Learning New Languages as a Habit

By Qisthi Vinaya Mahathira

Assalamu’alaikum wr. wb.

Honorable judges and all audience in this place.
First of all, let’s pray and thank onto our god Allah swt. Who has been giving us
mercies and blessings so we can attend and gather in this place in good
condition and happy situation.
Secondly, may shalawat and salam always be given to out prophet Muhammad
Sallallahu’alaihi wassalam who has guided us from the darkness to the
brightness.
“One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door
along the way.”
That is a quote I took from an amazing psycholinguist, Frank Smith. Those
words are certainly full of meaning. It is a message for us to learn foreign
languages. English may be spoken all over the world, but that doesn't mean it's
the most spoken language or that you're not missing out if you choose to
associate exclusively with English speakers.
Native language is your way to the world. It sets you into the corridor with
many doors and gives general unclear knowledge. You can listen to a song in
another language, enjoy the music, but when you cannot understand lyrics,
words mean nothing. You can read a translated book, but the best translation
cannot match the original. Therefore, if you know only one language and only
one culture, your native language and culture, you never will really understand
and really respect another culture and people of it.
There are many reasons why we should learn foreign languages. Foreign
language study leads to an appreciation of cultural diversity. It also enhances
listening skills and memory. It offers a sense of the past: culturally and
linguistically. Here I would also tell you the tips on learning new languages

First, know your motivation

This might sound obvious, but if you don’t have a good reason to learn a
language, you are less likely to stay motivated
Second, leave your comfort zone
Willingness to make mistakes means being ready to put yourself in potentially
embarrassing situations. No matter how much you learn, you won’t ever speak
a language without putting yourself out there: talk to strangers in the
language. The more often you do this, the bigger your comfort zone becomes
and the more at ease you can be in new situations.
Third, listen
You must learn to listen before you can speak. Every language sounds strange
the first time you hear it, but the more you expose yourself to it the more
familiar it becomes, and the easier it is to speak it properly.