Through increasing globalization, English established itself as the dominant language around the world. People who don’t know English would then be at a disadvantage since they can’t be understood on their own by the majority. This doesn’t mean that monolingual English speakers escape being disadvantaged. I agree up to a point that English monolinguals can get by fine in the United States as they have no trouble being understood in conversation most often, but they miss out on benefits and opportunities to enrich the quality of their lives.
First and foremost, I’d like to address that monolingual non-English speakers are at a worryingly steep disadvantage. Better jobs and opportunities reward those who learn English but punish those who don’t. “Median earnings are 39 percent higher for those who are English proficient: $40,000 versus $28,700 for [limited English proficient] workers” (Rios). Non-English speakers are also susceptible to being taken advantage of in countries where English is dominant. Imagine the instances where non-English speakers signed contracts without having full information. Predatory contracts threaten non-English speakers since they can get caught in a legal battle due to their inability to read the terms and conditions. To ensure equal treatment, learning English is necessary for English-speaking countries.
In fact, non-English speakers are burdened with language barriers. As Natalia Sylvester experienced, “[there] was the young mother who wanted to know whether she could leave a cumbersome diaper bin aside at the register at Goodwill while she shopped. The cashier shook her head dismissively and said she didn’t understand … I choose not to understand is what she really meant.” (Sylvester). As her experience shows, language barriers are frustrating for those involved. Non-English speakers grow irritated from not being understood so often while the English speaker might be annoyed by the fact this person dared not to learn or speak English.
My mother’s experience since she moved to the United States bears witness to the baggage non-English speaking immigrants carry. My mother would tell me that when she arrived in the United States, she had assumed she would easily be able to find a job that would allow her to buy her own home. Her first mistake was constructing that vision without including that she didn’t know English. She would describe her early years in the United States as a nightmare as her hopes of owning a beautiful house was switched with a small, bug-infested bedroom apartment, and it bothered her a lot that she couldn’t communicate with English speakers. She made an effort to learn English since she no longer wanted to feel handicapped in the United States. As her English improved, so did her opportunities. For monolingual non-English speakers learning a new language is no easy task, but my mother proves that there are significant benefits available for non-English monolingual speakers.
Unlike how non-English monolingual speakers learn English through necessity, English monolingual speakers don’t need to learn another language. Nevertheless, English-only speakers are also at a disadvantage regardless of the fact that their mother tongue has spread across the globe. English monolinguals who don’t speak another language will be at a disadvantage to bilingual English speakers. Just as those who couldn’t speak English were at a disadvantage since they missed out on economic opportunities, English monolingual speakers are similarly at an economic disadvantage since employers may seek multilingual workers who can communicate with an increasingly diverse population. Similarly, being bilingual broadens the scope of whom you can communicate with, which means new business partners, friends, and such. Bilingual speakers offer potential employers that multilingual speakers simply can’t. In the same way, employers may connect one’s bilingualism or multilingualism to character traits such as perseverance and studiousness since learning a language is no easy task.
Learning another language comes with advantages outside the immediately apparent. It has been proven that becoming bilingual significantly improves overall cognitive performance. Many studies support the claim that people become better multitaskers in everyday aspects of their life after learning a second language (Fleming). Learning a second language would mean a stronger “memory, improved problem-solving, critical thinking, and planning skills” (Middlebury). Moreover, one would improve their ability to speak in their first language since learning another language requires attention to the mechanics of language.
Perhaps the most important reason why English monolinguals should learn another language is that languages are the gateway to into another culture. What better way to learn about another culture than to experience it first-hand? Appreciating and experiencing another community’s traditions and cultural values enrich one’s quality of life in a way that monolinguals could never experience. Professors in foreign languages emphasize that bilinguals ' have the opportunity to learn about the cultures involved with those languages and countries[, and] helps you have a broader perspective and a broader view of the world” (Robinson).
I personally understand why monolingual English speakers believe they can get by fine only knowing English. I too was once in their shoes despite Spanish being my first language. I didn’t want to learn Spanish in a classroom setting. I would say to myself, “I’m in America. I don’t need Spanish.” Over the years I began to notice that my mentality restricted me in the long run. I am Mexican, so when people came up to me and began speaking in Spanish, assuming I was also fluent, it was embarrassing since I couldn’t communicate with them clearly. As I grew older and began working it only got worse. I decided that college was the perfect opportunity to learn Spanish once and for all. Shortly after classes, I was exposed to the cultures and lifestyles of other communities that also speak Spanish. I have been enjoying the increased cultural awareness from learning Spanish. I now enjoy the satisfaction of communicating and expressing myself more clearly and with ease.
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Essay on Why Is It Important to Learn Another Language.
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