When choosing a foreign language to learn, people often go for the most wide-spread languages or the easiest ones for them to learn. Slovak may be neither. However, as any foreign language, it is well worth learning. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the good reasons to learn Slovak.
It can be a gateway into Slavic languages
If you are interested in Slavic languages, want to learn a few or all of them, become a polyglot – Slovak can be a good way to start. If you learn Slovak, it will then be relatively easy to master Czech, a very closely related language, and Polish, another West Slavic language. Other Slavic languages, like Ukrainian or Russian, may not be as close to Slovak, but learning them will become easier as well, as they still share enough common roots.
It has unusual and beautiful pronunciation
With its soft consonants and long vowels, Slovak is a beautifully sounding language. However, these unusual sounds may require a non-Slavic person to practice a bit more to master them. This is a challenge, but one that has benefits: you will not only learn a great language but develop your articulation and become a better speaker in general.
It offers great traveling opportunities
Slovakia is a beautiful country with stunning landscapes, historical architecture, and friendly people that will welcome you even more if you speak some of their native language. Traveling there will no doubt be a great experience. Knowledge of Slovak will also allow you to have better travel experiences in other countries that speak Slavic languages.
Understanding culture and history
Knowledge of the Slovak language will provide you with an insight into Slovak culture, literature, and rich history. Slovakia has some beautiful pieces of literature (both poems and prose), movies (especially old ones; The Shop on Main Street, for example, won the 1965 academy award for best foreign-language film) and also music, whether it’s mainstream or folk.
It is not as hard as it seems
Unlike many other Slavic languages, Slovak uses the Latin script, as most Indo-European languages do. You won’t have to learn a whole new script – just a few additional letters. Moreover, Slovak has some similarities, like shared vocabulary, with other Indo-European languages, which can make learning a little easier as well.
It will make you smarter
Learning foreign languages is like exercise for our brain. Not only it keeps the brain young and alert much longer, it actually improves our memory and cognitive abilities. Learning Slovak may be a challenge, but it is also a beautiful language learning which will be great for your brain.