As computers further become an integral part of our lives and basically surround us more and more, it becomes very reasonable to learn how to communicate with them. Yet, learning programming languages might not be the easiest feat for everybody. To learn a computer language, such as C++, Java, or Python, one must handle a vast amount of data, learn to look at things from different perspectives, and memorize things that might go out of the system. It’s pretty much like human language. Yes, some of the recent findings show that language skills define computer skills with much higher precision than such subjects as math, for example. This means that there is more than just one reason to learn national languages for programmers and developers.
Languages as Systems
Indeed, learning a computer language is very much like learning one of the human languages. One of the recent studies has shown that developed natural language skills have a very strong positive influence on learning computer languages, which is an essential skill for a programmer. So, there is an influence and it is apparently strong. Here are the five basic doors that learning other national languages opens before the coder.
- Faster career and personal growth. As mentioned earlier, learning national languages can influence your computer skills only positively. If you’ve ever used the services of a translation company, you can understand the idea. Just think about it, learning national and computer languages requires persistence, systems thinking, and a great memory. Just like natural languages, computer languages also have their syntax, command order, logic, and exceptions. So, if you get used to learning human languages, programming will certainly become less tough for you.
- Better career and travel opportunities. Indeed, by knowing more than one national language, you will be able to work in different companies in different companies or freelance more efficiently while traveling more comfortably. On top of that, the demand for fluency in additional languages rises throughout the world and the programmers are no exception. No matter how good you are at programming, if you speak more than one language, you are instantly more demanded and well-paid. That is so because employers today value those workers that can more effortlessly go on an international assignment. Also, the employers usually perceive multilingual specialists as those ready for new challenges and constant development as learning a new language is not the easiest task to start with.
- Better communication. Being a very important aspect of work and life, communication becomes quite easier when you are fluent in more than one language. And aside from the obvious factors, communication becomes easier because you learn how other people think when you learn a new language. You are able to put things in perspective and, thus, are able to understand people. While it might seem like interpersonal communication is not that important for developers, this is completely wrong as programmers often work in teams, so, knowing how to properly talk with people and compromise is vital for programmers as well.
- Creative thinking improvement. As you learn to take new perspectives and think about different new concepts, you will be able to solve the problems with much greater ease and much more creatively. As languages are different, they often use different concepts about perceiving things. For example, while some languages rely on the abstract and idealistic way of thinking, like Japanese, others, such as German or Spanish, tend to think about things more pragmatically. This is usually evidenced by the phrasal verbs, language constructions, and just the overall way of putting things together. If you ever get stuck with a problem, you will be able to think about it differently and, thus, find a better solution that might even revolutionize the approach to the given issue.
- Even better career opportunities. No, this is not the repeat of one of the previous points. While learning national languages can be great for traveling and working in another country, it might also largely help you in programming in other languages. Yes, there are computer languages that are not based on English and that are gaining more and more popularity, especially in Asian countries. Such language as Dolittle, for instance, is based on Japanese, while PerlYuYan was developed in China and, hence, uses Standard Mandarin as its basis. There are of course several more examples, yet, these are enough to understand why some national languages can be vital for programming.
The reasons for learning more national languages are not limited to those provided above, of course. Yet, it is quite clear that it is worth it. Although you might need some time to learn the language before you go to work in another country, the output might even define the future of your career. If you don’t speak any language as the second one, yet, need to go to work abroad already, you can always check out the list of the best document translation services. Those will help you with the basic documents and might even suggest great language courses that will help you to boost your skills in no time.
Conclusion: When Humans and Computers Have Much in Common
Yes, it is quite obvious, because computers were invented by humans and are produced by them. But it’s still interesting to think how much in common there is between human and computer communication. While it’s kind of obvious that programming languages are just the same as the national languages regarding their variety, structure, and many other elements, not everybody seems to understand that. Hopefully, however, people will understand the importance of being multilingual, and this will help them to go for one of the most important professions of today.
About the Author
Some of Mark’s primary subjects of interest are education, traveling, and a modern lifestyle. Dissecting each of them, Mark finds something new and useful every day. Follow Mark and don’t miss anything interesting in today’s fast-paced world.
