As communicators, we’re always looking for new ways to improve the way we write, speak and, well, communicate. Maybe we follow writing blogs to find tips or even watch YouTube videos on how to improve our public speaking. One thing that never seems to be talked about is how learning a second language opens a whole new window of opportunity to learn how other people in this big ol’ world are communicating and what we can take away from that. Here are my top four takeaways:
1. Things Don’t Always Translate Word for Word
More often than not, phrases and sentences aren’t going to translate perfectly. You can’t read through a sentence, translating it word for word and expecting the combination to make sense at the end. You learn to look at the entire context of a phrase or sentence and make the connection to its equivalent in your native language. Being able to search for and find contextual connections in a second language makes it easier to do the same in your first.
Read about them here.
