Is it necessary to know more than 2 languages in today's world?

[leahcim132]

In my opinion, I don't think it's not necessary. However, I think if you want to have a more interesting life, you should definitely learn at least 2 languages.

[Miya]

^Why don't you think it's necessary?

If you ask me though, I think it depends. If I speak English and I don't plan to ever leave America and my job doesn't require me to speak a foreign language, then knowing just English would be enough. But let's say I'm a businesswoman traveling around the world every year to do business. In that case, it would probably be better for me to learn at least 2 foreign languages.

[eruvande]

I don't think learning a second language is necessary by the pure definition, but I think it's dumb not to. If you travel anywhere you should definitely at least learn something in the language. I've been to places where I didn't know much beyond 'hello' and 'thank-you' and I can honestly say I have a much more interesting time when I can interact with locals in their own language.

Even if you don't go anywhere learning a different language opens you to all new ways of thinking,,,and it makes you smarter. Who doesn't want that?

[ollie]

Depends. I think it will give you an edge on anyone else applying for a job you may be -- depending on where you are. In the southwestern states, I think knowing Spanish will help you immensely. Want to move up in a company that deals a lot with products made in China, or with electronics made in Japan? Obviously knowing those languages will get you noticed by the higher ups.

Is it necessary? No. Will it hurt? Absolutely not, it can only help.

[rossonomous]

If you intend to stay in your native language speaking country and have no desire to work in a multilingual environment then no it is not necessary. I don't think that many job opportunities are really looking for someone that can speak a variety of languages. At a young age you are urged to learn one because they insist that you need it to stand a better chance of getting a job, but I disagree with this statement.

[thekernel]

It isn't necessary, but a second language is one of the most important skills you can have. There are situations in life where everything becomes so much easier because you know another avenue of communication. And in today's competitive job world, it is a great thing to have on a resume.

[AdamDavis14]

I think it is necessary if you are going to be travelling around the world. Other than that it is not really necessary but it does help as it makes you look good to an employer and you can then travel to a country that speaks that language on holiday.

[mareebaybay]

I don't think it's actually necessary to learn two languages in todays world. Although I think it would benefit you if you knew more than one language. There are tons of benefits to being bilingual.

[DiesIrae]

In general, no. I guess there'd be specific situations when you would be required to learn more than 2 languages but I'm guessing it's something rarer than we'd think. For many people who speak more than 2 languages, it's possible that they learned the languages because the situation influenced them without making it a requirement.

[ashwinr1]

It depends on our job profile and the industry we work for. There are certain jobs that require you to know 2 or more foreign languages. In such scenarios, we do not have a choice!

[Preya_M]

I don't think it's necessary, but then again I think that it depends where you are. If you're from say China and come to Canada, you'll have to learn English. I think it also depends on the profession you're in. If you're working as a Sales Associate in say a Little Italy Village located in a bigger city, then I'd say it would be necessary to speak more than one language, primarily being English and Italian in this case.

[Jellyfish]

It's not even necessary to know more than your native language. And it's not even necessary to know that native language very well. But it can be useful.

[polybus]

It is definitely not necessary to know more than two languages, even in this more globalized world. As long as you speak a large national language, and not a smaller regional language, you can be just as successful without knowing more than your native language. You can always use translators if you do need to communicate with someone in a different language. And since you can't know every language, there will always be times that you cannot communicate and you have to hire a translator.

That being said knowing more than my native language has definitely enriched my life.

[rossonomous]

That being said knowing more than my native language has definitely enriched my life.

I agree with this statement. It opens up plenty of pathways and opportunities; especially if you travel to the countries that predominantly speak these languages.

[sayitwell]

It is not necessary.  Most people never leave their home country.  Most people never encounter anyone who does not speak their native tongue unless they go onto the Internet often.  I'd argue that you are spending your time most prudently by studying things other than foreign language.  The stud of foreign language is merely a luxury, not a necessity.

[Guest akasha24]

I don't think it's necessary but if someone wants to travel the world, get to know other cultures or would like to live in a foreign country, then I do think it is best if the person speaks at least 2 languages. I personally think English is a must for everybody. It really depends on the person and his/her goals.

[mccanono]

As long as you know English, then you're good.

English is spoken almost everywhere. So if you know how to speak, read, and write in English, you'll have no problem communicating with other people.

[wannalurnspanish]

I know a lot of Americans don't think it's necessary, and I guess maybe for a long time that was true, because English was the "in" language to know. Most countries learned it. You could go a lot of places and most likely find someone who could speak it. That's still true, but I think it's definitely changing where one has to know at least a couple these days though.

I'm in SoCal and you definitely have an advantage in the job market by being bilingual in both English and Spanish, due to the high population of Spanish speakers (read Mexicans). A lot of places don't just see that as an added bonus in an employee, but as a MUST. I think, with the population of hispanics increasing throughout the country, people are definitely soon going to see this as the norm, rather than just the exception.

I also think things may shift where Chinese is going to be one of the big languages to know as well. I don't know how I myself will fare with that language though, so I'd rather not think too much about it, but it's something to consider.

[sos]

Diversity is something that I really appreciate. That is the reason that i would want to learn other languages. However, when it comes to the to the language you need English for me is the only one you need.

[LauraM]

I think it's not just a matter of knowing languages but which languages you know.  English has long been a dominant language worldwide both for business and foreign relations, as well as for the undeniable impact of pop culture -- especially American pop culture.

As others have mentioned, Chinese may become more and more important than it already is for those very same reasons.  Other dominant languages would include Spanish, Arabic, Russian, Japanese and Hindu for the sheer number of total speakers in the world as well as the prominence of the countries where these languages are spoken.  There are other dominant languages, but those are the ones that come to mind to me right now as examples.   

As time goes on, I think having proficiency in at least a couple of the major languages in the world may be highly desirable at the very least, and depending upon one's career aspirations and/or one's personal desire to communicate and take part in various dominant cultures and societies. 

[azathoth]

Perhaps not, as most people will never leave their country and there are always various internet sites in your native tongue, but it's always fun to do so.  Not to mention, you broaden your horizons and open yourself up to new things by learning other languages.  Even if there are plenty of translations to be found when it comes to media, nothing beats reading/hearing something in its original language.  You catch so many details that are lost in translation that way.

[MVent_20]

I don't think it's necessary, but knowing a language other than English and your mother tongue is an advantage. I am assuming here that most people, if not all, know English and their mother tongue. Knowing more than one language is very useful especially if you travel often or communicate with people from different places.

[10theMCee]

I also believe that learning another language is not actually a necessity but it is more of a trend nowadays. As implied earlier in this thread, it would be such a pity not to even attempt studying one. In this modern day and age, interaction and interdependence among different countries and nationalities occur in the most unexpected moments and remote locations. As an individual seeking improvement or may it be as a form of entertainment, studying another language could offer a lot of benefits at the same time.

[Baburra]

I think it's necessary for people in countries who don't have too much support for their own culture from their own government because they would need English to learn about a more international scene to satisfy the need for culture. For countries like Japan, France, and China, however, who are very culturally rich and self sustaining, it might not be too necessary. It's certainly helpful, though, and it does open a lot more doors towards opportunities outside one's country.

[Rosa]

I believe that learning new language depends on a persons interest. Sometimes people find themselves in situations that cause them to definitely have to learn a language or it may just be their love for a certain language. A persons interest could also have them learning even much more than 2 languages.