Why should I learn English?

Steffanie Zazulak
teenage boy studying with headphones on and with a laptop

English is the second most widely spoken language ¨C it is estimated that nearly two billion people worldwide can speak English at a useful level. That means they can hold a conversation with other English-speaking people.

A report by the attests the importance of the English language to the world, and says that?second-language English speakers far outnumber fluent English speakers. It also recognizes how being able to speak English can give individuals a competitive edge over others. If you're asking the question, "Why should I learn English?", read on to find out more...

Why should I learn English?
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Gaining a competitive edge can be particularly appealing?for people seeking new jobs or looking to advance in their careers. Because of the number of English speakers in the world, many international companies choose English as their language for business use.

Well-known companies such as Renault, Samsung and Airbus are using English in the workplace and it¡¯s not a moment too soon. Using the language is helping them to facilitate communication and make their businesses more efficient.

In emerging markets like China, India, Brazil, Indonesia, and Vietnam, or low-income countries striving to climb the ladder of economic development, it is the urgent priority of governments and non-government organizations to ensure that the surging population of global youth has economic opportunities and upward mobility.

The idea of learning English has widely been accepted as best practice and programs are in place to facilitate this, such as the in India. Students sit in state-of-the-art computer labs to learn how to master the English language. They listen to a voice with an Indian accent read from their textbook, and every spoken word is displayed on a large screen.

There are many other reasons why studying English today is a smart choice. Because the language is understood in many parts of the world, being able to speak English can give travelers confidence and help them integrate into the culture.

Imagine visiting The Shard in London, or the Chrysler Building in New York and being able to find out more about these impressive structures in the native language. Interacting with the locals in their native language ¨C or a language that is common to both speakers ¨C provides learners with interesting experiences, while the satisfaction of the accomplishment boosts motivation for further learning.

As well as learning the language for pleasant conversations, there are more benefits than just experiencing a confidence boost. Medical research has shown that there are several to learning another language, and these include:

  • Being a better listener: Being bilingual requires your brain to discern between two sets of very distinctive sounds and to identify them accurately.
  • Being less distracted: Speaking in a foreign tongue requires the active suppression of the other language(s) that one knows, shown to better inhibit overall distractions.
  • Becoming a better multitasker: For someone who knows multiple languages, it¡¯s a common occurrence to switch rapidly between tongues, effectively an exercise in quickly and efficiently switching between different tasks.
  • Better ability to problem-solve and be creative: Speaking in a foreign language inevitably requires creativity when faced with unfamiliar words or phrases in order to communicate effectively. Studies have shown that bilinguals have an advantage in overall problem-solving and creativity.

There are also health benefits associated with mastering English. found that those who spoke two or more languages had significantly better cognitive abilities in later life and had effectively slowed the brain¡¯s aging process, with the potential to even delay the onset of dementia. The same researchers found that bilingual people are twice as likely to recover from a stroke than those who speak just one language. Dr Thomas Bak, one of the researchers, said that switching languages ¡°offers practically constant brain training, which may be a factor in helping stroke patients recover¡±.

, a professor of psychology at Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in Milan, found that people who speak two or more languages seem to weather the ravages of Alzheimer¡¯s disease better compared to people who have only mastered one language. Alzheimer¡¯s is a progressive mental deterioration (dementia) that can begin in middle or old age, due to generalized degeneration of the brain.

We looked into this more closely in our blog post, How being bilingual can keep your brain in good condition, and were pleased to say that the theory that being bilingual can be a buffer against aging and dementia is backed up by a further study conducted by a team led by Professor Ana In¨¦s Ansaldo at the University of Montr¨¦al. The results suggested bilingual people have stronger and more efficient brains compared to those who only speak one language.

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    7 great technology books to help improve your English

    By Steffanie Zazulak
    Reading time: 3 minutes

    Technology is one of our favorite topics at the moment. This is because the use of technology can enrich the experiences of both learning and teaching English.?

    Inspired by this, we set about putting together a list of the best technology and futuristic novels for English learners. Reading novels is one of the most fun and effective ways of improving your English language skills. It can expand your vocabulary and expose you to different sentence structures, as well as give you the chance enjoy some wonderful stories.

    E-readers and tablets make learning English even easier because if you don¡¯t know a word, you can simply click on it to read its definition. On a Kindle, you can even add new words you¡¯ve learned to its Vocabulary Builder feature. Others recommend listening to and reading text at the same time as an excellent way of enhancing the learning process. Kindle¡¯s Whispersync for Voice is designed for just this purpose and includes audio with selected books, meaning you can listen and follow the text as you read.

    Here is our selection of seven great technology books to help improve your English:

    1. Spider-Man comic books

    Marvel¡¯s superheroes are no strangers to technology and the comic book experts have recently released a set of comics concentrating on science, technology, engineering, art and maths. The combination of drawings and limited texts make these comic books the perfect place for English learners to start.?

    2. Poptropica English Space Island Adventure

    ÃÛÌÒapp English Kids Readers are stories that have been specially rewritten for English language learners aged 5-12. The great thing about using a book designed for children is that they can enjoy and learn at the appropriate level. Children's books also often have exciting plots and fun dialogue ¨C and that is definitely the case with this story, from the Poptropica English universe, about Peter, Pepper and Captain Cloud meeting aliens on their tour around Space Island.

    Many of you will be familiar with the major movie starring Will Smith, but I, Robot actually started off as a collection of nine short stories by Issac Asimov. Written in the 1940s and 1950s, they tell a tale of humans, robots and morality. Each of the short stories can be read separately and they contain simple, descriptive language, making them perfect for English learners.

    Regarded as one of the greatest science-fiction/technology novels written in the English language, Brave New World anticipates advancements in technology that combine to affect society. Author Aldous Huxley¡¯s unique writing style combines narrative and descriptive language, resulting in a witty and engaging read. You¡¯ll want to keep learning and reading to find out what happens next.

    This clever novel, written by Douglas Coupland, tells its story through the use of letters and diary entries. Originally a short story, it was expanded to a full-length novel that follows the adventures of six code-crunching computer whizzes, seen through the eyes of one of the characters, Daniel. The diary entries are written in a straightforward and entertaining style, making it a fast-paced read.

    This novel explores the wonders of the universe, but the underlying theme contemplates the repercussions of powerful machines for humanity in the past, present and future. The content of the story is rich and it often feels like you are listening to a great aunt or uncle telling stories. Better still is the fact that the technology written about in the book is not described in confusing language ¨C in fact, anyone can understand it, making it perfect for those wishing to expand their English vocabulary.

    When a powerful computer virus called Snow Crash gets loose and somehow starts infecting humans, computer hacker Hiro teams up with a sassy skateboard messenger to save both the real world and cyberspace. The characters are quirky, as is the writing style. But it is well thought out and means you can really get to know the characters. You¡¯ll need to concentrate closely on the plot ¨C but the slower pace will give you time to look up any English words you¡¯re not sure of.

  • A man sat on a bench outdoors holding a phone smiling

    Translating sayings into English ¨C with some funny results

    By Steffanie Zazulak
    Reading time: 3 minutes

    We all use phrases to express our emotions and feelings. These are known as idioms ¨C an expression with a figurative meaning that differs from its literal meaning. Sometimes they don¡¯t appear to make any sense at all and this is because they have evolved to mean different things.

    We¡¯ve previously looked at some of the strangest English phrases ¨C where they came from and what they mean. But these quirks of speech exist in many different languages. Here, we take a closer look at some common phrases and you¡¯ll see that translating your favorite sayings into English can produce some amusing results.

    Not my circus, not my monkey

    This idiom, ¡°nie m¨®j cyrk, nie moje malpy¡±, is used by Polish speakers to state that something is not their responsibility or ¡°not my problem¡±.

    An English phrase with a similar meaning is: ¡°Tell it to the hand.¡±?

    Not all doughnuts come with a hole

    This English translation of the Italian phrase ¡°non tutte le ciambelle riescono col buco¡±, is a reminder that things do not always turn out the way we expect. A ¡°ciambelle¡± is a round cake that is popular as a treat in Italy.

    An English phrase with a similar meaning is: ¡°You win some, you lose some.¡±

    The raisin at the end of a hot dog

    This Icelandic saying, ¡°r¨²s¨ªnan ¨ª pylsuendanum¡±, acknowledges that it¡¯s not usual to find a raisin at the end of a hot dog ¨C so sometimes you might find an unexpected surprise at the end of something.

    An English phrase with a similar meaning is: ¡°Out of the blue.¡±

    I¡¯m not hanging noodles on your ears

    This Russian saying, ¡°§Ó§Ö§ê§Ñ§ä§î §Ý§Ñ§á§ê§å §ß§Ñ §å§ê§Ú¡±, means you¡¯re not trying to fool someone, emphasising that what you¡¯re saying is true ¨C even if it appears to be a surprise.

    An English phrase with a similar meaning is: ¡°I¡¯m not pulling your leg.¡±?

    As clear as dumpling broth

    A sarcastic saying from Germany, ¡°klar wie Klo?br¨¹he¡±, means that something is not at all clear ¨C because dumpling soup is not at all clear or easy to see through.

    An English phrase with a similar meaning is: ¡°Clear as mud.¡±?

    Pay the duck

    This Portuguese phrase, ¡°pagar o pato¡±, is used when someone takes the blame for something they didn¡¯t do.

    An English phrase with a similar meaning is: ¡°Be the fall guy.¡±

    Give pumpkins to someone

    We¡¯re not sure why giving pumpkins to someone became such a bad thing in Spanish-speaking countries, but this idiom, ¡°Dar calabazas a alguien¡±, means that you reject someone.

    An English phrase with a similar meaning is: ¡°Show them the door.¡±?

    To let a frog out of your mouth

    This Finnish saying, ¡°p??st?? sammakko suusta¡±, is uttered when someone accidentally says something they shouldn¡¯t have. There¡¯s an animal-related English phrase that is similar, but it involves cats...

    An English phrase with a similar meaning: ¡°To let the cat out the bag.¡±

    Not the yellow from the egg

    The German idiom ¡°nicht das Gelbe vom Ei¡± literally translates to "not the yellow from the egg," and it is used to express that something is not particularly good. This phrase often implies that while something may be acceptable, it falls short of being excellent or ideal.

    An English phrase with a similar meaning: ¡°It's less than perfect.¡±

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    6 more strange English phrases explained

    By Steffanie Zazulak

    In a previous blog, we shared some?strange English phrases that might have left you with some questions. The English language is full of peculiar phrases that can even confuse fluent speakers. In today's post, we'll take a look at a few more such phrases to help you expand your repertoire.