Many schools today offer students a choice of French, Spanish, German, or the very dead Latin as foreign language options. These are beautiful languages which provide the learner with powerful tools for communication as well as a better understanding of their native English language. If your goal, however, is to conquer a language that allows you to communicate with more of the world’s current population, then you will need to branch out. (No, you may not tell your mother you no longer want to take Latin!) Some of your best options include Chinese, Russian, Hindi, and Arabic. Some of these languages are the most difficult languages for English speakers to master. What makes them difficult? What are some of the unique characteristics of languages so far removed from our native English? Why learn a difficult language when you can get into college with an easy one? From cultural, educational, and spiritual perspectives, consider the benefits of stepping outside of the box of foreign language learning and into a unique linguistic world that will open doors for your mind and possibly also for the work of the Lord.
