Posts
Why did Homo sapiens diverge from the rest of the animal kingdom and go on to dominate the earth? Communication? Cooperation? According to best-selling author Yuval Noah Harari, that barely scratches the surface.
Language helps humans to make their team work much more effective and time specific than any other species which works in groups. Before religion, gossip created a social, even environmental pressure to conform to certain norms. Surprisingly, it’s not our shared language or even our ability to dominate other species that defines us but rather, our shared fictions. Language helps us to express our beliefs and shared beliefs allow us to do the thing that other species cannot. Language helps us to co-operate and achieve our goals a s a group. Shared fictions aren’t necessarily lies. Shared fictions can create literal truths. For example, if I trust that you believe in money as much as I do, we can use it as an exchange of value. Quick and large-scale shifts are possible only because of effective communication.
“The Cognitive Revolution is accordingly the point when history declared its independence from biology,” Harari writes. These ever-shifting alliances, beliefs, myths—ultimately, cultures—define what we call human history.
As the third most widely spoken language in the world, English is widely spoken and taught in over 118 countries and is commonly used around the world as a trade language or diplomatic language. It is the language of science, aviation, computers, diplomacy and tourism.
The importance of English: 10 reasons to learn the language
1. English is a global language.
2. Studying English can help you get a job.
3. Learning English can help you meet new people.
(English is the official language of 53 countries and is used as a lingua franca (a mutually known language) by people from all around the world. This means that whether you’re working in Beijing, or travelling in Brazil, studying English can help you have a conversation with people from all over the world.)
4. Many scientific papers are written in English.
5. English is the language of the media industry.
6. English is the language of the Internet.
7. Travelling is a lot easier with a good knowledge of English.
8. English is one of the most important languages for business.
9. With English, you can study all over the world.
10. English gives you access to multiple cultures.
A good knowledge of English will allow you to access films, music and literature from hundreds of countries around the globe. Not to mention the fact that numerous books from across the world are translated into English. Few experiences will make you grow as a person more than learning the values, habits and way of life in a culture that is different from yours.
