Multilingualism is a must in today’s society

Nelson Mandela once said: “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”

Being recognised as multilingual is a great advantage for children as well as adults. It is well known that translators get paid well for their jobs, however, regular jobs in other sectors can also pay slightly more if you possess additional linguistic skills.

Parents want the best for their children on a personal and professional level, thus teaching them more than one language can be beneficial for them since being multilingual is a must in today’s society.

Studies show that children who grow up learning or listening to more than one language face less difficulties in learning new languages later on in life as it helps them understand how language itself works. Many assume that multilingualism result in speech disorders such as stuttering or even developmental disorders such as autism and many others, but in reality there is no proof that being either monolingual or a multilingual affects any of these disorders.

Of course it is unrealistic for parents to expect their children to have native-like fluency in all languages that they are taught. An undeveloped language of a multilingual child is not the symptom of a clinical condition such as ‘language delay’ but a preference or a choice that the child has made. Language is subjected to change over time as children grow up to have a unique personality with the tendency to prefer one language over the other.

It is also clear that multilingual children have a wider view of the world and their thinking tends to be more flexible as they have more than one perspective of the world. Hence, they have a better understanding of other cultures and are also mindful and considerate of foreign customs.

In the 21st century, multilingualism is a powerful skill for a child to develop. The current global economy encourages multilingualism and views it as an advantage because the ability to communicate is key to success. Today, a lot of companies are expanding internationally, thus, the ability to communicate in more than one language is essential in the workforce.

With this in mind, parents should aim to teach their children different languages and encourage them to understand and respect those from different ethnic backgrounds.

The writer is a media student at the Sharjah Higher College of Technology.

The International Government Communication Forum (IGCF), held in Sharjah, is an annual forum that shares global best practices in fields of government communication and aims to build a platform for better communication between governments and their citizens. This column is a collaborative effort with Gulf News featuring work by UAE-based students as part of that initiative.