You’ve heard all the reasons why some people don’t learn languages, many of these founded on long-held myths and misconceptions. The truth is, in today’s increasingly interconnected and interdependent world, proficiency in other languages is a vital skill that gives you the opportunity to engage with the world in a more immediate and meaningful way—whether in your neighborhood or thousands of miles away—while better preparing you to compete and succeed in the global economy.
https://www.languageconnectsfoundation.org/connect-with-language/the-benefits-of-learning- languages
1. Which of the ideas presented in the article do you agree the most? Why?
2. What’s the reason you are learning English? Are any of your reasons mentioned
in the article?
3. What other language would you like to learn besides English? Why?
4. Do you think some languages are easier to learn than others? Which ones, and
why?
5. How many languages do you think will exist 100 years from now? Which do you
predict will be the most dominant, and why?
1.Which of the ideas presented in the article do you agree the most? Why?
Learning other languages opens many doors for you, since in a globalized world it is not only necessary to communicate and do business, but also to exchange our culture and customs, for a better society that empathizes with the world.
2. What’s the reason you are learning English? ¿Are any of your reasons mentioned in the article?
Learning other languages opens many doors for you, since in a global world it is important to do business and socialize through social networks, to promote tourism and develop the culture and customs of all countries.
3. What other language would you like to learn besides English? Why?
I love French, so I would like to study this language, I have planned to do so in a few months. It would be good to learn this language, because there are more and more people in the world who consider it to be one of the most beautiful languages in the world, including its National Immo.
4. Do you think some languages are easier to learn than others? Which ones, and
why?
Yes of course, for example the Language of Brazil is Portuguese.
5. How many languages do you think will exist 100 years from now? Which do you predict will be the most dominant, and why?
I can’t give the exact number, but it is very likely that they will increase by 30 or 40%.
1. Which of the ideas presented in the article do you agree the most? Why?
It is evident that increasingly in today’s interconnected and interdependent world, fluency in other languages is a vital skill, as it provides you with opportunities to engage with the world in a more immediate and meaningful way.
2. What’s the reason you are learning English? Are any of your reasons mentioned
in the article?
The most important reason for learning English is its role as a global language of communication. In this respect English is the most widely used language in international communication. It is the lingua franca in many contexts, which means that people from different countries often use English to communicate with each other, especially in environments where they do not share a common native language.
3. What other language would you like to learn besides English? Why?
I would like to learn Japanese. This interest is due to several factors: first, the cultural richness of Japan, ranging from its ancient history to its contemporary influence in technology, art and pop culture, such as anime and manga. In addition, learning Japanese would be a stimulating challenge because of its unique writing system, which combines kanji and two syllabaries, hiragana and katakana. Being able to read and understand Japanese literature and films in their original language would be a very enriching experience.
4. Do you think some languages are easier to learn than others? Which ones, and
why?
Yes, I definitely believe that some languages are easier to learn than others, depending on several factors:
• Similarity to mother tongue: Speakers of Indo-European languages may find it easier to learn other languages within the same language family, such as Spanish, French, Italian or German, due to similarities in vocabulary, grammar and syntactic structures.
• Grammatical simplicity: Languages with simpler grammatical structures, such as Indonesian or Esperanto, may be easier to learn. For example, Indonesian does not have complex verb tenses or verb conjugations.
• Availability of learning resources: Popular languages such as Spanish, French or German have a wealth of educational resources and speaker communities, making them easier to learn.
• Writing system: Languages with simple phonetic alphabets, such as Spanish or Korean (Hangul), are generally easier to learn compared to languages that use logographic writing systems such as Chinese.
5. How many languages do you think will exist 100 years from now? Which do you
predict will be the most dominant, and why?
Currently, it is estimated that there are approximately 7,000 languages in the world, but many of them are endangered. Within 100 years, the number of languages is likely to be significantly reduced, possibly to a few thousand, due to factors such as globalisation, urbanisation and pressure from dominant languages. Many minority languages may disappear if no measures are taken to preserve them.
As to which language will be the most dominant, English is likely to maintain its position due to its prevalence in business, science, technology and popular culture. In addition, Mandarin (Chinese) could gain more importance due to China’s economic growth and global influence. However, other languages such as Spanish and Hindi will also remain important due to the large number of native speakers and their cultural influence.
In short, while many languages may disappear, a few dominant languages such as English, Mandarin, Spanish and Hindi are likely to remain influential on the global stage.
1. Which of the ideas presented in the article do you agree the most? Why?
I agree that knowing more than one language represents an advantage in the world regardless of the profession or sector in which we work. Furthermore, I also agree that knowing another language awakens the interest in getting to know other cultures and traveling to other parts of the world to learn about their traditions and customs.
2. What’s the reason you are learning English? Are any of your reasons mentioned in the article?
I am learning English to be a more competitive professional, in addition to having easier access to bibliographic material and training that is in this language and also to learn more about English and American culture.
3. What other language would you like to learn besides English? Why?
I would like to learn French because I consider that it is a romantic language and that it comes from an interesting culture with an ancient history, with great artists and peculiar traditions.
4. Do you think some languages are easier to learn than others? Which ones, and why?
Yes, because my native language is Spanish, I think it would be easier for me to learn languages that have the same alphabet, like French. Therefore, I think Arabic language would be difficult for me.
5. How many languages do you think will exist 100 years from now? Which do you
predict will be the most dominant, and why?
I am not sure if there will be more languages than the current ones because the ones known now are several hundred years old. Maybe in 100 years, there will be more words within the already known languages, and this could give rise to more dialects, that is, by areas.
About the most dominant language, it could be English because until now it is the most commercial language in various parts of the world, however, it will depend on factors, such as economic, social, and demographic.
1. . Which of the ideas presented in the article do you agree the most? Why?
Access to high-quality language education—especially as a means to freedom of expression—is a human right.
Learning another language exponentially enriches the experience of being human.
Language is a window to understanding and empathizing with other cultures—including their traditions, history, values, and perspectives.
Language empowers people to profoundly connect with one another and their heritage, fosters peace and prosperity, and avoids needless conflict.
2. What’s the reason you are learning English? Are any of your reasons mentioned in the article?
The reason is because of my master’s degree in history. It would allow me to read history books in English that I need for my inquiry. And the article says: “a life skill that gives you the opportunity to relate to the world in a more immediate way”…I agree, because in my case I’m describing it by having access to books in English.
3. What other language would you like to learn besides English? Why?
I would like to learn the French language because I would like to study at some university in France. Language learning opens doors, strengthens communities, and boosts the economy
4. Do you think some languages are easier to learn than others? Which ones, and why?
I think languages are not easier or more difficult “per se”, but some take longer to learn them as adults depending on our mother tongue for the reasons I will explain below. Before explaining why some languages take longer to learn than others, note how the same language, for example, Italian, may seem much more “easy” to a Spanish-speaker than to a native Japanese. Therefore, the language itself is not easier or more difficult, but we simply need more time to learn it depending on our mother tongue or whether we know other languages.
5. How many languages do you think will exist 100 years from now? Which do you predict will be the most dominant, and why?
It is surprising to think that English, which has long been the most widely spoken language in the workplace, will lose importance and be replaced by two other languages. And this is where Spanish comes into play, a language that could give a significant advantage to countries like Peru, Colombia, Mexico and others that speak it.
To determine which languages will be the most widely spoken in 100 years, it is necessary to rely on demographic and economic developments. Some scholars claim that there are five languages that will be the most important in the future. These languages will set the standard in the business world and offer job opportunities to those who master them: Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, English, Arabic, Indian