Why Learn Languages?

Kevin de Bruyne appreciates the value of multiple perspectives:

I ask why so many European footballers seem better educated than their British counterparts. Perhaps the difference is languages, he says. “There are a lot of people from different countries who speak two or three languages, where English players usually only speak English. I come from a country where by 13 you are studying Dutch, French and English.” With languages, perhaps comes wisdom and humility – an ability to put yourself in the shoes of others, a knowledge that your way is not the only way. He smiles. The Belgian way was never going to be the only way, he says.

I also believe learning new languages can give us a better understanding of different cultures and ways of thinking—and make us more open-minded and empathetic.

On top of that, it can help us become more humble and appreciate the value of other perspectives.

By the way, if you’re interested in learning more about the Belgian footballer Kevin de Bruyne, you might like to read this interview in The Guardian.

———–

humility – Demut