During his lecture at the Asian Society of Chinese Language in Boston, Gregg Roberts, world language specialist, said a phrase that had huge repercussion: “Monolingualism is the 21^st century illiteracy”.

By the beginning of the 20st century, not knowing how to write and read would determine a person’s professional and social future. Currently, speaking only your native language is seen as an unavoidable barrier to enter the labour market for every young person.

Therefore, speaking a second language is a basic and valuable labour tool that sets the difference, enabling young people to be communicated with the world. Experts recommend learning another language from an early childhood, as kids’ brain learn faster and easier.

On a global level, the language with the largest number of native speakers in Chinese. English is in the third place, but when other people who speak the language, besides natives, are added, English goes up to the second place.

Even though these may look as a benefit for English speaking countries, the truth is that people who live in these countries have tended to speak only English, which results in a disadvantage.

According to Roberts, English was the 20st century language. However, considering where the world is turning, English will soon be no longer the dominant language.

In addition, speaking a second language is the starting point for learning a third or even a fourth language. Experts state that once a second language is learnt, learning a third language is much easier.

Source: La Nacion