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Did you see learning a new language as an investment?


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I'll explain my question a bit more by saying I didn't really see learning English as an investment back when I started learning it, because I was 16 years old back then and I didn't realize learning this language would open so many doors for me.  Now I'm 26 years old and have lived a lot amazing (some not so amazing) experiences thanks to the fact I learnt the language; both in my personal and professional areas.

So yeah, there is no doubt in my mind that learning English was probably the best investment ever, even if at the start I didn't even realize  it.

This has changed the way I used to see language learning, mostly because now I'm an adult with a lot financial responsibilities and don't really have a lot spare time to learn other languages for the pleasure of it. So if I learn a new language it must be one that will benefit me or one that I'll definitely be using on a daily basis. 

What about you? Did you see learning a new language as an investment? Why? Why not?

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Well I learned English at a very young age, like pre-school age, because English is commonly used in my country, so I never really had to make that much of an effort to learn it. But now that I'm an adult, I will only study a new language if I really have to learn it because I'm required to, or to get better work opportunities, both locally and abroad.

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I never thought of English like that. Actually I didn't think of anything when I studied English. I have been exposed to the language since I was young that it just became a part of my life. Learning Chinese was however some kind of investment for me, not for financial gains but so that I can watch more movies and talk to more people.

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Learning languages is a huge investment mostly of our time, no question about that. The languages I've learned as a kid, like English, of course I didn't see it that way because kids don't understand the term investment, they just do what their parents and teachers tell them to. But learning a language as an adult is indeed a big investment of money and many many hours of our time.

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I never thought of English like that. Actually I didn't think of anything when I studied English. I have been exposed to the language since I was young that it just became a part of my life. Learning Chinese was however some kind of investment for me, not for financial gains but so that I can watch more movies and talk to more people.

I never thought about English like that either, I started doing it when I grew up and started to understand so many things about life ;)  When you are young you usually avoid thinking about this kind of things, because at that age this concept is kinda hard to grasp, but as an adult it shouldn't be.  For me English was a great investment I did without even trying or thinking about it.  Now I'm reaping the benefits of learning it when I was younger :)

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This is a interesting thread, because I could see why someone would think of learning a new language a investment. I mean learning a new language, could make some one some money depending on how they use it or what they use it for. You could be learning a new language to pursue a career which in turn would be sort of like an investment.

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Learning a new language is an obvious investment to those who understand its value. I could perhaps get a career as a transcriber or translator for the UN or maybe even re-write books to different languages and earn a commission in books sales. Learning a different language is an investment, but the main issue is the language you learn and it's value. You cannot compare learning japanese and learning zulu.

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That is another perspective diprod, if we do know languages and we are in the right place at the right time that could mean a huge boost in our career, but there are careers that don't value languages at all.

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I've been taught English as a second language from as far back as I remember, so I wouldn't say that I learned it as an investment, but I do agree that it certainly does feel like it was now that I think about it. As for the other languages I'm currently trying to learn, they are definitely to be considered an investment, but I am only really learning it for enrichment and not much else although it would be great to see it unexpectedly pay off someday.

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No. The thought that comes to mind when learning a new language is for the purpose of being better and it's like having a new skill that you can brag about. It just seems nice to learn a new language and have the chance to show it off to your friends. XD

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Yes, I see language as an investment. 

Anytime you expand your knowledge of a meaningful subject, you grow as an adult. Even if the only thing you learn is how another culture thinks, you're better off. This is why (to me) keeping language arts in school is vital.

Also, let's not forget that since society is getting smaller, it's important to understand how to communicate with a variety of people. This ability opens the door for more opportunities career-wise, which is a BIG plus.

:ninja:

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Absolutely. As the world gets smaller and smaller, business has the ability to interact with pretty much anyone in the world. So employers will always view people who speak multiple languages as a major asset.  I think it's a tool that can really set a person apart from the rest of the field

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  • 4 weeks later...

I never thought of learning a new language as an investment. I really learnt because it was taught to me without a choice. I however, liked it and as an adult now have no regret so I continue to study on my own. I realize that it can be beneficial in many ways too.

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In  a way I think learning a new language is an investment. For those who wish to work in a place where people speak more than one language, your chances of getting hired increase if in addition to the 'national' or 'standard' language, you can speak the local patois. In that case, learning the language would have been an investment.

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Yes, I see learning a language as a personal investment. It has many great benefits and you can communicate with locals and really make sure you have the best time in that country. So yes, it's an investment in myself. I don't know how you could say it isn't...

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There are many possible ways to invest your money because there are a wide range of people that would spend money differently to buy things of their preference. I know alot of people out there who want to learn a new language and they find tutors and vocal mentors to hire.

I definitely think learning a new language is an investment. It's also a plus because, well, you get to learn a new language!

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