Knowing and understanding the importance of languages – both one’s mother tongue and these learned throughout life – is the key to a successful existence. Not only is it crucial when it comes to business – or, generally speaking, work itself – but also to acquiring a lot more rewarding experiences than one would without such knowledge. With knowing more languages come various opportunities, starting with the, perhaps most mundane, yet an incredibly important one: the possibility of meeting and befriending people from all over the world. Especially after having learned a universal language such as English. Having friends and allowing oneself the gift of interacting with others brings one the much needed and deserved comfort, as well as fulfilling the basic human need for belonging in a community is essential for the brain’s proper development, no matter one’s age. Additionally, having friends from different countries opens one up to various cultures – people can benefit mutually from such a relationship, discovering more about their respective cultures and even languages. The English language can be a link between these people, a path they take in order to learn and obtain more experience. With understanding English comes the opportunity to discover what one would not be able to do while only knowing their mother tongue. As it is the most universal language at the time, one can communicate with people from the majority of the world. One could even potentially find love this way, outside of their country, letting a foreign language be the linking thread between two souls. From my personal experience, I can find multiple confirmations for the aforementioned issues. Both me and plenty of my friends managed to form strong bonds – both friendships and romantic relationships – with people from all around the globe, all thanks to knowing the universal language which is English. It seems as though the distance between Poland and various places (such as Latvia, Argentina or the United States) is non-existent when it comes to such relationships. They come with obstacles, obviously, though such bonds tend to last years, possibly becoming lifelong, too. When it comes to business, knowing English might be one of the key features to being a valuable employee. Not only is English important, though. The more languages one knows, the better – this way, an employee can communicate with more people more effectively. However, the proper understanding of one’s mother tongue is just – if not more – as important. Effective communication on business grounds in one’s home country and in one’s native language might significantly improve one’s work performance. Every part of business itself needs communication and language skills to be developed on a decent level at least in order to keep the company’s customers as satisfied as possible. Even in retail, for example, when one encounters a customer who does not speak their native language, it is highly appreciated when an employee can speak to a customer in a language they know – be it English or any other, for that matter. One might even find a job in which they work with language, if that is what they find the most interest in. Jobs such as a translator, a journalist or a writer are highly advised in such a case. In conclusion, knowing multiple languages, including one’s mother tongue improves one’s quality of life in many contexts, including relationships and work, which are the aspects of life with the most impact on the person. It helps one discover more possibilities in life, bringing more opportunities to them than they would have without such vast knowledge.
Artykuł opublikowany w ramach konkursu pisarskiego „Język w biznesie i życiu”
Autor: Maja Berent