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We all know some of the practical benefits to learning a foreign language--being able to communicate with non-English speakers, or being able to better navigate a foreign country. Here are a few of the side-benefits of language-learning.
Increase knowledge of your own language
Most of us learn basic Engish grammar in late middle school and early high school, and never go back for a refresher course. Even if you go on to college, unless you take a review course or are studying Teacher Education, your English classes cover Composition and Literature, not grammar.
The modern English language has roots in Latin, Greek and Teutonic languages. If you study these or another language that also has the same roots, you will find corelations between your language of choice and English. For example, the Spanish word "agua", meaning "water", comes from the Latin word "Aqua", which is the root for many words we use in English, including "Aquaduct" and "Aquamarine". French also has thousands of words in common with English--some of them are words that have been adopted from French into English like "chauffer", and others have more probably passed into both languages from Latin.
Textbooks such as the 501 Verbs books give lists of infinitive verbs and all of their conjugated forms. Learning the different verb forms and tenses in another language can help familiarize you with English grammar as well.
Increase your cultural IQ
An interest in learning a foreign language usually signifies an interest in learning more about the world. Do some reading on countries where your language of choice is spoken. Do you know of a special dish or recipes that are served in the country you are studying? Invite a few friends over for some culinary experimentation. If you're studying French, try creme brulee; if you're studying Chinese, find a gyoza recipe and learn to make dumplings.
After dinner, introduce yourself to foreign films. Hearing a foreign language spoken will help in your own studies, so pick up Laurent Cantet's "The Class" in French, Roberto Benigni's "La Vita E Bella" in Italian, or the Chinese blockbuster "Hero".
You also might head to the library to look up literature in translation. The Count of Monte Cristo and Les Miserables are both classic French novels. If you're studying German, revisit Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front--still required reading in many high schools.
Increase your global awareness
As you practice your reading comprehension in the language you're studying, bookmark a few online news sites. This way you can both practice reading and learn what's going on in an area of the world. Look up your country's area news on an international news site to see how those stories affect a greater area.
Finally, learning a foreign language can help to bring you out of what is close and familiar, and open your eyes to a bigger world around you. Dive in!
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