What are some advantages of developing good language skills?

Knowing a second language means a whole new skill level has come in your life. But, these aren’t the only benefits of learning a new language. The knowledge of any foreign or regional language never goes to waste. You may use the language while you are in your country or a new country to communicate with the locals so they can help you find your destination or to feel at home after you moved there to teach a language to non-language speakers. It will also help you in your job, and your business purposes.

Nothing challenges a person’s brain like learning a language does. Scientists have stated that we use the left side of the brain when we converse in our native language. Whereas, the second language usage isn’t limited to a specific side of the brain. It uses both sides of the brain, increasing the size of the white and grey matter of it.

1. Advance Your Career: In the highly competitive job market, employers are looking to hire someone that stands out from the rest of the candidates. Knowing a foreign language might help you in getting chosen among many other job applicants. Language skills can be a significant competitive advantage that sets you apart from your monolingual competitors. These are among the top eight skills required of all occupations—irrespective of your sector or skill level—and the demand for bilingual professionals is rising exponentially nowadays. As an added benefit, language skills also lead to hiring bonuses and increased salaries. Great, no? 
2. Boost Your Confidence: Learning a language implies putting yourself out there and moving out of your comfort zone. The brighter side of this is the amazing sense of achievement you’ll feel when conversing with someone in their native language. Any language learner can agree to making his or her share of mistakes while learning a new language. 
3. Better Cultural Understanding: While studying the language, and especially by reading native language texts, students can learn what is most important to that country and culture. Each language has evolved to focus on words that are important to the everyday life of that culture. 
4. Long-term Memory Benefits: Learning additional languages has been shown to keep the brain sharp longer and has even delayed symptoms of dementia. Also, bilingual people better-maintain the amount of white matter in their brains. 
5. Enhances Decision-Making: Keeping aside the rules and vocabulary that go with learning a foreign language, there are many nuances and regional expressions that a student of language frequently judges for appropriateness and hidden meanings. Multilingual people are more confident in their decision-making choices as a result of their hard work and practice!

Do you know, executive functions are undoubtedly the most complex brain functions; the most “human” functions that separate us from apes and other animals. The incentives of learning another language are innumerable. Some that we have mentioned in our list are just a part of them. However, no matter how many lists are out there, no one can convince you of the incentives as much as your own language learning experience will. With that in mind, always choose a language that you find beneficial and appealing for yourself; open the door to the many benefits that come with language proficiency and fluency.