I think this is a question that has crossed many students’ minds over the years. It is a valid, and often a very understandable question as many students find it challenging. We all want a meaning or purpose behind our learning and investing time into a new subject.
Learning a new language provides a better understanding of its speakers and their culture. It gives you a view into the heart of a group of people, their expressions, their interpretations and their way of communicating. It connects you on a deeper level to people who may be similar to you, but who have a different culture. Learning a new language makes life more interesting and exciting!
Cognitively there are numerous benefits. It enhances your ability to make connections, analyse and synthesise information, increases your ability to problem solve, listen with understanding and to multitask. It increases your consciousness of what is going on around you and empowers you with the ability to engage with that information.
Language skills are the foundation of coding, which forms an integral part in our modern society. The ability to receive information in one mode, decode the information, comprehend the information, encode the information in a new mode and send the information in an understandable manner is a complex task which can enhance life in every area. It is a fundamental critical thinking skill.
So, the question is not necessarily ‘Why should I learn Afrikaans?’ as learning any language is beneficial. Learning Afrikaans is an opportunity to learn a rich, expressive, and fun language in a culturally rich South Africa. It will enable you to engage with another group in society, possibly help you in the workplace someday (as will any of the other 10 official languages) and to appreciate the uniqueness of our country. It is not one language above another, it is the exciting challenge to learn any other language.
To embrace this journey – find value in it and grow in your appreciation for this diverse country of ours.