The Advantages and Disadvantages of Being a Bilingual in Today's Society

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The Advantages and Disadvantages of Being a Bilingual in Today’s Society

        Whether knowing more than one language is essential or not in the modern world is a great source of debate.  It can be argued that two languages are not even enough if one has to face the cutthroat job market that we find ourselves in nowadays, and it seems like a million years ago when speaking two languages put you way ahead of your competitors in the search for a promotion. If we focus on communication, on the other hand, one must only look at the Internet in order to understand the ramifications of learning more than one language. Many doors will indeed be opened.  If there are any disadvantages at all in being bilingual, they are very few. Being bilingual in today’s society definitely brings many more advantages than disadvantages to a person’s life.

       Learning other languages will completely change your perspectives in the job market. Many moons ago, if someone decided to learn another language, he or she would be number one on the list for a promotion or even for a job abroad. Whether it was an American who spoke Spanish or a Brazilian who learned English, they were exceptions and, therefore, had the advantage. Nowadays, having a second language is the least one can do to be competitive when looking for work. A résumé might be discarded without further thought if no “second languages” are mentioned.  Those who master two or more languages will certainly have the upper hand when competing in the job market.

     Besides being an asset in the search for a job, knowing two or more languages immensely facilitates communication. The experience of watching movies and listening to music becomes much more enjoyable. We can actually understand what people are saying and singing. Reading books in their original language kills the risk of bad translations. Communication will even be easier when people are having fun at a bar, dancing, or chatting on the computer.  However, communication at its best takes place when we consider the news. The Internet allows us to “visit” any place in the world instantly. Someone who masters two languages will not need to wait for his or her country to broadcast the news on the late show, for example.  

        Nevertheless, even considering all the advantages, there are a couple of “possible” disadvantages to being a bilingual. Where jobs are concerned, if someone works at a place where he or she is the only one who speaks two languages, everyone will expect him or her to help.  Therefore, this person might end up working more than the next person. Another possible disadvantage is that people who only know one language may hold grudges against those who are bilingual, or even feel envious towards them. 

        With that being said, nobody should live his or her life having to worry about what other people think or do. At the end of the day, learning another language is a choice, and people will do it for their own personal reasons, be it for professional purposes or just to travel around the world. Ultimately, if one were to balance both sides of the situation, the pros of being a bilingual outweigh the cons by a great margin. However, if that is not enough to put your mind at ease, personal satisfaction is the name of the game. If it is well-looked upon by today’s society, and it certainly is, all the better.