Just Learn New Things, Always

Why do we continue to discourage people from learning?

“What do you want to do with your French minor?”

“Who even speaks French anyway?” “How do you plan on using it?”

Chances are, if you’re studying French and you live in the south, you’ve been asked these questions. And I think a lot of people would be surprised to know how common of a language French is not just in France, but all over Europe and the world.

For some reason, there’s a belief, particularly in Florida, that Spanish is the most valuable language that you can learn. I’m not saying that learning Spanish isn’t incredibly valuable, especially in a state with a lot of hispanic influence, but I am saying that pursuing any language of interest to you is valuable in itself. I was at a barbecue this weekend with people from all over the world, from Mexico City to Bangladesh, and they were absolutely shocked to hear that anyone had ever questioned why I was learning French.

“So many people speak French… if you don’t speak English you speak French,”

And after doing a little research, that’s not too far from the truth.

French is the sixth most widely spoken language in the world and there’s an estimated 220 million French speakers worldwide. French is especially prevalent in Europe, as its the second most spoken mother tongue, and is also commonly taught as a second language. It’s the only language that the Court of Justice of the European Union uses. Also, our neighbors to the north list French as one of their national languages.

This however, is not to say that French is the only important language. I didn’t start learning French because I thought that it was a widely used language. I’m an equestrian, and many equestrian apparel and equipment companies are based out of France. I also am lucky to have a grandfather who was very interested in genealogy and was able to trace our ancestry back to 11th century France. From what little I’d heard of French, it sounded beautiful, and frankly, I wanted to try a language other than Spanish. I wanted to try something new, and I’m so glad I did.

But it saddens me when people don’t pursue what interests them because they find it “useless” or not worth their time. If someone is interested in learning Portuguese, Japanese, or even a rare language like Basque, we should encourage their studies rather than discourage them. Often times, learning a language is the best way to learn more about a culture. You can build relationships with people, watch films, listen to music, and learn about different values. All of these things add a completely new dimension to your world. In fact, learning a language adds a new level of understanding to one’s own culture as well. Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, who spoke six different languages, once said,

“I speak Italian to ambassadors, French to women, German to soldiers, English to my horse, and Spanish to God. A man is as many times a man, as many languages he knows.”

Practicality plays a major role in our day to day lives. Whether or not you want to major in a language is a personal decision, and it’s always important to keep in mind how you would use your degree in the future. After all, you attend college to get an education that should lead to a career. There are a lot of opportunities for those who decide to major in a language, for example, broadcast journalist, diplomatic service officer, or international aid/development worker just to name a few, but you don’t have to limit yourself to these options. Taking a language as a second major or as a minor may present you with even more opportunities.

Just my final thought… don’t discourage people from learning. Being a lifelong learner is the best way to have a rich and fulfilling life. Pursue a true career, but also learn about things that interest you, whether it’s languages, cuisine, photography, cars, animals, or sports, just keep learning.