The old joke is sadly true.
What do you call somebody who speaks two languages? Bilingual.
What do you call somebody who speaks three languages? Trilingual.
What do you call somebody who only speaks one language? American.
This is unfortunate on many levels. For starters, speaking a foreign language can open your mind to a world you never knew existed. Every language has a culture and common linguistic heritage to discover, and for the most part it’s only discoverable by those who speak it. You will be able to travel freely throughout the communities whose language you speak. They will respect you, and probably more significantly, they will be less likely to try to rip you off. Furthermore, speaking a common language forms an immediate bond and engenders trust, both of which are important in any business relationship. For all these reasons and more, it’s a good idea for most Americans to strongly consider learning spanish.
Hispanic Market Trends
According to Cheskin, a marketing firm, the Hispanic market in the US is over 43 million consumers who control buying power of $750 billion per year. It has grown 156% over the past 7 years and is still the most rapidly-growing consumer segment. Although US hispanics come from many different nations and cultures,
“…Hispanic cultural cohesion is solid. The Hispanic market’s cultural cohesion is found in the role of the Spanish language, as well as in values and beliefs that determine attitudes and behaviors.”
It’s no secret that most hispanics feel a strong connection to their home culture. They are more willing to and more comfortable with doing business with other spanish speakers. For many, this is because they don’t speak english very well. For others, it’s simply more comfortable. In any event, speaking spanish will give you a leg up on the competition for everything from landing new jobs, small business contacts, or even just in everyday social situations.
Expand Your Employment Opportunties
I can’t tell you how many help-wanted ads or craiglist posts I’ve seen specifying spanish as a pre-requisite for employment and these ads will become more and more commonplace over the foreseeable future. As spanish-speakers permeate ever deeper into the social fabric of this nation, demand for spanish-speakers will extend to every level of every industry. I myself landed my current job in no small part due to my experience with a foreign language. If you learn spanish, you will be well-prepared for the future, whatever it may bring.
Online Spanish Resources
- Learn Spanish On Your Own -Information on effective learning methodology, study guides, books and audio programs to use, etc. This is a best-practice guide. If you had just a few months to learn Spanish, this process is exactly what I recommend.
- BBC Spanish - Free beginners lessons online, including video and audio lessons.
- BBC Mundo - The news in Spanish
- How To Learn Any Language - This site was INVALUABLE for me when attempting to learn Spanish. Not about Spanish specifically but specific tips and methodology on how to learn any language.
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