Nowadays, with the development of industrialization and modernization, human living standards have been improved significantly, and human rights are being paid close attention. Indeed, despite such advancements, there still remains a controversial topic about whether in order to learn a language well, we ought to gain knowledge about the nation as well as the cultures and lifestyles of the people who speak it. It seems to me that everything has two different aspects, like a coin with two opposite facets, which are discussed below.
On the one hand, it is essential for learners to learn about the country as well as the cultures and lifestyles of the people who speak it. Firstly, a particular language was born from a particular culture. For example, Chinese is a very popular language today. According to my understanding, it has existed for a very long time. Also, today it is divided into two types: simplified and traditional characters. Chinese characters are completely pictographs, those characters will be created by drawing specific objects that can be drawn in the simplest way. Moreover, learners can avoid culture shocks while they use their second language because they have to understand the speaker’s cultural background. The goal of learning a language is the potential to easily communicate with individuals who speak various languages. Therefore, it will be difficult for learners to communicate if they fail to understand the culture of the language they are studying.
On the other hand, it is not important for learners to know the cultures and lifestyles of their second language because it is a waste of time and money. By way of illustration, many people think that the time they spend learning grammar and vocabulary is enough to communicate with native speakers, while culture and lifestyle are often not interested in. Furthermore, to master a language, learners just need to understand the grammar rules and memorise vocabulary. This is true for me, I have started learning Finnish for 8 months. Clearly, Finnish is an extremely difficult language, so I tried my best to understand the grammar at first, and at the same time, while doing exercises, I also learned a lot of new words. As a result, my Finnish is getting better now, and I passed the B1.1 exam. Finally, it is unfair for learners because not everyone is interested in their foreign language. Clearly, they just learn a language because it is compulsory. Therefore, requiring them to learn about the culture and lifestyle will cause them to easily give up learning that language.
In conclusion, this outstanding matter has sparked several opposing opinions. As far as I am concerned, there are both benefits and drawbacks to studying a language together with customs and ways of life. However, it will depend on each individual’s personal decision and preferences.