Essay: It is always beneficial to know another language. Do you agree?

Support your
answer with examples. You should write at least 350 words.

A language is a system of communication which consists of a set of sounds and written

symbols which are used by the people of a particular region for talking or writing. There are
many different languages in the world, such as English, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Spanish,
French and so on. It is not easy to master different languages at the same time, however, it is
not a difficult task provided that we have the determination to learn particular languages. In
our country Malaysia, most of our people know at least two languages or more. Instead of
acquiring our mother tongue, it is said that knowing another language is an added advantage
in our life. Particularly, knowing another language will improve our employment prospects,
improve our understanding of the world, facilitate our travels and helps us to become a better
learner. Hence, I strongly agree that it is always beneficial to know another language.

First and foremost, knowing another language provides us a competitive edge when
applying for a job. It is because employers prefer people who have extra language skills. When
we are applying for a job, normally we are required to submit our personal resume and provide
information on the language skills we have. It is a vital aspect which is counted into the
consideration of hiring an employee. With extra language skills, we will possibly have more
travel opportunities. For instance, German is a dominant language to be used in countries
such as Germany and Austria. Thus, if we know extra language such as German, we are most
probably be given the priority to travel to those countries for working purposes. At the same
time, our job opportunities are also increased. For example, we can have translation or
interpretative work as a holiday job, overseas internship or posting if we know more than one
language. With multi-language skills, we have ourselves more talented and skilled in
communication. Consequently, this increases our job competency.

Besides, we gain greater global understanding of the world we live in by knowing

another language. When we know a language, we are able to access to various media which
uses that language, such as relevant films, music, art and literature. This allows us to have a
richer understanding of many fascinating cultures behind that language. For instance, if we
know Chinese language, we are able to read Chinese literature. In regard to this, we are able
to gain deeper understanding about Chinese history and cultures which are displayed through
the literature. Hence, it can be said that knowing another language will introduce us to a new
culture. Through discovering unique histories and traditions, we learn to respect and
appreciate different ethnic and cultural values. At the same time, increased cultural awareness
provides for enriched interpersonal exchanges and experiences. As a result, knowing another
language not only broadens our horizons and perspectives about the world, but also enables
us to understand the way the world works.

Furthermore, knowing another language also allows us to navigate the world,

especially when we are travelling. As we can see, travelling to a foreign country will be much
easier if we can speak the language. Knowing world languages such as English, Spanish,
French and Chinese enables us to travel to a lot of countries around the world. With extra
language skills, we not only have more opportunities to establish cross-cultural friendships,
but also have the opportunities to build meaningful relationships with foreign communities. We
will find it easier to connect to the locals if we make an effort to speak their language. For
instance, when we are travelling, we are able to ask for directions or get necessary information
in particular languages we know. At the same time, we are also able to read the newspaper
or order lunch with the same ease as we would at home. This provides us with convenience
and better experience to navigate the world without the barrier of language. As a result, an
interesting and memorable journey is built.

Last but not least, we are able to become a better learner by knowing another language.
Particularly, study after study has demonstrated the cognitive benefits of learning another
language, no matter how old we are. Memory improvement, longer attention span, and a
reduced risk of age-related cognitive decline, are a few of the known positive effects of
speaking two or more languages. Additionally, if we know another language, we may find that
the vocabulary and grammar-usage of our native language will simultaneously improve. It is
because with every new language we learn, we are most probably learning it by making a
connection to our native language. With all these positive effects, it enables us to develop our
cognitive abilities, and hence boost our learning process. Consequently, we tend to learn
better.

In a nutshell, knowing another language helps to open up our career field, discover our
understanding of the world, make the world more accessible and enhance our learning. Upon
all these advantages, I would like to affirm my strong agreement that knowing another
language is extremely useful and satisfying. As we would enjoy the many great benefits that
monolinguists are unable to experience, hence it is encouraged that we learn more than one
language besides our mother tongue. With the knowledge of another language, we tend to
make ourselves a more skilled, productive and intelligent people in life.