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"I raise up my voice - not so I can shout but so that those without a voice can be heard. We cannot succeed when half of us are held back."
- Malala Yousafzai

Most of us are aware of the many advantages of learning another language. Multilingualism comes with a host of benefits, including everything from increased employment opportunities to opening your mind to different worldviews. In fact, many graduates cite foreign language studies as among the most important coursework they took in college.

1. The goal: You want to do business or study in Europe.
The language: German

Switzerland, Austria and Germany are all power players in the European marketplace. What do they all share? The German language. German is EU’s most spoken language.

Germany is not only the world’s largest exporter of goods, but it’s also the US’s largest European trading partner. That makes it a smart language to learn for those in the business sector.

But German is also useful for academics due to its status as an important scientific language. In fact, 40 percent of US scientists recommend the study of German to be “the ticket to a successful scientific and scholarly exchange.” Even internet searching is easier if you know German. Why? Because it’s the second most common language on the internet.

2. The goal: You want to work in diplomacy.
The language: Arabic

The official language of more than 20 countries, Arabic is the 5th most spoken native language in the world with more than 300 million native speakers. It is also an official language of many different organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Conference, the African Union, and the Arab League. Certainly, US government workers with Arabic skills are in great demand.

Relatively few Westerners ever venture to learn Arabic. With the growing importance of the Middle East in international affairs, there is thus an extreme shortage of workers in the West who are versed in Arabic language and culture. Those who study Arabic can find careers in a variety of fields: journalism, business and industry, education, finance and banking, translation and interpretation, consulting, foreign service and intelligence, and many others. Only one percent of the United States 12,000 FBI agents have any knowledge of Arabic at all, and this includes those who know only a few words.

3. The goal: To travel.
The language: Spanish

World has 400 million Spanish speakers. Indeed, Spanish is pretty much everywhere -- making it a wonderful tool for travelers who truly want to connect with their destinations.

"While it is certainly possible to travel to a Spanish speaking country without knowing any Spanish, your trip will in no way compare with the incredible adventure that awaits the traveler who speaks Spanish. If you only speak English, you will be forced to confine yourself to popular tourist resorts where nearly everyone speaks some English.

4. The goal: You want to pursue an interest in robotics.
The language: Japanese
Japan is known for making things smaller, faster and first, Japan was until recently the second-largest economy in the world.
Japan is undisputed champ when it comes to the field of robotics and automation. “Japan’s love for robots is rooted deep in the country’s history and beliefs.” If you want to play a role in building the next three-legged ping-pong playing robot, then Japanese language skills will more than come in handy.

Learning a language isn’t easy -- although some are easier than others -- but anyone who has ever invested in foreign language studies will speak to the unquantifiable rewards of doing so. One last thing to keep in mind? Having a goal is not enough. The difference between “getting by” and true fluency lies in having both the desire and the drive to truly immerse yourself in another culture and way of thinking.

5. The goal: You want to do business in China.
The language: Mandarin

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg garnered major attention when he revealed that he was learning Mandarin.
While many Chinese business people are accustomed to the Western way of doing business, most of their foreign partners are woefully inept.

More than science: 13 YouTube channels for the 21st century inquirer By Jaya Ramchandani These ‘more than science’ YouTube channels have been an inspiration to me for many years now. I am delighted to have had the pleasure to learn and grow with them. I add this lis…