The motivation for assimilating a foreign language is a contentious topic; numerous people believe pursuing international careers and travels are the biggest factor behind this trend, while others speculate there are more motives behind it. In this essay I will discuss both viewpoints and illustrate how learning foreign languages broaden our understanding of customs and culture.
A large number of citizens consider the main motivation for mastering a foreign language is to travel and work overseas. This perspective has multiple basis: mastering a foreign language can open the door to employment in the international market, especially in today’s increasing globalization, multilingualism has become a vital skill sought by many multinational companies. On the other hand, learning a foreign language is much more than that. There are young people who like to partake in other countries’ media culture. This means, in order to appreciate their music, TV series, and books, they have to learn the native language of that land. For instance, in China, many young people are learning Korean because they love Korean Drama, K-POP, and others.
It is my belief that mastering a new language can greatly broaden one’s horizons and improve the ability to communicate and understand across cultures. By grasping a language, learners are not only adapting to the words and grammar, but also being exposed to and understanding a world view and lifestyle completely different from their own culture. For example, if you master Thai or Vietnamese as a language, you’d realize it is engrained in their culture to bargain in street markets and to use their language to build friendships with foreign customers. This cultural insight can improve people’s empathy and flexibility, which is especially important in a society with increasing diversity.In conclusion, while it is indeed valid that people learn foreign languages to travel and pursue careers abroad, others master languages to appreciate literature and media. Furthermore, language can be used to understand people’s cultures and traditions.