Being (fully) bilingual does not just mean having the ability to speak two languages, but also to understand two (completely) different cultures and mindsets. Although people from certain countries might argue that there is no need to pick up a second language, being bilingual could help you get the “best of both worlds” and create opportunities for yourself.

Learning a second language is unnecessary?

In a handful of countries around the world, nearly all of which are English-speaking ones, learning a second language has always been considered an optional or a leisurely thing to do in one’s life. Except for Canada, where English and French are designated as the country’s official languages due to its unique history, all the other English-speaking nations have made English their sole official language for education, civil service and business. It is not surprising at all considering that English is the world’s “lingua franca”, or the international language used and taught in many countries. That said, despite English being a global language for trade, it has never really been promoted or used for education and business in Japan, which is the most highly industrialized country in Asia. The fact that Japan is a highly developed country with a huge domestic market has made English less important than Japanese because it does not need to rely on exports.

Broadening your horizons through a foreign language

It is true that if you are from an English-speaking country or Japan, there is probably no need for you to learn a foreign language to make a living and to even live a good life. But then, as a monolingual speaker in an increasingly globalized world, you may not only find yourself (constantly) trying to avoid talking to foreigners but also feeling excluded from meaningful conversations about global events, for example. Picking up a second language, especially one that is widely used in a particular region or continent, can really help you broaden your horizons without having to spend money on travel. For example, being able to speak Spanish will enable you to communicate with people from at least 20 countries, while learning Chinese will help you expand your business into not only Greater China, but also Singapore and Malaysia. Finally, it goes without saying that, for Japanese people, mastering English will enable them to get "the best of both worlds" - the huge domestic market and the global business arena. For Westerners, becoming proficient in Japanese will make it much easier for them to access Japan's highly competitive domestic market.

Being bilingual leads to effective problem-solving?

Learning a foreign language also helps you develop the ability to solve or tackle problems more effectively and quickly. This is because having to switch regularly from your mother tongue to your second language when talking to different people pushes you to step out of your comfort zone in order to familiarize yourself with new vocabulary and grammar. When you try to understand the nuances of the foreign language, you may have no choice but to adopt the mindset of the native speakers of that language. For example, in order to grasp the meaning of お世話になります, a Japanese expression that doesn’t really exist in English, you must interpret it from a Japanese perspective. Unlike Westerners, the Japanese have always regarded continued or continuous support from someone as a “debt” that needs to be paid back. Therefore, whereas you rarely hear English speakers say “I am indebted to you” when expressing gratitude to someone, it is something that a Japanese would say almost every day. In other words, once you have got used to looking at things from different (cultural) perspectives, you will find yourself taking different approaches and considering various factors when tackling problems at work or in life.

Finally, being bilingual does not just help you enhance your problem-solving ability, but it also makes you a more interesting person for everyone to talk to. I mean – who does not want to be popular?

Keywords
Best of both worlds (expression): 両方の好いとこ取りをする
Lingua franca (phrase): 共通語
Handful (noun): 少量、少数
Leisurely (adjective): ゆっくりした
Pick up (phrasal verb): 勉強を始める
Bilingual/Monolingual (adjective): 二か国語を話す/一か国語だけ話す
Broaden (one’s) horizons (expression): 視野を広げる
Indebted (adjective): 恩を受けて

Author

Name: Brian Yap
Nationality: Canadian
Education :
M.A. in Pacific Asian Studies, SOAS University of London (SOAS: School of Oriental & African Studies)
Past Work Experience :
- Tokyo Correspondent - Bloomberg Industry Group (An affiliate of Bloomberg L.P)
- Asia Reporter (Hong Kong-based) - International Financial Law Review, UK-listed Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC
- General News Reporter (Internship) - Thomson Reuters Corporation
Areas of journalism :
Sports, Entertainment, Politics, Finance, Trade, Business. etc

著者:
Brian yap ブライアン・ヤップ
学歴:
クワントレン工科大学の新聞学科 (バンクーバー、カナダ)
ロンドン大学東洋アフリカ学院の太平洋研究科 (ロンドン、イギリス)
職歴:
ブルームバーグBNAー東京特派員
ユーロマネー・インスティテューショナル・インベスターアジアレポーター (香港駐在)
トムソン・ロイター (インターン) レポーター 
報道の経験/分野:
スポーツ、娯楽、政治、金融、貿易、ビジネス

Brian講師が活躍するスパルタ英会話法人部HP：
https://corp.spartan-english.jp/

3ヶ月で英語が話せるようになるスクール スパルタ英会話HP：
https://spartan-english.jp/