Rapid tech advancements over the last couple of decades have reduced the world to a global, almost homogeneous, village. This comes with a host of benefits.
From a business standpoint, local and regional businesses now have an easier and more certain route to global expansion. They can interact with multinational customers on social media, the source for business partners abroad, and manage remote workforces scattered across the world, all that over the internet. From a worker’s perspective, the internet has made it easy for top talents to find work anywhere on the planet without needing to leave their hometown.
Outside of the business world, technology has made cross-cultural exchange very rampant amongst the millennials. People make social media friends from different nationalities, consume film and music from different continents, and for sports enthusiasts, share sports banter with other fans across the world. That is without forgetting how online dating apps bring lovers together without being limited by geographical barriers. This cross-cultural interaction has also made millennials want to tour and explore the world more than previous generations did.
There is no denying that everyone wins, economically and socially, when geographical barriers are eliminated. However, there is one stumbling block to the realization of full-blown global village homogeneity: the language barrier. That is where the need for bilingualism comes in. Although there are online translation tools that help people to interact productively without speaking a common language, it would be naïve to think that learning new languages isn’t necessary anymore. As the famous Nelson Mandela quote goes:
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart”.
That is to tell you that translation tools won’t cut it if you want to make any meaningful relationships with people who don’t speak your language.
Bilingualism and Business
Businesses targeting multinational customers must hire bilingual service teams- departments such as marketing and customer care- if they are to speak to the customers’ hearts. Note that technology, through social media and SEO, has made it possible for startup businesses to generate and close multinational leads. Many of these startups don’t have the budget needed to hire and train a multilingual workforce, and that leaves them exposed to high customer abandon rates, tarnished brand reputation, and low customer retention rates.
If that is your situation right now, you can remedy the situation by outsourcing bilingual customer service representatives to 247 Call Center. Bilingual call center agents will provide you with professional and friendly customer support around the clock and, consequently, help you increase brand loyalty and lower customers’ abandonment rates.
Bilingualism and Potential Maximization
In the wake of increased use of social media and dating sites, making new friends or meeting a new love interest across the world is just a click away. Likewise, getting to the other side of the globe is a matter of a few hours for globetrotters with the advancement in transportation means. In addition, potential employers are no longer limited to your local area. The internet has made it possible to land job opportunities from anywhere in the world.
However, there lies a language barrier and possible cultural nuances, which can be a hindrance to make meaningful connections with friends, a lover, or a potential employer. It can also be frustrating trying to maneuver your way in a foreign country not knowing the local language.
Thankfully, bilingualism exposes you to other cultures. You get to know what can come out as offensive or annoying as you interact with people speaking a different language. You stand to enjoy your trips more if, for instance, you can be able to order food or ask for directions in the local dialect.
Bilingualism and Brain Exercise
Mastering a new language is a complex task that exercises the brain, benefiting its health in a number of ways. For starters, you need to think out of the box in order to learn the loops of the language. As a result, it enhances the brain’s cognitive ability and alertness and keeps the brain active. All these come together to make you better at multitasking, problem-solving, decision-making, and creativity. You can only imagine what this benefits your productivity at work and life in general.
On the other hand, children who have mastered a second language are less distracted, with more increased focus. They, thus, by far outdo themselves in academic matters as compared to their monolingual counterparts.
Bilingualism and Entertainment
Just like many other aspects of life, technology has made it possible to access worldwide entertainment content from anywhere in the globe. It is not uncommon to find that many trending video clips on the internet are now coming in different languages.
However, wouldn’t a movie, film, music videos, or TV programs offer you a better experience if you wouldn’t have to struggle reading the captions while at the same time keeping up with the visual content?
Bilingualism and Improved Social Life
People skills are very important if you are to lead a more improved social life. You need to be able to interact with people in an empathetic and compassionate manner.
As a human being, it is easy to be empathetic to people with whom you share a common language. In addition, being bilingual increases your confidence, and hence improving your socializing skills.
Conclusion
There you have it! Clearly, being bilingual gives you an edge in modern society as compared to monolinguals. If you are yet to decide whether to learn a second language, the above are the more reasons that you should.