Learning foreign languages is important nowadays. I think that any educated person must learn foreign languages. But I prefer English to other foreign languages. Why? English is becoming a global language. A half of billion people in the world use English at home or work. English is the language which is known for the most part of our fine, magnificent and surprising world. English is so widespread that it has become the standard language for all kinds of international communication.
A lot of problems of the 21st century, such as the problems of war and peace, ecology, can not be solved without speaking the same language.
The English language is now the first language of about 350 million people, the native language of 12 nations and the official language of more than 33 nations. It means that one of seven people in the world speaks English.
English is also the international language of businesspeople, pilots and air traffic controllers, sportsmen, scientists and students. If you want to be a stewardess, a pilot or an air control officer you have to learn English, the language of international communication. Every year thousands of people from Russia go to different countries as tourists or to work. They can't go without knowing the language of the country they are going to. A modern engineer or even a worker cannot work with an imported instrument or a machine if he is not able to read the instruction how to do that.
Some people learn English because they need it in their work; others to travel aboard and for lots of people learning English is just a hobby.
I have been learning English since the age of 11. I like learning English very much. But I like and know well my native language, Russian. The great German poet Goethe once said: “He, who knows no foreign language, does not know his own one.” I agree with him. The knowledge of English helps me to learn Russian.
The knowledge of English is a great power. I need to know English. I must appreciate and embrace this knowledge as the key to achievement of my dream. I hope my progress in English will be very good.
Translation:
Learning foreign languages is important these days. I think that a cultured and modern person should learn foreign languages. But I prefer English. Why? English is becoming a global language. Half a billion people in the world use English at home or at work. English is a language that is known throughout our beautiful, majestic and wonderful world. English is so widespread that it has become the standard language for all kinds of international communication.
The problems of the 21st century, such as the problems of war and peace, ecology, cannot be solved without speaking the same language.
English is spoken by more than 350 million people, is the native language of 12 nations and the official language of more than 33 nationalities. This means that every seventh person in the world speaks English.
English is also the international language of businessmen, pilots and air traffic controllers, athletes, scientists and students. If you want to be a flight attendant, pilot or air traffic controller, you must learn English, the language of international communication. Every year thousands of people from Russia go to different countries as tourists or work. They cannot go without knowing the language of the country they are going to. A modern engineer, or even a worker, cannot work with an imported tool or machine unless he is able to read the instructions on how to do it.
Some people learn English because they need it at work, others travel abroad a lot, and for many, learning English is a favorite pastime.
I started learning the language at the age of 11. I really like him. But I also love my native Russian. The great German poet Goethe once said: "He who does not know a foreign language does not know his own." I agree with him, everything is known in comparison. Knowing English helps me learn Russian.
Knowing English is a great power. I need to know English. I must appreciate and accept this knowledge as the key to achieving my dreams. I hope that my progress in English will be good.
Tanskaya Galina
Today, English is one of the most popular languages in the world. Approximately 1.5 billion people speak English, and somewhere around 1 billion learn it. English has covered all spheres of human life: science, the media, study, work and leisure. Therefore, the question "Why should I learn English?" sounds a little strange today. But not for those who have not yet had time to join the ranks of the students. And in order to master English perfectly, you need strong motivation, which will constantly encourage and inspire a person to new victories.
"You can never understand one language until you understand at least two."
— Geoffrey Willans
In this regard, I think it would be very appropriate to identify the top 10 reasons for learning English.
Perspective job
Everyone knows that in order to get a good and interesting job, you need knowledge not only in the professional field, but also excellent command of the English language. In addition, specialists with knowledge of the English language receive a salary 44% higher than their "ignorant" counterparts. Agree, attending English courses is a good investment in yourself.
Watching movies in the original
Do you still think that everyone's favorite action movie "Die Hard" or the wonderful touching comedy "1 + 1" in the original sound exactly like that? Well, I hasten to disappoint you. Often, film distributors change the titles of films, trying to make them bright and catchy, as a result of which the author's intention is completely lost. If titles are so neglected, imagine what happens to original scripts, interesting dialogues, sparkling expressions. Complicated? Then I recommend to watch "The hangover" ("The Hangover"), "Die Hard" ("Die Hard"), "Lion King" ("The Lion King").
Reading books in the original
Have you ever read Dickens, O. Henry, Dreiser in the original? If not, then get on with the book! You will be surprised by the mastery of the word, amazed by the ability of the authors to accurately convey the emotional state of the characters in words. Decided to try it but don't know where to find it. Then you are here:
Ability to keep up with the times
Almost all international conferences, sports competitions, popular shows are conducted in English. Most of all scientific publications are also in English. Knowing the language, you can access any information, whether it be English-language newspapers and magazines The Times, The Economist or BBC, CNN channels.
"Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere."
— Chinese Proverb
Education abroad
Fortunately, nowadays getting an education abroad is not a problem. Today, universities offer many options for obtaining education, both stationary and remotely. Interesting? Master English and find what you need on the following sites:
Trips
Also, English should be studied by travel lovers, and not only in order to save on a translator, but also in order to avoid various ridiculous situations. Knowing English, you will get much more emotions and impressions from the trip.
New acquaintances
By learning to speak and understand a foreign language, you will be able to make friends living in other countries, thus. you will never feel alone again.
"Language is the blood of the soul into which thoughts run and out of which they grow."
— Oliver Wendell Holmes
Prestigious hobby
Do you have a lot of free time? Start learning English. Immersing yourself in the English-speaking culture, reading original authors, watching exciting films, mastering grammar, you will forever forget what boredom is.
Acquaintance with the culture of English-speaking countries
They say, "How many languages you know - so many times you are a person." Of course, you can learn about the culture of a country without understanding the language. You can learn something, but it is impossible to plunge into a new world for yourself, to understand, to comprehend.
Availability
Never before has learning a foreign language been so accessible. Imagine, sitting at home, in a cozy and familiar atmosphere, you can gain knowledge by communicating with highly qualified, energetic, positive-minded teachers.
Friends, are you still thinking about the question “Do I need English?” Rather, join us, otherwise the next time the question "Do you speak English?" you will answer something like this:
— Do you speak English?
- Yes, if you would.
Big and friendly family EnglishDom
In Runet you will not find even a tenth of what is in English-language sources. For comparison: from the sites existing in 2017 Usage of content languages for websites. only 6.7% in Russian, and in English - 51.3%.
Having learned English, you will no longer depend on the opinion of copywriters who decide what to translate and what not.
You will search for information not limited to the Runet, read the opinions of foreign experts, study scientific research, check foreign news.
A lot of information can be gleaned from English-language videos on YouTube: from analysis of exercises to cooking recipes and playing musical instruments.
If you decide to learn English online and are looking for a suitable resource, try Puzzle English. This is a serious tool that develops all skills - reading, writing, speaking and listening - and keeps a keen interest in classes. At the moment, with its help, about four million users with different levels of training learn English.
To improve your English skills faster and discover a world of new information, try the Personal Plan from Puzzle English. This is a flexible, customizable learning plan that caters to your language level, interests, and needs. With this plan, you will be able to focus on reading, listening comprehension or vocabulary, which will be useful for mastering any information on the Internet.
2. Watch movies in original
You will finally be able to find out how your favorite actors actually talk, hear their unique intonations. Most likely, many films will open before you in a new way and you will want to review all your favorite films and TV shows - now without translation.
At first, it may be difficult for you to understand English speech, as it will be fast, with special accents, slang words and abbreviations.
To get used to it faster, Puzzle English offers a unique teaching method - Video Puzzles. You watch a short video in English, and then combine individual words into sentences from the video. A fun way to learn that simultaneously builds your vocabulary and teaches you to understand English speech.
3. Get more out of travel
English is the official language in 59 countries around the world. In addition to Great Britain, it is spoken in the USA and Canada, Australia, India, Pakistan, and many African countries. English is understood almost throughout Europe, as well as in many countries popular among tourists.
In English, you will be able to explain yourself faster without fear of being misunderstood, order food in a restaurant without help, explain to a taxi driver where to take you, as well as make acquaintances with tourists from different countries and penetrate deeper into the culture of the visited country.
If you want to learn English for your travels, Puzzle English offers the Puzzle Academy travel course - fun video lessons with a native speaker on the topic of travel. From the lessons of an Irish teacher, you will learn everything you need for a successful trip to an English-speaking country: about transport, food, shopping, housing, culture and much more.
4. Understand what is being sung in your favorite compositions
When you learn to understand English by ear, you will discover the meaning of your favorite foreign songs. It is one thing to read the translation on the site, and quite another to understand in the process of listening.
However, lyrics are filled with parables and slang even more than films, and it takes some experience to translate and understand them correctly. In the section Puzzle English "Songs" you will find many well-known songs with translation and karaoke, as well as video analyzes from which you will learn a lot about set expressions and allegories.
5. Earn more
According to How to write a working resume in English: 5 main rules. HeadHunter, in Russia, in positions requiring knowledge of the English language, the salary of employees is 30–40% higher than in those where this is not required.
As a rule, programmers and testers, financiers, HR specialists, and top managers need a foreign language. If a company is already working with foreign partners or intends to do so in the future, English may be needed by all its employees: from an engineer to a manager.
Knowledge of English, along with other professional qualities, can become a ticket to a foreign representative office of a company or help you get a job in foreign giants like Google.
If you need English for work or business, Puzzle Academy has a Business English course. During the course, a Canadian teacher will tell you how to write a resume, make a presentation, conduct a telephone conversation and much more.
6. Expand your social circle
Communicating with foreigners, you will learn a lot about the culture and lifestyle in different countries, and if you ever decide to travel, pen pals will show you the real country - away from the tourist routes.
You can meet foreigners on specialized sites or through social networks, communicate by correspondence or by calling over the Internet. Talking via video calls is good for language acquisition and just plain fun, but it can be hard to get over the shyness and fear at first.
It would seem that knowledge of one or several foreign languages can give, given the fact that work and communication between people in our country is conducted in Russian? In fact, a lot! Why is English needed? Why does everyone around want to learn it as best they can? The reason for the excitement lies in the fact that good knowledge of English - learning the language at the proper level, of course - opens up many opportunities!
English everywhere and in everything
A foreign language is one of the 6 official working languages of the UN, the 3rd largest in the number of speakers in the world after Chinese and Spanish. Moreover, it occupies a leading position in international communication, trade, business, and cultural heritage.
That is why college graduates, students, schoolchildren, preschoolers, middle-aged people and even retirees all over the world strive to learn the subject at one level or another. The goals of each group are different, but it is important that they understand the value of the knowledge gained. Let's think about where English can come in handy?
Here are some fairly simple examples:
Business meeting,
correspondence, communication on social platforms,
personal communication with the carrier,
trips,
business and transactions abroad,
knowledge in the profession: IT, tourism, philology,
self-education.
Most seek to obtain a store of information to facilitate travel abroad or for the duty of the profession.
First category students covers basic conversational skills along with vocabulary that can be useful for long trips. Many manage to achieve significant progress in learning, after which there is a desire to move to the next level - above average, average or high.
For those who wish get skills for work , is more difficult. Business communication, correspondence, negotiating, conferences, making deals with foreigners is a typical job of middle managers. High knowledge is necessary for employees in the field of IT, travel agents for foreign trips, teachers of foreign philology, top managers.
What does knowledge of English give?
The standard question that you should ask yourself before learning is: “What will knowledge of English give me specifically?”. Already today you can get hundreds of answers on exactly how you can use lexical baggage!
First of all, chat with anyone and about anything. Millions of people communicate in social networks, on thematic resources in English. It serves as a link between countries and continents.
Secondly, the possibility of obtaining a prestigious job and profession. It's not too late to think about this at any age! The work of specialists with knowledge of foreign languages is valued much higher than ordinary employees.
Thirdly, it is the boundless horizons of travel. In any corner of the Earth there is someone to whom you can ask a question in English.
Why is English needed? Another answer to the question would be self-education. To know several languages means to increase your intellectual abilities. High knowledge of English, learning the language for doing business or knowledge of colloquial vocabulary will allow you to feel free in any country and communicate with foreigners.
When traveling, English helps a lot, but I rarely travel. Pictured is Hoover Dam, USA, 2010.
When they say that “without English, nowhere”, they primarily mean looking for work or travel. English helped me myself both at work and on trips abroad, but I believe that knowledge of English gives the most advantages in ordinary, everyday life. You can use English in different ways, I will tell you about my experience, about how I use English.
1. I use the English Internet
4. I read books in the original
I do not read all the books in the original, many are satisfied with the translation. But sometimes there is such a problem with the translation that it is better to read in English. A vivid example is the new translation of "Harry Potter" by the "Swallowtail" publishing house (the very sensational one, where Hagrid's name is Hagrid, and Severus Snape's name is Villainous Snape). Not so long ago I decided to read these books, but it turned out that in printed form there is only a new translation, and in electronic translation there are several and it is not clear which is better. As a result, I had to read in the original - I didn’t regret it a bit, it was an unforgettable experience, which I’ve already mentioned.
Or another case. I wanted to read the book Altered Carbon, which is based on the TV series of the same name. On the second page, I came across a phrase that made me find the original and compare the passages - I could not believe that such a gross mistake in translation could be made. It turned out that you can:
Any teenager who plays computer shooters will tell you that “Fire in the hole” is a standard military phrase, an explosion warning, it is usually translated as “Grenade!” or “Watch out!”, but how could you think of “Shoot the hole”? After such a pearl, I decided that this book should be read in the original.
5. I watch films in the original
I watch films in Russian only if it is not possible to watch in English, for example, in a cinema. In my opinion, films lose a lot when they are dubbed: somewhere the meaning is lost or distorted, jokes disappear somewhere. It is not only a matter of translation, a special problem of dubbing is the need for “text laying”, editing of the translation, in which the text is adjusted to the movements of the lips of the actor. The viewer should have the illusion that the actors speak Russian. Sometimes, for the sake of articulatory coincidence, you have to slightly distort the translation, finding a compromise solution.
There is such an episode in the movie "Deadpool 2". Deadpool talks to Domino, asking what her superpower is. Domino replies that her superpower is luck. What follows is a strange argument:
“Luck is not a superpower.
- No. She.
- Right now, yeah.
- No. She.
- No, ma'am!
- She is!
Why does Domino respond so strangely, unnaturally? Anyone in her place would answer, rather, “No, luck is a superpower” or “No, superpower,” but the phrase “No, she” seems far-fetched. The fact is that in this episode Domino is shown in close-up, the movement of her lips is clearly visible, obviously, she says: “Yes, it is”, “Yes, it is”, “It is”, it was simply not possible to fit this articulation better text.
There were no problems with Deadpool, because he was wearing a mask.
Deadpool is the perfect dubbing character
Besides, I just feel sorry for the actors - a significant part of their work is excluded from the film, they are literally deprived of their voice, especially the voice actors. For example, in The Jungle Book in 2016, actors such as Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Scarlett Johansson voiced roles, but there was nothing left of their work in dubbing.
6. I play computer games
I started playing computer games even before I met . There were no translated games at that time. We understood almost nothing, but in most games there was little text (they had not yet been voiced), only games where nothing could be done without understanding the text could not be done.
Such games could be played without English
The games are different now.
A game can have hundreds of hours of dialogue, thousands of pages of script. I play in English for the same reason that I watch films in the original: a lot is lost in translation and dubbing, and the quality of game dubbing is often lower than that of films. In addition, some games are still not translated, so without knowing English, you can’t play them at all. Of course, I mean games where the plot is important, the story, and not puzzles like “match three stones in a row”.
Life is Strange is an interactive story about teenagers with fantasy and detective elements.
For example, I really liked the game Life is Strange, but for some reason it was not released in Russian, even the subtitles were not translated (except for the pirated translation for PC, I played on PS4). Without knowing English, I would not play it. In the game, you need to carefully listen to the dialogues, read the descriptions of objects, carefully choose the lines, in general, the whole game is built on history, and it is impossible to play without understanding it.
7. I study languages
That's right, knowing English helps you learn English. And not only.
If you need to find the answer to some difficult question in English, I look for it on the English-speaking Internet. This is especially true of the nuances of the use of words, expressions in different situations. If you need to ask if this or that phrase sounds natural, when it is appropriate to use it, how it looks from the point of view of etiquette, you need to ask a native speaker, a person who knows the language and culture from the inside. Here, for example, is the answer of a British teacher to the question how to respond to the greeting “How do you do?”
The answer to the question about English on quora.com
“If someone tells you that, then this person is either learning English without listening to native English speakers, or sarcastically trying to portray an upper class to which he does not belong.
Either way, feel free to answer.
I have often corrected my students using this expression because it does NOT apply to common English. I can imagine only one extremely official circumstance when you will have to respond to such a greeting - a meeting and conversation with a member of the royal family (not a very common case).
But even then I'm not sure what etiquette would need to be answered, maybe just repeat the same phrase in response, shaking hands and smiling / bowing.
Knowledge of English also helps with the study of other languages - at different times I studied French and Spanish a little. Firstly, both of these languages have a lot in common with English (and with each other), which already simplifies the task. Secondly, there are many useful resources for French and Spanish in English, that is, knowledge of English allows you to learn other languages, as it were, not from Russian, but from English. In some ways, it is even easier, because these languages are closer to English than to Russian. Thirdly, if I communicate with native speakers of a language I do not know, we can use English as a common language.
Conclusion
The greatest benefit from knowing English was felt when I worked with foreigners and on trips abroad, but this does not mean that I need English on a case-by-case basis.
Yes, when I started studying English, I was most interested in the fact that it would help to find a job. I was also struck by the very thought that I could talk with foreigners and we would understand each other - it seemed like something fantastic. Later, I realized that I could use English-language sources, which for many do not care that they do not exist. Then I realized that very little is being translated into Russian, especially literature, and what is being translated cannot always be read or watched without tears. Now I understand that without English, life would not stop, but would become much more limited.
