Hello. Ni Hao. Bonjor. Hola. Buongiorno. Guten Tag. Konnichiwa. I have always been fascinated by languages. With more than six billion inhabitants and counting, the ability to communicate with an individual on other side of the world is truly amazing. Why would anyone want to miss out on the opportunity to connect and communicate with some of our planet’s most interesting cultures? Most colleges and Universities offer a wide variety of foreign language courses, and prior to the start of my first year in college, I chose to study Spanish and Italian, and soon found myself buried in language lessons.

During Italian class one afternoon, the question arose: How many languages are currently spoken in the world? With the professor unable to give an accurate number, I immediately took it upon myself to discover the answer. Well, let’s see… there’s Spanish, English, French, Italian, German, um…Japanese. Oh man, I can already tell that this is going to be a tough one. After all, what exactly makes a language a language? Do different dialects count? What about historic and ancient languages not widely used anymore, like Latin? With so many unique variables, I decided it would be best to stop counting and consult an expert. According to Stephen Anderson of the Linguistic Society of America, the estimated number of spoken languages used today is continuing to grow larger and larger. A version of the Encyclopedia Britannica in the early 1900’s states a figure somewhere around 1,000. But after experts broadened the definition of a “language,” it is believed that there are more than 6,900 living languages spoken in the world today. Interestingly, of the 6,900 languages spoken today, only about 230 of them are used in the United States.

With our world’s population conversing in nearly 7,000 different languages, how can you be content with just one? Here are some of the many benefits you can receive as a student traveler from learning a foreign language:

- Enhances intellectual development

- Promotes increased levels of flexibility in thinking and better listening skills

- Improves one’s understanding of their native language

- Enables one to communicate with individuals from foreign nations and cultures

- Promotes cultural understanding

- Increases careers opportunities

For those choosing to study a new language, there is no better way to learn than immersing yourself in a country and culture where it is spoken. Most language students participating in a student travel [http://studenttravelblog.wordpress.com] program abroad will choose to expedite the learning process by living with a host family. While living with a host family, you are constantly surrounded by the language, forcing your mind to think in your new language, and you will also experience the country’s customs and traditions first-hand. Because of this, you are more likely to embrace the culture, which ultimately serves as a catalyst to the mastery of your new language.

With hundreds of student travel programs available today, what are you waiting for? You are sure to find an overseas language program that is right for you!

By: Brendan Alberts

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