The collective life activity of people, in the course of which the formation of the individual and human society took place, required the development of effective means of organizing joint actions. People needed communication to work collectively and to correlate their behavior and activities with a common interest. The communicative function of language is expressed in the fact that language serves as a means of communication between people (Boroditsky, 2011). Language is realized in speech, an external manifestation of language as a verbal means of communication. In contact with the help of language, the speaker expresses their thoughts; their interlocutor understands the views expressed through the language (Boroditsky, 2011). The result of communication can be the listener’s reaction, what was said, a change in behavior, or mental attitudes.
All this would be impossible without language, the emergence, and existence of which is connected precisely with the desire of people to communicate and exchange information. Language, being a system of signs, can transmit information from person to person due to these signs (Hoff, 2006). Speech is a regulator at all stages of any professional activity. And if the leader speaks the language perfectly, and knows how to convince others of what he believes in, then this can already affect both the timing and the quality of the task. The limiting qualities of the language in the professional sphere include the non-universality of oral and written speech, namely the communication problems of people with disabilities. It is necessary to mention deaf people who cannot receive or transmit oral addresses, which significantly limits such people’s job opportunities. The reverse language limitation is the impossibility of blind people to read, which stands out especially firmly in the current era of electronics since Braille cannot yet be integrated into gadgets without outside interference.
First of all, the study of the language makes it possible to penetrate another cultural environment. Due to this, a person can lead a vibrant life, and it is not just about travel, although language plays a massive role in these processes (Bialystok et al., 2012). Regular reading, solving crossword puzzles, and listening allow the neural network to develop all the time that one devotes to a foreign language. Anyone who knows one or more foreign languages switches from one task to another without problems (Bialystok et al., 2012). Moreover, that is not all: such people are much easier to adapt to changes in life.
The ability to freely exchange thoughts in other languages opens the door for a person to something more. Learning foreign languages helps to expand the boundaries of consciousness and makes us educated. Oddly enough, possessing intellectual skills helps a person increase his self-esteem and significantly adds self-confidence (Hoff, 2006). Having studied a foreign language at a level of fluency, a person will begin to catch thinking that they are thinking in several languages at the same time. At this point, the brain performs the same principle as when one is busy with several things simultaneously.
Summing up all of the above, language is more than a means of communication. Although language has certain limitations, it is still integral to every modern person’s life. Learning a language has many positive aspects that affect the mind and soul of a person. Knowledge of a language allows one to understand the culture of its speakers better and is beneficial in learning and everyday life.
References
Bialystok, E., Craik, F. I., & Luk, G. (2012). Bilingualism: consequences for mind and brain. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 16(4), 240–250. Web.
Boroditsky, L. (2011). How Language Shapes Thought. Scientific American, 304(2), 62–65. Web.
Hoff, E. (2006). How social contexts support and shape language development. Developmental Review, 26(1), 55–88. Web.