In today’s world, language learning goes beyond mere grammar and vocabulary. So, some people say that ” in order to learn a language well, we should learn about the country as well as the cultures and life styles.” Personally, of course, everything has two sides which are discussed below.
On the one hand, the cultures and the life styles of a certain country have an important role in learning a language of the country. To begin with, a particular language was born from a particular culture. From ancient times to the present day, each language and culture has close relationships with each other. So, when we learn a new language mean we are studying some practical knowledge about humans, lifestyle and culture specialties. Also, it is important to understand the speakers’ cultural background. Clearly, the main function of learning a language is to communicate with those who have different languages from yours. However, a culture shock may occur if you do not understand some features of the target language. For example, this is true for overseas Vietnamese students, who are studying in America. Students may have to contend with culture shock about their living principles, such as they have to arrived on time as well as opening the door to the person who come later.
On the other hand, it is a waste of time if learners have to know the cultures and life styles of a certain country. It is generally believed that to learn a language, how to learn rules of grammar and memorize vocabulary is the considered a priority. Moreover, it is unfair for many people if they are required to learn the cultures and the life stages of a language. Not everyone is interested in their foreign language, but they are willing to learn it because it helps them to enhance their career prospects. But, for me, learning a foreign not only to career promotion but also living two lives. This is “a life for myself and a life for others.”
In conclusion, studying the culture and lifestyle of the native is immensely beneficial for learners. Whether learning language is good or not largely depends on the real situations where countries are lived.