Importance of Multilingualism.

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10 Sept 2022

According to Science Direct:

Multilingualism is generally understood to mean knowledge of more languages than a native language. It is a language term that moves from monolingualism (knowing one language) beyond bilingualism (knowing two languages) into the realm of knowing many, or multiple, languages.

At childhood, multilinguals acquire and maintain at least one language, which is known as the first language (L1). The first language is sometimes acquired without formal education.

Children may also acquire two languages natively, and are called Simultaneous Bilingual.

Over time, they tend to learn the official language of the country in school. For instance, my country, Nigeria, has over 350 tribes and each tribe has its unique language. In order to foster unity amongst each tribe, a common language known as the Lingua Franca was chosen for effective communication amongst Nigerian citizens from different tribes. The Lingua Franca in Nigeria is English.

It's taught as a course to students at all levels of education, and it's a prerequisite for getting a pass in any college entrance examination in Nigeria.

Beyond the tribal languages and the Lingua Franca of the country, we could choose to learn new languages for numerous reasons, which could be for academic, career, or personal reasons.

Just recently, I started an Introduction to Spanish Course because:

Firstly, I have a dream of working in Spain one day, and that dream would be a little bit difficult to achieve if I wait till then to learn a thing or two about the language.

Secondly, as a Real Madrid fan, it would be a pleasure and a thing of joy, if I'd be able to watch my team play while listening to the commentary in Spanish. These two, and many others, are the reasons why I'm learning Spanish as a third language.

I also have a friend that's learning Japanese due to her love for Anime.

BENEFITS OF MULTILINGUALISM

TRAVEL
When traveling, knowledge of a language in the country you are moving to is very necessary. One could basically learn some phrases so as to be able to communicate with the locals over there.

CAREER
This is one of the major reasons why people learn a language, because knowledge of the language of a country you apply to work in, would definitely give you an edge over your equals, applying for the same role.

LEARN ABOUT CULTURE
The knowledge of a language could help you understand their culture better.

LEARN ABOUT THE WORLD

With your knowledge of a language, one could read original manuscripts of history books without recourse to translated versions.

EASILY LEARN NEW LANGUAGES

As much as languages differ, they also have their similarities, which could be in the way they are written or the way they are pronounced. This could go a long way in helping you learn new languages.
I took up the mantel of learning a new language from my friend Ellawrites, although she majors in French while I major in Spanish.

For people interested in learning a new language, you could download the Duolingo app on Play store. That'd be good for a start.

References (Example)
[1] https://read.cash/@Mekus_rebound/benefits-of-multilingualism-8685ee5b