more on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) related fields, humanities and foreign languages get left behind and have started to see a decline in funding. This is a dire mistake; multilingualism is a crucial skill that is advantageous to those who have it, and puts those who don't at a disadvantage. Those who are multilingual are better at understanding ideas and culture, pursuing careers that involve international affairs, and tend to have boosts to mental processes. The decrease in support
Advantages and Disadvantages to Adopting a Single European Language Imagine the United States having more than one official language. Imagine that almost every state spoke a different language. Life in the United States is not like that. In fact, there are shortages of Americans who actually want to learn a second language and retain it for future use. But the notion of a multilingual country is not far fetched. Europe is composed of over 40 different nations and there
Multilingualism in a Globalized Society Nelson Mandela once said, "If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart" (Okpomo). This remark was said by Nelson Mandela years ago, yet its meaning holds true even today. Language is a form of communication and every citizen of this planet speaks a language. People that speak the same language can communicate among each other, but with a couple thousand languages spoken
they were your neighbor, coupled with the accessibility of global travel, it is now more beneficial than ever to know more than one language. However, United States citizens are mainly monolingual English speakers. In today’s globalized society, multilingualism is essential in keeping the pace on the world stage, and the United States should seriously consider taking action to encourage it. There are many benefits that a multilingual individual enjoys. According to Michael B. Paradowski, from the Institute
world today because many languages are being threatened due to the society they live in. Multilingualism is the use of more than one language. Language is a cultural asset that benefits an individual and shouldn’t be taken away but embraced. Today there are 6909 living languages in the world. It may be difficult to know the exact number due to dialects and the distinction between a language. Multilingualism is a very common phenomenon. But some of the leaders of these countries only recognize
TITLE PAGE MULTILINGUALISM IN NIGERIA: A BLESSING OR A CURSE? PREFACE Multilingualism is an issue that has become a subject of discussion in a variety of language related disciplines. Some researchers discuss multilingualism as a sociolinguistic concept through which issues of language contact and the status of the mother tongue can be interrogated. Others see multilingualism as a political matter, that is, an issue which requires solutions to language problems from the policy makers who are
Plurilingualism has been identified in numerous Recommendations of the Council of Europe as the principle and the aim of language education policies, and must be valued at the individual level as well as being accepted collectively by educational institutions (Johnstone, 2002). Languages are important for so many reasons. Studies suggest that learning a foreign language aids social cohesion, reduces stereotypes, improves employment prospects, improves people’s knowledge of the world, increases
employers are looking to hire multilingual employees. Because of this, the study of foreign language plays a critical role in the ever-expanding global market. While many other nations, such as Germany and the Netherlands, put strong emphasis on multilingualism, the United States and other English-speaking countries are currently lagging far behind. American society is described as “linguistically malnourished,” with less than one in ten college students majoring in a foreign language (Cutshall). The
Although English is becoming an arguably “global” language, monolingual English speakers are at a disadvantage today because multilingualism provides economic and political benefits, helps improve cognitive function, and gives people a deeper understanding of foreign cultures and customs, which is necessary in today’s global society. To begin, monolingual English speakers are at a severe disadvantage today because they do not receive the same economic and political benefits that polyglots do. It is
of the US, such as China, Russia, and France, and multilingualism providing the opportunity to create complex cultural connections and interactions as well as the opportunity to garner stronger cognitive abilities and better brain health, monolingual English speakers, a widely present population within the US, face a grand disadvantage, both individually and collectively, in comparison to multilingual speakers. The magnitude of the disadvantage caused by monolingualism and the English language varies