Languages Of My Student Travel

Hello. Hola. Bonjor. Buongiorno. Guten Tag. Konnichiwa. I’ve always been fascinated by foreign languages during my student travel. With six billion inhabitants and counting, the ability to communicate with one someone living on other side of the world is truly incredible. Why would I want to miss out on the opportunity to connect and correspond with some of our world’s most intriguing cultures? Most colleges offer a vast array of language courses, and at some point during my freshman year, I chose to minor in Spanish and Italian, and soon found myself buried in language lessons.

During Italian travel class one day, a student asked the question: How many languages are spoken in the world today? I was immediately curious to discover the answer. Well, let’s see… there’s English, Spanish, French, German, um…Japanese. Oh boy, I can already tell this is going to be a tough one. After all, what exactly is a language? Do different dialects count? What about ancient languages not widely used anymore? With so many variables, I figured it would be best to stop counting and consult an expert. According to Stephen Anderson of the Linguistic Society of America, the estimated number of languages used today is growing larger and larger. A version of the Encyclopedia Britannica in the early 1900s suggests a figure somewhere around 1,000. After experts broadened the definition of a "language," it is believed that more than 6,900 living languages are spoken in the world today. Interestingly, of the 6,900 languages, only about 230 of them are spoken in the United States.

With people around the world conversing in nearly 7,000 different languages, how can a student traveler be content with just one? Here are just a few of the many benefits you can receive from learning a foreign language:

• Enriches and enhances intellectual development
• Promotes greater flexibility in thinking and a better ear for listening
• Improves understanding of native languages
• Enables one to communicate with people from foreign nations and/or cultures
• Opens the door to cultural understanding and helps develop an appreciation of people from other countries
• Increases job opportunities in many career fields where language proficiency is an asset

For those who choose to study a new language, there is no better way to learn than totally immersing yourself in the country and culture of its origin. Most students studying a foreign language abroad that want to expedite the learning process choose to live with a host family. When living with a host family, you are forced to speak in the country’s native language, pushing your mind to constantly think in your new language. Through living with a host family, you will also experience the country’s customs and traditions firsthand. By doing so, you are more likely to embrace the culture, which will ultimately serve as a catalyst to the mastery of your new language!

With hundreds of Student Travel Programs available today, you are sure to find a language immersion program that’s right for you!

Avoid making language mistakes such as these, learn a new language today!