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AI-driven translations are on a roll. Tools like ChatGPT, DeepL and Google Translate turn multilingual chaos into something resembling clarity in seconds. At the time of writing, even real-time voice translations are about to land in our mobiles.
If the languages of the world can be decoded in a snap, what’s the point of learning languages?
Personally, I intend to keep going. Here’s my top 3 reasons:
1. Keep my brain in shape
Studies show that language learning is a top brain workout. Bilinguals have better memory, focus and problem-solving skills. It can even delay cognitive decline as we age.
You’ll find a few links to studies below. It seems that it takes a bit more than just joining a casual evening class, but still.
2. Broaden my cultural horizons
A language is not just about what people say but also about how they behave, what they value and why they react differently to us.
An instant mobile translation might be helpful on our next holiday – but making an effort to use the language ourselves goes a long way. People tend to appreciate when we try to speak their language, even if it’s a wonky “hello”, “goodbye” or “thanks”. Gotta start somewhere ☺️
3. Appreciate music and art
Hats off to all the translators who give us access to art across the globe. But it would be a mistake to think that a translation is *the same* as the original.
The rhythm, the sound, the tone, puns, local expressions… In translation, these things are run through a filter (otherwise, the translation wouldn’t make sense). Nuances are sometimes lost, sometimes remodelled, just never exactly the same.
As we study a language, we can start enjoying music, books and films the way they were created.
Is that it?
These are my top 3 reasons, and they explain why I’m not giving up on learning Polish.
But I’m sure there are many more, from simply having fun to developing a career superpower. Which language are you learning and why? Leave a comment below 👇
Studies and articles
A couple of links to studies about language learning/bilingualism and dementia:
Sing Polish 
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