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The study of foreign languages is an issue that has easily been taken for granted in the United States. The position our nation maintains in the world, currently and in the twentieth century, has made it easy to do so. Understanding the importance does seem to be on the rise now, more as a need than a hobby or academic requirement as has been typical. Assessing the importance of learning foreign languages is easy after making a trip to any of the top five metropolitan areas in the country, or on the continent for that matter. It becomes clear that communication is what makes the world go round.

Imagine a society where traveling one hundred miles, give or take, means encountering a group of people you couldn't understand. Go back far enough in history and you'll find parts of the world where that condition existed. Ironically, Britain, before the country's era as a Roman province, was a land that existed this way, riddled with division as various cultures and dialects existed in close proximity. Ultimately, the peoples of the island, mainly influenced by outsiders, became the nation responsible for the language which is now considered the language of the world. In today's world you might have difficulty reaching a place where you could not find at least one person able to communicate in English. Now consider if masses of non-native English speakers had not decided to learn the language. If anything, the global economy is making it clear: communication is paramount.

Surviving in the world and continued education of the cultural diversity of the global community is another reason to consider the importance of foreign languages. English has made this easier as there are so many nations that speak the language. Many people may not know how the English language came about. English is an amalgam of historical languages from the European continent, with some home grown vocabulary and syntax thrown in. Confirm this by a simple test: words with single or double syllables are likely Germanic in root whereas words with more than three syllables are likely to have Hispanic or Latin roots. Fish is the most obvious example for a Germanic word, as it is spelled and pronounced the same way in Germany. Literal is a good example for a three syllable word that has Latin roots, being spelled similar in Spain, albeit pronunciation varies. Learning languages with Germanic roots or Latin roots like French, Italian or Spanish will benefit any person's ability to learn and to understand

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