Why learn a foreign language?

Benefits of
bilingualism by Anne Merritt
Learning a foreign language is more than just a boost to your CV or handy for travelling. It will make you
smarter, more decisive and even better at English, says Anne Merritt.

 
Physiological studies have found that speaking two or more languages is a great asset to the cognitive
process. The brains of bilingual people operate differently than single language speakers, and these
differences offer several mental benefits.
Below are seven cognitive advantages to learning a foreign language. Many of these attributes are only
apparent in people who speak multiple languages regularly – if you haven’t spoken a foreign tongue since
yourA levels, your brain might not be reaping these bilingual benefits. However, people who begin language
study in their adult lives can still achieve the same levels of fluency as a young learner, and still reap the
same mental benefits, too.
You become smarter Speaking a foreign language improves the functionality of your brain by challenging
it to recognise, negotiate meaning, and communicate in different language systems. This skill boosts your
ability to negotiate meaning in other problem-solving tasks as well.
You build multitasking skills
Multilingual people, especially children, are skilled at switching between two systems of speech, writing,
and structure.
You stave off Alzheimer’s and dementia
Several studies have been conducted on this topic, and the results are consistent. For monolingual adults, the
mean age for the first signs of dementia is 71.4. For adults who speak two or more languages, the mean age
for those first signs is 75.5. Studies considered factors such as education level, income level, gender, and
physical health, but the results were consistent.
Your memory improves. You improve your English
Learning a foreign language draws your focus to the mechanics of language: grammar, conjugations, and
sentence structure. This makes you more aware of language, and the ways it can be structured and
manipulated. These skills can make you a more effective communicator and a sharper editor and writer.
Language speakers also develop a better ear for listening, since they’re skilled at distinguishing meaning
from discreet sounds.

What motivates us to learn foreign languages?

Integrative motivation
Indeed, cross-cultural romance is a common form of integrative motivation. Learners who study a language
with the aim of better understanding a culture, language, and society are integratively motivated.
In this case, language aptitude is the tool for building relationships and meaningful communication.
Linguistic studies show that integrative motivation yields faster and more effective language learning results
than other types.
The desire to communicate with a partner and honour their culture can accelerate language learning. Of
course, this doesn’t apply to romantic relationships exclusively. Cross-cultural friendships can fuel one’s
integrative motivation. An in-law or distant relative with no English ability can also motivate language
learning, out of love or simply as a gesture of respect.

Integrative motivation also applies to relationships with cultures, not just individuals. Learners from
multilingual nations can be integratively motivated to learn their national languages as a way of connecting
with their countrymen: English and French in Canada; German, French and Italian in Switzerland; Hindi and
regional languages in India.

Individuals with family roots in another culture can also be integratively motivated. An American with Irish
roots learning Gaelic, or a British-born Iranian learning Persian, are motivated to engage with a culture that
is personally meaningful to them.
Interestingly, integratively motivated learners with positive attitudes towards the target culture are better at
picking up pronunciation and accent. These learners often communicate more with foreign language
speakers, and are more exposed to spoken language. Also, an empathy towards those speakers can compel
learners to accurately imitate speech.

Instrumental motivation
Learners who study a foreign language in order to achieve another goal are instrumentally motivated. In
these cases, language competence isn’t the goal in itself, but rather the vehicle to achieving a separate
professional or personal accomplishment.
For many students, language learning is pursued only in school, as an academic requirement. Though they
made enjoy the learning process and become engaged in the target culture, the primary motivation in this
case is an instrumental one: to gain academic credit and move forward in school.

For university students and professionals, language learning is often motivated by career. Many adults
study foreign languages to fortify their CVs and qualify for work in target industries or companies. In this
case, the goal is often based on a credential, such as certificates, university credit, or proficiency exam
scores. Again, the motivation here is to land a job or promotion. Language learning is a step in achieving that
goal.
While studies find a high correlation between integrative motivation and language proficiency, this doesn’t
mean that instrumental motivation isn’t important. The structural nature of this type of study can help
discipline language students. Formal deadlines, test dates, and target grades can help focus a language
learner.
Instrumental motivation in itself is not problematic. However, a learner with zero cultural curiosity for the
target language, or even prejudices about the target culture, will likely struggle with language learning. No
matter how big the pay raise at the end of that proficiency test, the learning process will be more difficult
than for those with integrative motivation.