Learning a language other than one's own is an opening on the world, on the beliefs and practices expressed by that second language. As our Earth shrinks to a global village, knowledge of foreign languages becomes increasingly valuable.
Translation can never adequately substitute for direct communication in another language.
The best reason for language study is that the mental habits it teaches give a heightened awareness of the linguistic bias of one's own thinking and of the power and limitations of language itself. Spanish ranks fourth among world languages, with more than 200 million speakers, and it serves as the official language of some 20 countries. Knowledge of Spanish is of immense cultural and historical value in Europe and the Americas. Within the United States, Spanish is the second most prevalent language, having more than 15 million speakers. Career Options Students who concentrate in a foreign language find this area a valuable preparation for several careers.