The Power of Bilingualism
By Evelia Romero Marin ‘ 26
Coming from an immigrant family, my first language was Spanish. As the years passed and I started attending school, I began to primarily communicate in English. Despite the change, I still continued to speak Spanish to my parents at home.
However, there were instances in which these languages would conflict and it required me to seamlessly transition between the two – like the times when I translated documents for my parents from English to Spanish.
By having gone through these (often stressful) experiences, I can first hand attest to the usefulness of speaking two languages fluently.
What exactly does it mean to be bilingual?
According to the Linguistic Society of America, to be bilingual means to “[speak] two languages.” When an individual knows to speak more than two languages, they are referred to as a “multilingual.”
Though this is a very straightforward definition, personally, it is so much more than being able to speak two different languages. To me, bilingualism means having the ability to connect with the cultures behind the languages and understanding the significance of each.
By speaking English and Spanish fluently, I am able to connect with my Mexican-American heritage and even relate to those who are from different Spanish-speaking countries. Bilingualism has had a potent influence in my life.
Safwa Amin, a Macaulay Baruch student shares that her ability to speak both English and Bengali has “taught [her] to be more open-minded to others and be aware of privileges that lie within people who are able to fluently speak the native language of an area.” From a career aspect, Safwa foresees that bilingualism has given her “an advantage of being more self-aware in how [she] is perceived” and has “further taught [her] to be purposeful with word choice.” Safwa further elaborates by stating language serves as an asset “on how [she wants] the other party to perceive [her].”
Why is bilingualism important in the workforce?
Knowing various languages means being able to connect with a variety of cultures surrounding you. With the diversity of the workforce increasing, it is important to connect with people from different backgrounds and oftentimes, language can serve as a tool to help do so.
It has been reported that bilingual employees earn 5-20% more money per hour than their monolingual coworkers. In fact, CNN Money has labeled bilingualism as the “hottest job skill” for incoming employees. As the markets for businesses expand abroad, companies look for workers with language abilities who are not only able to communicate with foreign clients but also have a cultural connection and appreciation.
For additional information on bilingualism and how to start your language journey, check out the resources listed below: