by Barbara Guess

Created on: December 28, 2010   Last Updated: June 27, 2011

So you speak English and so do all of your friends and relations, this doesn't mean that it's the only language in the world. Your first major obstacle is to overcome the belief that everyone else in the world should understand and speak English. Once this message is understood then the rest of the obstacles to overcome are basic learning skills of memory and application, rather then the internal conditioning that you belong to a superior cultural society.

Once you recognise the need to explore other languages and dialects to comprehend more fully how other societies operate, revealing the differences and similarities, then the task becomes more exciting. It also helps you to assist foreign visitors struggling with your mother tongue, to iron out the ambiguities of what they are trying to say and what they are actually saying.

It isn't too difficult, babies have learned to speak these other languages and so can you. You just need time and a systematic way to learn. Don't let the size of the task put you off. There are always things in your own language that are difficult to understand if they are on a specialised subject. Nobody knows everything, but each step leads you closer to your communication goal.

How do you choose which language to study? French, German, Spanish, even Chinese have plenty of learning material available free on the Internet. As these languages are spoken by a significant percentage of the world population there is enough economic viability to produce an abundance of learning material. But are there local classes in Flemish, Georgian or Turkish at your local adult education centre?

This should not put you off from studying a language that attracts you, it's just an obstacle that my be problematic as your proficiency improves. Don't even be put off by people telling you that you're wasting your time as you'll probably never be able to visit a particular country. The world is growing smaller every year as technology and travel improve, becoming cheaper and more readily available to everyone. Exercising your mind to accept another language makes you more adaptable to absorbing new words and meanings from any available source.

When you start a new language the words will sound strange and embarrassing on your lips and they'll maybe not be understood, but the person you are trying to talk to will react and the act of communication will progress. Each success will spur you on and there is no failure option, just a little misunderstanding.

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