enrol yourself in a language study course.

Cultural awareness: When you are studying abroad, you’ll learn about different cultural practices, conventions, ethos and the like. Just as many Indian cultural and social constructs cannot be expressed in another language, similarly customs observed in other communities and cultures can only be understood and appreciated through their very words. From authentic food to festivals, you’ll enjoy knowing the culture inside out and can relate to its very essence. If you truly want to immerse in the local culture, begin your journey with language.

Networking: When you are on study abroad, you get this amazing opportunity to build a wide network with peers and professionals from across the globe. Consider how many people you are connected to and how many more you can have in your contacts if you speak their language. You can instantly hit it off with classmates from around the world, easily collaborate with peers on exchange programs and acquire some great friends for life. Furthermore, on your internship programs, you can learn a great deal from an industry expert from China if you know Mandarin. Hence, you’ll earn invaluable professional contacts with your foreign language proficiency. You can study more than one language on study abroad and gain expertise by applying them in real life.

Self-confidence: If you are fluent in many languages, you’ll naturally be more confident in your interactions with people, and make yourself comfortable in any corner of the world. Science says that language sharpens your intellect and makes you smarter. When you learn new language, your brain activity increases much more than in any other situation and makes you more astute at problem solving and tackling unforeseen circumstances. Universities abroad provide students with exceptional language labs to hone and develop greater linguistic skills.

Career opportunities: Learning new language opens many doors to great career prospects. As technology is shrinking the world, people across the globe are working on shared platforms via the internet. Here’s how knowing many languages works wonders for your career:

• Enhances employability – Employers look for candidates with study abroad experience, and one of the predominant reasons is multi-lingual proficiency. If you are into sales and marketing and have a grasp over several languages, you’ll be an asset to any multi-national firm. Your superior linguistic skills on one hand will drive business growth, on the other, fetch you recognition in your workplace.
• Allow for different career opportunities – Language is the pre-requisite tool for communication. If you are a language enthusiast, you can tap into many professions that demand language expertise. Whether in IT or Medical Science, you can work as a translator, interpreter, writer, editor. You can also venture into script writing for advertorials, films, campaigns and much more. Besides, there is scope for multi-lingual professionals in fields like consultancy, counselling, banking etc.

Study abroad provides you with a diverse and enormous learning platform. Grab this opportunity to advance your language skills through dynamic lessons, fantastic teachers and encouraging peers.

ReachIvy sincerely hopes that this article serves as a critical tool to increase your knowledge base. For study abroad consultation or career counselling with ReachIvy, Submit a Query now! Also, review our resources section to access our free premium content..

This article was also published in IAS Paper on 12/07/2017.