The importance of learning a language
Why learn a language? Well, it goes without saying that you will gain so much more from your new home country if you can make yourself understood! At the very least, you need to be able to shop, ask directions and eat. Further than this, how could you possibly hope to assimilate into the culture if you can’t make conversation with the wonderful people you will meet?
Some wise words on language learning in these quotes:
No man should travel until he has learned the language of the country he visits. Otherwise he voluntarily makes himself a great baby, – so helpless and so ridiculous.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Absolutely nothing is so important for a nation’s culture as its language.
~ Wilhelm von Humboldt
Learn everything you can, anytime you can, from anyone you can; there will always come a time when you will be grateful you did.
~ Sarah Caldwell
He that travelleth into a country before he hath some entrance into the language, goeth to school, and not to travel.
~ Francis Bacon
Any time you think some other language is strange, remember that yours is just as strange, you’re just used to it.
~ Linguistic Mystic
