Perks of being a Polyglot

Hello! ! (N ho!) Hola! Bonjour! Hallo! ! (Kon'nichiwa!) These are just some of the many methods for human communication or
better known as "LANGUAGE".
Language is a set letters, symbols, words both written and spoken, use
as a procedure to understand one another.
There are thousands of languages all over the world and because of
that, the entire humanity finds it difficult to communicate with one another.
This is where polyglot comes in. A polyglot is a person who knows and is able
to use several languages.
One might say that English is a universal language and for that reason,
the above-mentioned difficulty with communication should not exist. But we
cannot avoid the fact that whether we like it or not, millions of people still
may or may not know a common language to understand one another.
Having said, it definitely comes to a point that learning new languages is
beneficial.
Reasonably, as we acquire more words, we understand more things
about the world. Now imagine a child that growing up speaking two or more
various languages, the world of meanings and definitions accessible to a
child will be much deeper and wider than one experienced by other children.
Now, what does 'multilingualism' actually mean? Multilingualism is a
term

that

holds

various

definitions

and

meanings.

In

the

most,

multilingualism influences to a circumstance when a child grows up able to

speak three or more languages.
Every day in your life youre going to meet new people whether you
like it or not, this person may or may not know your language, so it stands to
point that learning new languages is beneficial.

The advantages of a multilingual over monolinguals are not limited to

linguistic

knowledge

alone.

Knowing

other

languages

personality since it broadens once mind through culture.

improves

our

It can also give

confidence in a professional way because most of the created jobs nowadays

are coming from international corporations.
I.

The importance of Language when you migrate or travel.

Paris, Japan, South Korea, Spain, China, Canada, Germany - there are

hundreds of countries all across the world and sum of 196 countries except
you dont include Taiwan its a sum of 195 countries. Taiwan is not recognized
as an official country by many, despite Taiwan functions as a sovereign
country.
There are many countries to choose from, to where you want to travel
and choose to live in from the North, East, West, South and within those
countries lies a cultures, traditions, religions and dialects.
Imagine being lost in a certain country where the only people who can
help you have no idea with what language you are using. How will you
communicate then?
I managed to interview a newly graduate pharmacist, Merlanie Dee or
(Li Shou Qian). During the interview, she said, My knowledge of
Chinese language helps me a lot during my vacation in China since not all
local citizens from that country know how to speak English.
I was also given the opportunity to meet a polyglot student from De La
Salle University, Sharlene Camille Li or (L Wn Xi). Having the ability
to speak in Filipino, English, Hokkien, and Mandarin, I've asked her opinion on
what advantages can one get by being multilingual.

She answered, I think I am more flexible in terms of conversing with

people in a different community. This advantage leads me to know more
about different cultures and a perspective in ones approaching to live.
She added, When I travel, I feel accepted in the place I go to,
assuming I know how to speak their language. And I think this is a great
opportunity to start a good or friendly relationship."
I

asked

another

question,

Aside

from

the

disadvantages did you encounter as a multilingual?

advantage,

what

She replied, A

disadvantage would be the tendency to compare the cultural difference with

one another.
Another is a professor from Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Sir Joey
Garcia shares his experiences of an advantage of multilingual in a foreign
country. Knowing new languages helps you in many ways, isa na yung para
hindi ka maloko ng mga locals doon sa bansa na yun. Mahirap na.
Lastly, Mark Jefferson Ty or (Dai Min Jie) who was an OFW at
Burberry in Saudi Arabia, also gave his side for the advantages of being a
polyglot - able to speak in Arabic, Chinese, English and Filipino.
It is an advantage when you can speak multilingual from a business
perspective, it is a skill or qualification that some employers do look for, he
said.
He added, It also gives profound confident, respect from foreigners
that you communicating with. In personal perspective, it gives me the sense
of accomplishment due to a fact that its hard to learn their tone and way to
speak in right grammar. Having to express my feelings and emotion lessen
the barrier of communication.

And the disadvantages he said Often having misunderstood by

incorrect tone or the way you speak. Other than that having multilingual
ability mostly gain self-confident, and build self-character.
Though its feasible to travel to foreign nations without speaking the
local language, your experience will be widely different from your ability or
inability to see what is beyond culture.
If you lack the ability to communicate and comprehend in their local
language then you may not completely participate on a day-to-day basis,
understand the culture, and communicate with the natives.
The language boundary can be everywhere from the North, East, West,
and South. When you grasp the language; you have the feeling of being able
to completely handle all sorts of circumstances.
For an instance, you are in a restaurant trying to order a meal, you are
lost and trying to ask for directions, you are looking for accommodations and
if possible negotiate cheaper wages. In this way, you can meet and greet
with natives.
In most nations, people will acknowledge that individual who attempts
to use their language. You will be able to interact effectively and have a
deeper, more gratifying travel adventure.
Its quite true that in tourist areas English may be spoken. Still, even if
the natives understand some English, many are uncomfortable, nervous
speaking it, especially ahead they're few communications with tourists.
In addition, these off the beaten path are not places where you will get
to know the country youre visiting they provide to tourist, and the
commercialized tale of the culture both to meet and benefit from tourists
anticipations.

If you plan to deviate from the tourist centers and explore the genuine
country and certainly get to know it, you must know the language. Your
language ability will enable you to see and do things that other visitors can't.

II.

Improved cognitive skills.

Today, more of the population all over the world are multilingual than

monolingual. The multilingual intellect is used to managing three or more

languages at the same time.
This cultivates skills for functions such as interference (a cognitive
mechanism that discharges unnecessary motives), shifting awareness, and
working memory.
These abilities make up the brain official control method, which looks
after high-level thought, multi-tasking, and maintained attention.
Because multilingual people are used to shifting between their three or
more languages, they are also better at shifting between tasks, indeed, if
these duties are nothing to do with language.
People who converse languages have also been shown to have
effective monitoring methods. Multilingual people also exceed monolingual in
spatial working memory assignments.
Multilingualism improves cognitive reserve in old people, it can further
sustain cognitive capacity, and slow the onset indications in people
experiencing from dementia and Alzheimers disease.
III.

Education and Career Opportunities

Learning is a process of educating ourselves. Education starts at home,

and our dear mother and father are our precious first educators, who teach

us how to walk on our two feet when we were a toddler then, later on, we
adapt thats why we can run.
Alphabets and numbers are the first lessons we got to absorb in the
process of learning how to read and write, in the flare of learning burn as we
apply what we have learned in our life.
Our dear parents, of course, try to do their jobs to get a promotion, to
have a better salary to send us; their children to better schools and
universities that quite sometimes we just ignore their effort.
Why our dear parents do love to educate us by sending us to schools
and hiring a tutor for us? Of course, the first thing in your mind would be
thats my or our parents responsibility.
But the thing is they just want to give us something that cannot be
stolen from us, which is our acquired knowledge.
In the society, education is important for us to live and to have a
wondrous life. We educate ourselves because we want to gain something
which is to have a career, a choice of ours, a field of our endeavors where we
want to excel.
And speaking more than one language fluently obviously provides
better chances for further education and career paths. Languages open up
new opportunities for our career which in some instances will not be
available to monolingual speakers.
I managed to interview a graduating Marketing student from UST
University of Santo Tomas Espaa, Manila. Lawrence Yeung, 18, knows how
to speak Tagalog, English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkien, Nihongo, and
Spanish.
I asked, What advantage does a multilingual graduating student
possibly get? He answered As a graduating student naman. Mas ok siya kasi

mas malaki yung chance na ma-hire since global na yung mga companies
ngayon mas naghahanap sila ng may basic knowledge sa different
languages.
Due to globalization and co-operations between companies in different
countries, people with multilingual skills are valuable. These skills also open
up various ranges of activity fields that we can work in.
Learning languages and being multilingual at a young age has great
benefits to children as it improves their performance in school.
So you are blessed when youre surrounded by people who are
knowledgeable to speak three or more languages.
For instance, your parents are both from the different part of the world
and they are both multilingual, youre learning the process as a kid is a lot
challenging than other kids whose parents are monolingual. Though the
challenges are quite harder than the other kid, opportunities are also great.
IV.

Multilingualism bridges the gaps

Multilingual communication bridges gaps and nurtures understanding

connecting people. Language provides us with the means to vanquish that

gap, even inspiring us to connect with the divine.
With language, we can correlate in profound ways; without language,
we languish alone. People speak, talk, chat of other sorts of deep, intense
connection, but language forever plays a part.
For example, Sex connects people in an intimate way, but sex always
involves connecting through language, from the pick-up line to Was it
awesome? Do you like it?
We yearn to experience other peoples thoughts, and we want that the
others translate his or her personal thoughts into language.

Language

always follows the experience as our need to connect and bridge the
experiential gap encourages us.
V.

You learn about various cultures

Even though a language is a medium of communication, it is not just

that! It is much more than that. Multilingualism offers you a variety of

cultures. You get a wider cultural experience. This makes you more aware.
But first, what is culture? Culture is something to be respected and
nurtured. Without it, we cannot trace our roots and aspire to grow for it will
always be a part of our trembling past.
Hence, on the positive note, culture is something irreplaceable - one
that makes up a whole society on venturing to a bright and better future.
Culture is something that we perceive to be sets of social ways to
follow for us to act in accordance with what the social construct says is right.
Culture is a way of living by individuals bounded to achieve specific
ideals. Culture is a spirit from a particular country.
Being exposed to many different cultures makes you more holistic.
Every language is significant and it expresses and applauses the culture and
tradition of the people involved. You will get a better insight of the place
when you know the language spoken there.
Does language is relevant to get to know a culture? Yes, because
language alone is the culture, for instance, you speak in Tagalog then youre
getting to know the Philippine culture when you speak in Spanish then youre
getting to know the Spanish Culture.
Get started SOON! How? Here are some tips!
Before learning a language

Be prepared to feel complete idiot! Yes, you might laugh when you
heard yourself being a stupid, a fool, and an idiot. But it's true, for several
times over and over again!
When you started to learn new things not only learning a new language
for the first time, you might have the feeling frustrated like a kid who cant
understand completely in the first step of learning.
Now visualize finally reaching eloquence and being flabbergasted with
yourself after all your hard practice and then abruptly being right back at the
starting line again when you begin the next language!
I wouldnt recommend becoming multilingual if you want to appear
intelligent! This can be a remarkably frustrating adventure. Yes, after doing it
numerous times over you must never stop the feeling of frustration during
the learning stages.
To hug; to hold; to squeeze; to clasp at the learning process and
completely acknowledge it. It doesn't matter how expert or better you can
get in several languages. You and I still complete idiots when starting the
next one.
You might take a few praises from people calling you a He or she is
genius! Thats amazing! but being multilingual is just a speck in a whole
existence in this world; it is just less usual for native speakers to speak
several languages.
Smash, break, and split the trend, but dont assume people will be
giving you any rewards! Even if you were to speak, chitchat of different
languages, it isnt that important to audiences as you trip your foot walking
through the new one.

It's very exciting to take a few step to start to learn new languages, but
make sure you have the right mind to it; be optimistic, not pessimistic is
essential and half of your journey in improving in a new language.
Also, you should make a crystal clear outline your urges to learn that
language and store them in your mind completely the learning manner.
First, grab yourself a notebook, any notebook will do. Write down every
word you discover and learn it. Little by little try to use those words into
phrases to sentences to paragraph as you speak and write.
Only learn one language at a time. Only very few people who have
been able to learn two or more languages simultaneously. If you do that you
might get confused!
The risk of confusing yourself would be too great. Imagine yourself
walking on a thin rope is another route of not providing each language the
equal concentration it deserves.
Practice, Practice, Practice! All languages you discover to know and
learn as much and often as possible. Practice makes an improvement, not
perfection.
That is why you alone should learn one language at a time once you
reach the finish line, the risk of being confused is exceedingly reduced, so
now you can shift among languages as frequently as you like!
Learn to know when it's the right time to start to learn the next
language. Already you reach the end in one language, and your extreme
purpose is to speak several languages.
Look at your watch, look at the time, know when its time to move
forward to the next stage and certainly make sure you will be able to
maintain that language. This is quite a difficult decision to make because you
will have to learn new things all over again.