Why You Should Learn German
It’s a fact that if you learn to speak German you will be giving yourself huge advantages in your professional career not to mention expanding your personal horizons. Some of the most popular reasons to learn to speak German are to communicate with relatives, to prepare to travel in Germany or to study in Germany as an exchange student. There are however many other great reasons to learn German that many people never even consider. Here are a some others for you to think about:
Germany has the largest population of all the European countries and the language is very widely spoken internationally. German is the third most popular foreign language internationally and by learning German you are able to connect with 120 million native German speakers. So German will not only allow you to build relationships with people in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein but also German speakers all over the world.
Germany has one of the strongest economies and is one of the world’s top export nations. Germany’s international trade earnings are proof of the high demand for German goods. Knowing German creates many business opportunities, not just in Germany itself but also internationally. Given Germany’s commitment to innovation, it’s perhaps not surprising that two-thirds of the world’s leading international trade fairs take place in Germany.
With ample disposable income and an average of 6 weeks of vacation a year, German’s have both the time and means to travel. In 2007, the Germans spent a record 91 billion euros on international travel. Tourism companies, airlines, hotels and car rental businesses that can communicate in German will profit from the German tourism industry.
Also don’t be fooled into thinking that German is a language of the past. The only language markets that produce more books annually than the Germans are the Chinese and English publishing industries. As few of these books are translated into English, the only way to profit from this information is to learn German.
German speaking countries have made a huge contribution to the world’s cultural heritage. The Germans are well known for their poets, classical musicians and great philosophers. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Thomas Mann, Franz Kafka and Hermann Hesse are just a few authors whose names and works are well known internationally. The psychologists Freud and Jung forever changed the way we think about human behavior. Anyone interested in any of these fields automatically expands their knowledge and skill by knowing German. Whether you’re interested in cultural and intellectual heritage of these countries or not, the fact remains that Switzerland, Austria and Germany all offer a very high standard of living, which make these countries very attractive to many people.
You’re probably thinking that’s all well and good, but German is too hard to learn. Well you’re wrong! If English is your native language then you already have a huge advantage when it comes to learning German. Modern German and modern English both evolved from the common ancestor language Germanic. Also once you learn the German system of sounds, it’s easy to predict how the spoken word is written and how the word is pronounced. Besides, there are loads of great resources online that will help you learn to speak German and have a lot of fun in the process.
Learn Chinese with ChinesePod: behind the podcast
|
|
Fluenz Version F2: Mandarin 1+2+3 with supplemental Audio CDs and Podcasts $378.00 The only interactive Mandarin program offering an immersive environment that recreates the best elements of great one-on-one tutoring. A Great Teacher on Your Computer Discover Mandarin through the power of two great tutors with the comprehensive 1+2+3 program. The Fluenz custom-made approach guides you in English every step of the way through the challenges of Mandarin, while immersing you in th… |