learning a new language

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/25/AR2010042503105.html

This reflects mainly what we have talked about in class: foreign languages and whether they are useful/necessary for students to learn. The author agrees that foreign languages are useful as he states it "allows students to take on an alternative identity and see the world in different ways."

I agree with him that foreign languages can change a student/person's identity and broaden a person's mind as he or she learns about a new culture. Like we talked in class, each culture has an emphasis on different things, such as in the Chinese language, we have different names for each aunt, uncle, son of [a person], daughter of [a person], grandfather, grandmother depending on which side of the family (mother's or fathers) that relative is coming from. This shows that the Chinese have a great respect for relationships and family, which is apparent in the continuously phrased believe that the Chinese value family more than anything else. By learning a language such as Chinese, a student may become aware of the relationships among their family members and gain a stronger understanding of bonds between relatives.

The author brings up an interesting question in regards to language: "This is especially true for less privileged students who can enter that world at relatively little cost from kindergarten through 12th grade. Or should more sophisticated education be limited to the privileged few?" He brings up the question of whether we should decide who has the right to learn a new language. As of the new age, we do not discriminate against race or class, thus, it seems natural to believe that we should not limit the privilege of learning a language to a certain group of people. However, another idea that could be brought up is whether learning a new language will help a person economically? Will learning a second language benefit someone who is concerned about making a living and being able to put bread on the table. Perhaps he or she should focus on subjects to earn degree or at least be educated enough to land a job. Where does the discrimination between what is necessary to learn and what is not fall?