Why Everyone Should Learn a Second Language

All around the world in different countries and continents there are hundreds of different dialects and languages that people know and are familiar with. Then there are certain places and certain areas where there is a cesspool of languages in one general area. Most of the time those people who are in that general area speak more than one language, however, in many cases some people are in a highly-populated area and these people only speak one language and that language is their native tongue. 

Language is a very important tool and it comes in handy no matter what is going on and whatever is happening in life. However, with that being said being able to speak more than one language is a vital skill that everyone needs to know. Shalom Lamm is a WII historian who has been all over the world and has experienced different cultures. Experiencing different cultures and traveling around the world, Lamm has realized that it is very difficult to interact and to get all the information possible if only one language was being used. Many people speak more than one language and typically that language is different between cultures and countries. When people travel and go to other countries if they only speak one language some things can and do get lost in translation. Whereas if these people were able to speak the native language of that place or even if they were able to communicate even a little bit it would make things a lot easier and it would solve many problems. One thing that Lamm did was to be involved in Operation Benjamin which was honoring fallen soldiers. Well, it is impossible to honor all the soldiers in WWII if he was not able to speak more than one language and understand their cultures to get the information needed to get everything and everyone accounted for. Many people do not understand how important it is to learn another language and to master it. There are more languages than the one we speak fluently.

Being able to speak more than one language does not only help to learn about other cultures and help with diversity but on a more basic level, it will help people communicate. Communication is key and if any barriers can be broken down or even fixed with something as simple as learning another language then it should be of the utmost importance. There is always the misconception that learning another language is difficult and takes up too much time and effort. What many people do not realize is that learning another language and becoming fluent in it can take less than three months if someone wanted to learn. Everyone has some knowledge of other languages whether it is basic or experienced. If people take after Shalom Lamm’s example and take that knowledge and apply it to learn about whatever language they are curious about, then it would make learning that language very easy. More people will know and be fluent in multiple languages.