Why learn German?
12 great reasons why you should start learning German today
So you already have some perfectly good reasons for learning German ... Maybe you want to be able to communicate with relatives, or to travel to Germany during your summer break, or prepare yourself for study in a German-speaking country. Maybe a German exchange student sparked your interest, or you have a friend who recommended it, or you just like the way the language sounds. Just in case you need some reassurance in your decision or the final push toward taking the plunge, here are 12 more solid reasons why learning German may be a good choice for you.If you first need to be convinced that you should learn a language, then read why everyone should learn a language.
1. German is the most widely spoken language in Europe.
More people speak German as their native language than any other
language in Europe. It's no wonder, since Germany's 83 million inhabitants
make it the most populous European nation. But not only the residents
of Germany speak German. It is also an official language of Austria,
Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Liechtenstein. And it is the native
language of a significant portion of the population in northern
Italy, eastern Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, eastern France,
parts of Poland, the Czech Republic, Russia, and Romania, as well
as in other parts of Europe.
While learning German can connect you to 120 million native speakers
around the globe, remember that many people also learn German as
a second language. It is the 3rd most popular foreign language taught
worldwide and the second most popular in Europe and Japan, after
English.
2. Germany has the 3rd strongest economy and is the #1 export nation in the world.
Germany has the third largest economy in the world and is the economic
powerhouse of the European Union. In 2007 -- for the 5th year in
a row and depite the strength of the euro currency -- the Germans
were world champions in exports. The country exported 940 billion
US dollars worth of goods, just ahead of the US exports. From cars
to machinery and industrial equipment, from pharmaceuticals to household
goods, German businesses earn 1 in 3 euros through export, and 1
in 4 jobs depends on exports. The competetiveness and desirability
of German products on the market are indicated by the country's
substantial trade surplus, which reached 162 billion euros (209
billion dollars) in 2006 and continues to grow every year.
And don't forget that Switzerland, another German-speaking country,
has one of the highest standards of living in the world.
3. Knowing German creates business opportunities.
Germany's economic strength equals business opportunities. Multinational
business opportunities exist throughout the European Union and in
the Eastern European countries, where German is the second most
spoken language after Russian. Companies like BMW, Daimler, Siemens,
Lufthansa, SAP, Bosch, Infineon, BASF, and many others need international
partners. The Japanese, who have the 2nd most powerful economy in
the world, understand the business advantages that a knowledge of
German will bring them: 68% of Japanese students study German.
If you're looking for employment in the United States, knowing German
can give you great advantages. German companies account for 700,000
jobs in the United States, and US companies have created approximately
the same number of jobs in Germany. All other things being equal,
the job candidate with German skills will trump the one without
such skills every time. Most surveyed companies in the United States
would choose someone with German literacy over an equally qualified
candidate.
4. Germans are innovators.
developed the mercury
thermometer in 1714.
From Gutenberg's printing press to Hertz' discovery of electromagnetic
waves, from Ehrlich's development of chemotherapy to Einstein's
theory of relativity, to Brandenburg's creation of the MP3 digital
music format, throughout history Germans have proven themselves
time and again to be great innovators. That trend continues today.
4 of the world's 10 most innovative companies are located in Germany
and at 12.7% of the world's patent applications, the country ranks
3rd in the world. Consequently, 200,000 businesses introduce new
products on the market each year.
As a nation committed to research and development, Germans are on
the frontline of new technologies. Germany exports more high-tech
products than any other country except the U.S. and more than 600
firms are active in the cutting-edge field of biotechnology. 115
of these are located in Munich alone. The east German city of Dresden
has become Europe's microchip center with its more than 765 semiconductor
firms.
Given the Germans' commitment to innovation, it is perhaps not surprising
that two-thirds of the world's leading international trade fairs
take place in Germany. These include CeBIT, the world's largest
trade fair for information and communications technology, and the
IFA consumer electronics trade fair.
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