Have you ever dreamed of being bilingual, of being able to switch effortlessly between languages? As companies become increasingly international, the ability to speak another language has become essential for career growth. Being multilingual will give you a competitive edge when seeking new opportunities and maximizing your career development, and I am sure that many people would agree with this statement.

“But…” I hear you say, as you list 10 reasons why you can’t learn another language. Especially as we get older, many people think they’ve missed their chance to become bilingual, as if that window of language absorption comes and goes before we’ve even reached our teens.

It doesn’t have to be this way, it is indeed possible to speak another language almost immediately, you just have to use the right language learning method. But more on that next time. Today let’s look at the reasons why we should all be learning a new language.

1. Give your career a boost

Companies are increasingly global in their outlook, with clients all around the world, so it makes sense that being able to communicate in more than one language will boost your chances for career growth. According to The Economist there is a 2% salary premium for bilingual employees. On top of that, it is not enough to only speak one language, with so many companies doing business worldwide, being monolingual puts you at a disadvantage. Don’t be at a disadvantage…gain the upper hand by being bilingual.

2. Bilingualism delays the onset of Dementia by up to 5 years

Studies have shown that learning another language or being bilingual delays the onset of three different types of Dementia, including Alzheimer. Scientists believe this is due in part to ‘switching between’ two different languages and therefore constantly ‘training’ your brain. Language learning is much more useful than routine ‘brain training’ and can open up a range of new possibilities in your social and professional scope.

3. Deeply understand another culture through the language.

“Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are going.” ‒Rita Mae Brown

It is impossible to truly understand a culture without knowing the language of it. We can only navigate the nuances of family, community and professional life in another culture through first speaking the language. Perhaps being immersed in another culture is for personal reasons, or it could be that you are relocating with your company. Whatever the reason, language skills are the key to understanding culture.

4. Be on the ‘inside’ of jokes

Pretending to laugh at a joke in another language, but you really don’t get what’s so funny? It’s lonely being on the outside of a joke, but with language training you will be able to appreciate humor in your target language. And humor builds friendships and relationships. It’s both important for professional and social situations, so speak another language and find the funny side.

5. Build life-long friendships and meet new people

“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.” ‒Nelson Mandela

Building new relationships is easier if you can communicate with confidence in someone’s mother tongue. No more awkward silences  as you search for the right word to express how you feel. Be comfortable with your language skills and you will find that relationships, albeit if they are personal or professional will blossom.

Check out corporate language training courses to get you started.

British Sign Language is now an Official Language in the UK

After 19 years of advocacy by the Deaf community of Britain, the British Parliament recently passed a measure that makes British Sign Language (BSL) an official language of the United Kingdom. This comes as welcome news for both Deaf and hearing people across the UK, and for anyone who strives for a more inclusive society. 

Never-the-less, many misconceptions and much confusion remain about BSL and Deaf culture. Read the list below to test your knowledge and start your journey into being a true ally for the Deaf community. 

The word Deaf isn’t offensive or un-PC

Many people hesitate before using the term “Deaf” to describe someone with profound hearing loss. “Hearing impaired”, “aurally challenged”, and “hard of hearing” all come to mind. However, the term “Deaf” isn’t offensive at all. To the Deaf community, there’s nothing wrong or inherently bad with being Deaf, so feel free to use the term. 

The term “hard of hearing”, though, is different. This refers to a person with some hearing loss, but who is still able to hear at a functional level. It would be incorrect to refer to someone who is Deaf as hard of hearing. 

You might also notice that the word “Deaf” is capitalized. This is to recognize Deaf culture in its entirety. Deaf people have their own language, schools, customs, mannerisms, art, and more. This capitalization recognizes that. 

Sign language isn’t inferior to spoken language in any way

Many people assume that sign languages are somehow lacking in comparison to spoken languages. They assume that without spoken words, Deaf people struggle or are unable to express themselves fully with sign language in the way that people who use spoken languages are. 

As anyone who has any level of proficiency in a sign language (Deaf or not) will tell you, this is patently false. Not only is the range of vocabulary and complexity of syntax in sign languages equal to that of spoken languages, but most proficient users will tell you that they find sign language to me more expressive, communicative, and efficient than any spoken language. 

Sign languages are not mutually intelligible

Most people would logically assume that British Sign Language users are able to communicate effectively in American Sign Language in the same way that British people have few, if any communication barriers with Americans. However, in sign language, this is simply not the case. 

Not only are different sign languages not mutually intelligible (that is, German Sign Language, Russian Sign Language, and British Sign language are all very different), but they bear no similarities to the spoken languages of their countries of origin. For example, British Sign Language is at least 600 years old. American Sign Language, however, developed over the past 200 years and was derived from French Sign Language. ASL speakers, then, can communicate much more easily with users of French Sign Language, but not with users of BSL.

A great way to make your workplace more inclusive is to provide training for your employees to communicate in sign language. Though Deaf people are able to fully participate on professional teams using available technology and their own ingenuity, training your team in basic proficiency in a manual (read: sign) language will increase the communication skills of your workplace, and it’s fun! 

Contact us for our sign language courses