1. Improve your English – I know this might not make sense at first but hear me out. As a person who speaks only one language you have no basis for comparison; all you know is English. In different languages the same idea is often expressed in different ways. Knowing another language gives you a great measuring stick. It will help you better understand tenses, prepositions, and all the other parts of speech we normally take for granted. You will find yourself speaking and writing more precise creative sentences. There is a reason most great writers and poets are students of many languages.

1. 提高母语水平——我知道乍听之下这似乎说不通,但是且听我慢慢道来。如果你只会一门语言,那你就没有任何可以进行比较的基础。比如你只会英语。然而在不同的语言中,同一个概念却有不同的表达方法。掌握另一门语言会给你提供一个很好参照物。它将帮助你更好地了解时态,介词,以及语言中其他我们习以为常的部分。你会发现,自己说话也好,写作也好,都会更严谨,更富有创造力。这就是为什么很多伟大的作家和诗人都曾学习多门语言。


2. Enhance your travel experiences – Traveling is one of the great joys of life and also one of the most expensive. Why not get the most out of your experience? As a person who doesn’t know the native tongue you are completely excluded from the culture. The locals shun you and you are relegated to sightseeing and taking cheesy photos. Knowing even a few phrases of the language will make a huge difference. You will meet many more people and find it much easier to get around. People are much more receptive if you make an effort to speak their language. This can turn a frustrating experience into the trip of a lifetime.

2. 增加你的旅游体验——旅游是人生一大乐趣,同时也耗资巨大。那为什么不尽情享受这次旅行呢?如果不懂当地的语言,那么你就会被完全排除在当地文化之外。当 地人不愿和你交流,而你只能退而求其次,到处观光,拍一些咧着嘴傻笑的照片。就算只知道这门语言中的几个词组,也会为你的旅行带来很大的不同。你会遇到更 多人,更容易融入当地生活。如果你努力用他们的语言来沟通,人们会更热情地接待你。这能将一次糟糕的旅行转变为人生旅途中难忘的经历。


3. Languages are beautiful – Language is what makes us human. It is the medium we use to share our thoughts with the world. Could you imagine thought without language? Great language also has a wonderful musical quality. Learning a new language is like learning a new way to think and a new way to sing. I am often struck by new phrases that are profoundly meaningful and melodic. At those moments I feel grateful to be alive. Don’t sell yourself short by stubbornly ignoring every language but one.

3. 语言是美丽的——语言是区分人类和动物的一大特征。它是我们同世界交流自己思想的媒介。你能够想象没有语言的思想是什么样吗?伟大的语言同时也拥有美妙的 韵律。学习一门新语言,就如同学习一种全新的思维方式以及歌唱方式一样。一些意义深远,音调优美的词组经常触动着我。在那一刻,我无比感谢生存的美好。不 要倔强地无视任何一门语言,不要看轻自己。


4. Join the global community – Believe it or not, the majority of the world does not speak English. We are so isolated that we hardly realize this. The truth is new thoughts and ideas are happening everywhere and they are not being immediately translated. The world is getting smaller and we are coming into contact with more non-English speakers all the time. Gain an advantage for yourself in business and personal relationships by being able to communicate with people in their language. This will set you apart and gain you immediate respect and credibility.

4. 便于融入地球村——你信也好,不信也好,世界上大多数人并不说英语。(沪江小编注:本为原稿是面向英语读者的)我们如此孤立,几乎没有意识到这一点。事实上,世界各地都会出现新思想,新观念,而它 们并不会立即就被翻译成英语。世界正在变小,我们将会接触到更多不讲英语的人。能够和他人用他们的语言交流,对你的事业和人际关系来说都是一大优势。这会 让你鹤立鸡群,立刻赢得尊重和信誉。


Last, but not least:

最后,同样重要的一点:


5. It’s just plain sexy – I’m not saying you should learn a few corny Italian pickup lines and go saying them to everyone you meet, but knowing a foreign tongue and applying it tastefully is undeniably attractive. It implies education, good taste, and refinement, and it will certainly make you standout against the competition. Imagine saying a beautiful phrase with perfect pronunciation to a lovely coed. You will immediately have her attention; she will be dying to know what it means. I know this from experience.

5. 纯粹因为时髦——我并不是指要你去学一些意大利语中老掉牙的搭讪用语,然后跑去搭讪每一个你碰到的人,而是说掌握一门外语且运用自如,是一种无可否认的吸 引力。这暗示着良好的教育,高雅的品位,以及温文尔雅的气质。会自然而然地让你从竞争对手中脱颖而出。想象一下吧,用美丽的辞藻,完美的发音和一个可爱的女生谈话。你会立即赢得她的注意;她会急于知道你说的是什么意思。我是通过亲身经历知道这些的。


Now that you are dying to improve your mind by learning a foreign language you are probably wondering how to go about doing it. The task appears daunting at first, but have no fear, in my next post I will detail how to teach yourself a foreign language in less than an hour a day. I’ve developed this method through personal trial and error, and trust me, it works much much better than the way your were taught in school. And best of all, it’s tons of fun. Once you start making progress you won’t want to stop.

既然你也急于想通过学习一门新语言来提升自己,或许你会想知道怎样着手学习吧。一开始,这任务或许让人望而却步,但是不要怕。在接下来的一篇文章中,我会详细地教你如何每天用不到一小时的时间来学习外语。我的这套理念是建立在自己不断尝试的基础上的。相信我,这比你在学校学的方法更奏效。最重要是,它趣味十足。一旦你开始取得进步,你就再也不想停下来了。

点击阅读后续文章:高效率自学外语的6个秘诀(双语)>>