Residents and visitors in states such as California, Texas, and Nevada are apt to see more ads, signs, and shops written in Spanish than they have in years past. There is a good reason for this - the US Census Bureau estimates that 35 million people - nearly 10 percent of our country's population - now speaks Spanish.
These 35 million people are but a fraction of the 350 million people worldwide who speak Spanish. With that many people speaking the same language, there are a large number of opportunities for those people who speak Spanish that aren't there for those people who don't speak it. There are three significant reasons that I can think of why you should consider learning Spanish, if you're considering learning a new language:
1) There are plenty of vacation opportunities for Spanish speakers. Spanish speakers are common throughout the western hemisphere, including Mexico, Central America, and much of the Caribbean and South America. Spanish is also spoken in Spain, of course, but don't forget that they speak a different type of Spanish - called Castillian Spanish - than is spoken in the west. All told, the number of places where Spanish is spoken makes it the fourth most commonly spoken language in the world, behind Mandarin Chinese, English, and Hindi.
If you're considering a trip to any of these places, speaking Spanish will help you see things that aren't always accessible to the regular tourist. English is fine in the large cities and resort towns, but if you want to travel further into these countries, knowing Spanish will help in enhancing your vacation experience.
2) The job market is tough, and knowing Spanish can help. The current recession has led to a lot of people out of work and a lot of people finding new skills to compete for what jobs are out there. In a time when double-digit unemployment and few jobs are the norm, certain skills are often the difference in choosing between highly qualified employees applying for the same job.
If you live in an area where some of those 35 million Spanish speakers live, speaking Spanish might be that skill that can make the difference. Many industries - including nursing, teaching, and sales - are places where there is a high demand for people who speak Spanish. Plus, with the number of Spanish speakers in this country increasing on a daily basis, this job skill is one that can be useful for years to come.
3) Learning Spanish can help with your English. It sounds odd, but it's true! Spanish is what is known as a Romance language, derived from Latin. English is, itself, also partially derived from Latin, meaning that many of the grammar rules that apply to English apply to Spanish as well. As you learn Spanish, you'll also find that your comprehension of English - from grammar rules to similar words derived from Latin - may also increase.
Best of all, Spanish isn't that difficult to learn - you can pick up basic skills in the language very quickly, because of these similarities. So even if you don't figure you'll use it anytime soon, perhaps you should learn it anyway!
These 35 million people are but a fraction of the 350 million people worldwide who speak Spanish. With that many people speaking the same language, there are a large number of opportunities for those people who speak Spanish that aren't there for those people who don't speak it. There are three significant reasons that I can think of why you should consider learning Spanish, if you're considering learning a new language:
1) There are plenty of vacation opportunities for Spanish speakers. Spanish speakers are common throughout the western hemisphere, including Mexico, Central America, and much of the Caribbean and South America. Spanish is also spoken in Spain, of course, but don't forget that they speak a different type of Spanish - called Castillian Spanish - than is spoken in the west. All told, the number of places where Spanish is spoken makes it the fourth most commonly spoken language in the world, behind Mandarin Chinese, English, and Hindi.
If you're considering a trip to any of these places, speaking Spanish will help you see things that aren't always accessible to the regular tourist. English is fine in the large cities and resort towns, but if you want to travel further into these countries, knowing Spanish will help in enhancing your vacation experience.
2) The job market is tough, and knowing Spanish can help. The current recession has led to a lot of people out of work and a lot of people finding new skills to compete for what jobs are out there. In a time when double-digit unemployment and few jobs are the norm, certain skills are often the difference in choosing between highly qualified employees applying for the same job.
If you live in an area where some of those 35 million Spanish speakers live, speaking Spanish might be that skill that can make the difference. Many industries - including nursing, teaching, and sales - are places where there is a high demand for people who speak Spanish. Plus, with the number of Spanish speakers in this country increasing on a daily basis, this job skill is one that can be useful for years to come.
3) Learning Spanish can help with your English. It sounds odd, but it's true! Spanish is what is known as a Romance language, derived from Latin. English is, itself, also partially derived from Latin, meaning that many of the grammar rules that apply to English apply to Spanish as well. As you learn Spanish, you'll also find that your comprehension of English - from grammar rules to similar words derived from Latin - may also increase.
Best of all, Spanish isn't that difficult to learn - you can pick up basic skills in the language very quickly, because of these similarities. So even if you don't figure you'll use it anytime soon, perhaps you should learn it anyway!
About the Author:
Teresa Rueda can help you find a Spanish language course that meets your needs. If you are looking for learn a different language, check out many different brands of foreign language software!
