It is sometimes argued that people should not waste time studying a foreign language since languages can now be translated automatically by computers. This essay strongly disagrees with this statement for several reasons.
The first reason behind my belief is that electronic translators are not appropriate for formal situations which require a high level of accuracy. The reason for this is that computer-translated texts are still less accurate compared to those translated by human counterparts because of obstacles related to word meaning and grammar. This can give rise to some translation errors, which can be unacceptable in formal occasions when a high degree of exactness is needed. For instance, when there is a meeting between leaders of different countries, professional human translators are required in order to ensure the accuracy of the translation. This is why I think that we cannot always depend on automatic translation software and thus should spend time learning languages.
Another reason worth mentioning is that the ability to speak a foreign language is a vital skill that helps people pursue a career in an international environment. This is because different multinational companies are looking for candidates who can fluently speak common languages so that they can communicate efficiently with other colleagues. For example, when applying for an English-speaking company, one needs to be able to use English at a level that allows them to perform their tasks and collaborate with other English speakers. The result is that several university students are investing money and time in learning a foreign language in hope of having better career prospects. For these reasons, I believe that it would be unreasonable to say that learning a new language is meaningless.
In conclusion, I disagree with those who think that people should not spend time learning a new tongue.Computers today can quickly and accurately translate languages, therefore, it is a waste of time to learn a foreign language. To what extent do you agree or disagree?