As Computers Translate Quickly And Accurately, Learning Foreign Languages Is A Waste Of Time | Band 7.5 IELTS Essay Sample
As computers translate quickly and accurately, learning foreign languages is a waste of time. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Here is a band 7.5 IELTS essay on this topic written by one of our students. Need help with IELTS writing? Get your IELTS essays, letters and reports corrected by me.
Band 7.5 IELTS essay sample
Computers nowadays can translate most languages and hence some people opine that it is pointless to learn a foreign language. I do not agree with this view. In my opinion, a computer can translate but it is not a brilliant translation tool and hence it is still important to learn foreign languages. Also, being bilingual or multilingual is an advantage for children.
On the one hand, computers have made communication easy and convenient. People can communicate with people of other countries by using smart phone and translator applications. However, this translation technology is not completely perfect. It cannot understand the nuances of the language and can only translate word for word. Often times, the real meaning gets lost somewhere. Translation tools also have difficulty translating slangs and local dialects. Needless to say, excessive reliance on translation tools can lead to misunderstanding. For example, in order to fully enjoy literature of another language, one can never rely on translation apps.
On the other hand, although translation technology is improving and has become a big part of our life, I still believe that learning a language is important. When people learn a language, they can communicate more effectively without leaving any room for misunderstanding. Learning a foreign language, also improves the career prospects of students. Studies have shown that bilingual or multilingual people are smarter and tend to perform better in their career.
To conclude, translation technology helps people to communicate in any language in just a few seconds but learning the language is still essential to fluently communicate with the locals and understand their culture.
