There are a lot of languages in the world that you can choose to study; 6,909 according to research by Ethnologue in 2009. Some of them, like Mandarin Chinese and Spanish, are widely spoken and widely taught. Some of them, like Naasioi (a language of eastern Papua New Guinea) are spoken only by a limited number of speakers in a limited geographic area. But if you’re reading this article, the question on your mind is probably: “which language should I study?”
A lot of people answer this question by choosing the language they think will help them “get a job”. And that’s fine. Maybe there is a clear link between certain languages and certain career paths. But learning a language is not only about getting a job. Learning a language can also be stimulating, challenging, and fun…seriously! And, the unexpected thing about learning a language is that having the ability to speak it may open doors to careers that you never even knew existed when you first started out. So, where to begin?
(1) Personal Interest Inventory
A good place to start is to take a bit of a personal interest inventory.
For instance, are there particular languages that you already feel attracted to? If you love K-Pop or manga or anime, then maybe Korean or Japanese are the languages for you. Have you been binge-watching a Mexican TV series? No judgment here, but maybe you feel like you can already speak Spanish! Or maybe…remember that time a year ago when you downloaded that “Learn German” app onto your phone…are you still interested?
It may not seem like much, but don’t ignore these feelings. They aren’t nothing. They are clues to the language that you are genuinely interested in learning and this interest is genuinely important!
Also, consider any personal connections you might have to a language. Maybe you have grandparents who come from “the old country” and you’d like to stay connected to your heritage. Or maybe you have a “special someone” who speaks a different language at home. Extra points if you make an effort to learn it too! In the same way as interests, these personal connections are also important because they give you a “real” reason for learning. This is important because, when things get tough in the language learning process – and they will get tough – these connections will be the reminder and motivator you need to keep going.
(2) Language Skills Inventory
Next, take a look at the language skills that you already have.
Did you study French in high school? A lot of Canadians do, and that’s great! And maybe you want to continue studying it in university. Good to know. Or maybe you studied French in high school but, to be honest, you didn’t totally love it. That’s okay too. But you don’t need to think about all those classes as wasted time…because a Romance language like French shares many similarities with other languages like Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian. Having this shared foundation makes learning one of these languages easier.
And how about those of you who learned English as your second or even third language? If this is you then, guess what, you already have a head start! Believe it or not, native speakers of many languages, and this is true of English too, don’t know the grammatical structures of their own languages. Sure, they know the right way to use the language and they can tell when something is wrong, but they may not be able to explain exactly why. If you learned English as a second language, then you will already know how to talk about “learning a language” and this will put you in a better position to understand, describe, and explain why things work the way they do.
(3) Which jobs need which languages?
Of course, if you’re thinking about learning a language to help you get a job, you may want to spend some time researching connections between certain languages and the careers you’re interested in.
There’s no easy way to do this, but here are some thoughts:
- international business programs often include a language requirement. Check out which languages they’re supporting.
- interested in international relations? Take a look at the official languages of the United Nations and check out youth internship programs offered by the Government of Canada.
- planning to work with immigrant communities in Canada (e.g. in fields like settlement, social work, or healthcare)? If so, check Statistics Canada for which language groups are growing fastest.
Also, do a little Googling for search terms like “Languages of the Future.” People are thinking about this topic. Here are just a few articles we found in preparing to write this article:
- “The future of language” Noack, R. in The Washington Post (24 September, 2015).
- “Languages for the Future”. British Council. (November, 2013).
- “What will the English language be like in 100 years?” Moodie, G. in The Conversation (10 November, 2015).
But at the same time, remember that career paths are not always straight lines and future connections between a language and a job may not immediately be clear or even visible to you now.
Also, remember that, just because not many people speak a particular language, does not mean you shouldn’t learn it. Learning a niche language may open up unexpected opportunities in niche careers. The world is a changing place and lesser-taught languages like Haitian Creole, or Kurdish or Kiswahili may take you to lesser-known, but geopolitically important, corners of it. Also, consider the growing revitalization efforts around Canada’s Indigenous languages like Inuktitut, Cree, Halq’eméylem, and Ojibwe. This is a movement that is happening worldwide too with many endangered languages.
(4) Available Courses
If you’re planning to continue studying at university or college, you’ll want to take a look at the language department website at institutions you’re interested in to see which languages they offer. Don’t see the language you’re looking for? It’s a drawback but not a total disaster. There are alternatives: transferable courses from reputable distance education programs, summer immersion programs. Also, ask your counselling office about study abroad options or youth development programs like Canada World Youth. These opportunities exist for you and offer exciting, well-supported, and meaningful immersion opportunities. Take advantage of them while you can!
Additional Thoughts
As you select a language to learn, remember that ultimately the choice is up to you. Some voices may be telling you to choose the language that “makes sense” or that will “help you get a job”. Others may be encouraging you to “follow your heart”. But at the end of the day, the choice is yours, so take an active role the process:
- watch foreign language films & travel documentaries
- download free learning apps like Duolingo or Memrise
- read travelogues…stories about travel, not just guide books
- search for, attend, & volunteer for cultural events in your area
And finally, a note about sampling different language classes. For sure it’s okay to take one (or more) introductory language courses, decide you don’t like it, and move on…how else are you supposed to find out what you do like?! But at some point, if you’re serious about developing the kind of proficiency you feel confident putting on your résumé, you will need to choose a language, make it a priority in your learning plan, and stick with it up to advanced levels.
Good luck, buena suerte, and 好運.