Why Study Languages?

The fourth title in our Why Study series is Why Study Languages? by Gabrielle Hogan-Brun.

Considering studying languages at university? Wondering whether a languages degree will get you a good job, and what you might earn? Want to know what it’s actually like to study languages at degree level? This book tells you what you need to know.

[Please note that for orders of five or more copies of this book, or any combination of books from the series, we would be able to offer a discount if you email lpp@londonpublishingpartnership.co.uk.]

About the series

Studying any subject at degree level is an investment in the future that involves significant cost. Now more than ever, students and their parents need to weigh up the potential benefits of university courses. That’s where the Why Study series comes in. This series of books, aimed at students, parents and teachers, explains in practical terms the range and scope of an academic subject at university level and where it can lead in terms of careers or further study. Each book tries to both enthuse the reader about its subject and answer the crucial questions that a college prospectus does not.

About the book

This book explains what languages are about: their excitements, their challenges, the skills they provide and what you can do with them. You’ll hear from students, from professionals and from famous names who learned languages at school, at university and beyond. Their personal anecdotes bear testimony to the real difference that studying languages has made to their lives.

The core message of Why Study Languages? is that learning a language is beneficial for anyone, at any age. Languages are all around us and are used in all walks of life. Language diversity is a fact of everyday experience, whether offline or online. If you speak only one language, you risk being left out of the conversation.

Table of Contents

Preface: why this book?
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1 – Why study languages?
Chapter 2 – Just how multilingual are we?
Chapter 3 – Are languages for me?
Chapter 4 – What can languages do for us?
Chapter 5 – What can I do with languages?
Chapter 6 – How do you study languages?
Chapter 7 – Where can I study languages?
Postscript – A personal language journey
Appendix – Finding out more
Key concepts
Endnotes

Excerpts from published reviews of Why Study Languages?

“A great way of motivating tired teachers and bored students by helping them understand why multilingualism is good for you, building enthusiasm about and commitment to language learning.”

— Barry Tomalin, ICC Journal, International Language Association

“A comprehensive and eminently readable overview of the benefits of language learning itself and of a languages degree.”

— Eleni Pavlopoulos, The Linguist

“This book should find its way onto the bookshelves of all educators to help us articulate why students at second level should take the plunge and continue their language learning journey in higher education.“

— Craig Neville, Journal of Spanish Language Teaching

“I would unreservedly recommend investing in this publication for your school. A vital, inspiring and enjoyable read.”

—  Davina Marie, ISMLA Bulletin

Advance praise for Why Study Languages?

I defy anyone to read this book and not end up passionate about the importance and the pleasure of languages. With a combination of research, statistics, anecdotes and human interest stories and interviews, it is precisely targeted to its main audience of prospective students and their parents. If you still believe that English is enough, prepare to be disabused!

— Baroness Jean Coussins, Vice-President, Chartered Institute of Linguists,
Co-Chair, All Party Parliamentary Group on Modern Languages,
President, Speak to the Future Campaign

Why Study Languages? is as rich in information as it is in experience. It will answer your questions about the nature of languages and communication, dispel many nega­tive myths about language learning, and provide evidence that studying lan­guages is not only useful but also rewarding, exhilarating and, often, life-changing.

— Loredana Polezzi, Alfonse M. D’Amato Chair in Italian American and Italian Studies,
Stony Brook University

A valuable insight into the myriad of ways in which the study of languages can enrich our experience of the world, be that personal or professional.

— Catriona Kyle, assistant headteacher, Channing School, London

Join Gabrielle Hogan-Brun on a voyage of discovery around the wonderful world of languages. You will meet a crowd of fascinating people and hear how languages have enriched their lives. You might even want to follow them and put yourself at the centre of a new map.

— Michael Kelly, Emeritus Professor of French, University of Southampton

In this great new book – one filled with inspiration and pragmatism – Gabrielle Hogan-Brun shows you how languages have the power to shape your life. You’ll find real-life stories of both ordinary and famous people. You’ll see how knowing languages helped them to become successful and to find their place in the world. You’ll read about careers you might want to consider with languages. And you’ll also learn how you can get started – and where. If you are wondering whether studying languages is the right path for you, this comprehensive and easy-to-follow guide will help you decide. I hope your answer will be a yes!

— Gabriella Ferenczi, German and Hungarian language coach, founder of ProLingua Global

If you’d like to become a global citizen, being able to navigate the pathways that language study leads to is essential. This book will provide the support you’ll need to fulfil that aim. The book sets out the practical realities, the available resources, the societal needs and the range of opportunities that are open to you. I recommend you draw on Gabrielle Hogan-Brun’s tips to give you the motivation for sustained language learning that will provide you with a ‘healthy linguistic diet’!

— Maria K. Norton, Deputy Director International Relations, University of Southampton

About the author

Gabrielle Hogan-Brun is a currently a visiting professor and senior researcher at Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, having previously taught at the Universities of Bristol and Basel. She lectures widely on language attitudes, policies and practices, and on economic aspects of multilingualism. She serves on several international journal editorial boards and has worked with various European organizations on matters of language diversity.

A Salzburg Global Fellow, she is a co-author of the Salzburg Statement for a Multilingual World. She is the founding book series editor of Palgrave Studies in Minority Languages and Communities, and co-editor of The Palgrave Handbook of Minority Languages and Communities (2019), which won the BAAL book prize (in 2020). Among her other recent publications is Linguanomics: What Is the Market Potential of Multilingualism? (Bloomsbury Academic, 2017).