The Spanish language can be termed as the second most natively spoken language and dialect in the entire world. Over twenty countries in the world use the Spanish as their primary language. In terms of numbers so as to provide a more vivid picture, around half a billion people speak Spanish. For someone looking for reasons to study the Spanish language, those are just but a few. In the field of international communication, the Spanish language is also the second most studied language in the world. Each and every other year, the number of people studying Spanish continues to grow significantly (Gardner 15).
Traditionally, growing up and being educated in the United States means that a person gets to use the English language in every other aspect. One can assert that they are obligated to use the English language and the need to study another language rarely pops up. A person may lack the motivation or fail to see the need in studying a second language but soon, second and subsequent languages may become the order of the day. The world today is becoming a global village, and with the advancement of technology, more so in the transportation sector, means that the world has become so small and for this reason studying a second language is becoming essential to facilitate communication (Gardner 15).
Globalization aside, studying Spanish language in the United States translates to a person being able to communicate effectively with a large Spanish speaking population in America. Competition economically is another reason that should push a person into learning Spanish as a second language. The fact that the business world has shifted means that one has to be able to understand one or two international languages at least. The fact that half a billion people speak Spanish and the fact that half of that population is in the western hemisphere means that an individual in the United States may be compelled to study Spanish as a second language to ensure they communicate effectively (Gardner 15).
The employment issue continues to challenge even the most developed nations. The fact that securing employment opportunities has become more challenging means individuals have to begin amassing skills that give them a competitive edge over the rest of the population. Employment opportunities tend to widen and increase for individuals who can speak fluently in both English and Spanish in the United States. The reason behind this is that the population of individuals speaking the Spanish language continues to increase. The popularity of the Spanish language arises from the fact that it is almost perfect phonetically and that a fluency in Spanish enables a person to communicate with people who speak different languages (Saville-Troike 57).
Understanding a specific language also goes beyond the mere mastery and fluency of a given language. For one to deeply understand the grammatical structure and the vocabulary of a given language, they have to be able to learn and relate to its culture at a deeper level. Understanding other societies and their various enriching cultural aspects comes along with the study and mastery of other languages. In the world of today that is filled with competitiveness, it is very imperative for a person to learn about the other cultures that exist in the world and their thought processes. Summing it up, one realizes that understanding and studying Spanish in the United States becomes an added advantage as well as a gateway to understanding other cultures.
Works Cited
Gardner, Robert C, and Zoltán Dörnyei. Motivation and Second Language Acquisition.
Honululu, Hawaii: Univ. of Hawaii Press, 2002. Print.
Saville-Troike, Muriel. Introducing Second Language Acquisition. Cambridge: Cambridge
