5 Advantages of Being Bilingual
Learning more than one language is a very interesting and rewarding process. It distinguishes you and opens the door to numerous opportunities. When a person fluently speaks more than one language, they are considered bilingual. It is known that bilingual people have many benefits to improve their lifestyle.
In this blog, I will discuss some of the many advantages to being bilingual.
More Job Opportunities
Proficiency of many languages provides a great chance for better job opportunities, especially abroad. Bilingual people can get good paying jobs in foreign countries because people with language skills are in high-demand.
But you don’t have to go abroad, you can also find great jobs in your home country in fields like translation, interpretation and tourism. Speaking more than one language will greatly increase the types of jobs you are eligible for and will make you attractive to prospective employers.
Study or Teaching Abroad Programs
If studying or teaching abroad is your dream, you can achieve it easier by being bilingual. Foreign universities typically require proficiency of their mother language to give scholarships to study abroad candidates.
There are many tests that must be passed for obtaining a visa to your targeted country, such as the TOEFEL and ITELS exams. These tests evaluate the level of candidates and their lingual ability. Therefore, bilingualism may be the key to joining these universities or living abroad.
Improving Brain Function
It has been proven that people who speak more than one language have better mental abilities because shifting to and from different languages widens the tracks of the brain and improves thinking and intelligence.
Additionally, proficiency of foreign languages protects the brain from mental aging diseases, like Alzheimer and Dementia. Speaking multiple languages is a good workout for the brain.
People who speak many languages also have greater memory capabilities.
Having Friends All Over the World
Speaking foreign languages allows you to meet people from different countries and cultures. Social media platforms give you the chance to chat with people from all over the world. Doing this to practice your language skills can develop your bilingualism even farther, and will help you learn about the culture and country of the language you are speaking.
Reading Foreign Literatures
Literatures increases our awareness and enriches our knowledge. So, proficiency of foreign languages provides a great chance to read different types of literature. For example, English and Russian literature have good world-wide reputation regarding novels. You will enjoy reading masterpieces like Hamlet, Othello, The Merchant of Venice, Hard times, War and Peace, The Idiot and The Brothers Karamazov.
Becoming proficient in more than one language gives you numerous advantages, therefore try to learn an additional language besides your mother language.