Why Spanish?

There are many practical reasons why you should study Spanish, but above all else, you should study Spanish because something about it truly resonates with you: maybe you feel at home in Spanish or Latino culture, whether you're Latino or not. Perhaps you have always wanted to live abroad, and you had a neighbor or a friend or a grandparent from Spain or Chile, and you want to see the places they talked to you about. When it really comes down to it, it is about human connection. It has become almost cliché to say it, but we indeed live in a globalized society. The chances are extraordinarily high that at some point in your personal or professional life, you will come into contact with a Spanish speaker either in the U.S. or abroad. Even if the other person also speaks English- also a very likely possibility- there is much to be said for the effect speaking someone else's language does to help us make real, meaningful connections with them. It improves professional relationships, provides paths to deeper friendships, and most of all, it opens up a whole world to you:

• There are more than 300 million Spanish speakers in the world- more than English!
• There are dozens of countries where you would use it, including the United States. From the Southern Cone to the Caribbean, the Andes to the Canary Islands, you can travel far or go to your job down the street and find people with whom you can speak Spanish. Taking a career in business here or abroad, joining the diplomatic corps, dedicating yourself to international development or marketing in the United States, you will be glad you made the commitment to learn this language, and it will be easy to find ways to use it.
• According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are over 44 million Hispanics, making up almost 15% of the total U.S. population. In a few decades, Latinos will outnumber all other groups in the U.S. While the vast majority of Latinos in the U.S. are English speakers, why not join them in being bilingual?
• Did you know that  HUGE part of the U.S. Southwest was once called New Spain? That means that our cultural heritage is Spanish, French AND English. Why not learn about it and celebrate it?
• Forget your ideas about tacos and Flamenco dancing. The Spanish-speaking world is incredibly diverse, having European, Asian, Arabic, African, and Pre-Colombian indigenous roots. It is a culture of dramatic contrasts, where the old (and even ancient) is inextricably linked to a modern, global world. Learn more, and you will see it is not what you thought it was: How about hip-hop in Cuba? Indie films in Mexico? Celtic music in Northern Spain? Italian culture in Uruguay? Argentine alternative rock music? Organic farming co-operative in the Andes?
• Twenty-two Spanish and Latin American writers, scientists, economists, politicians, and peacemakers have won Nobel Prizes.
• Spanish is phonetic! "Huh?" you say? That means it is spelled the way it sounds. That doesn't sound so bad, does it?
• You'll speak and write better in English. Seriously. When you have to study a language, you become more aware of how you communicate (or don't!) in your native language.

Find out more about Studying Spanish at McDaniel!