In addition to the more than 120 million native speakers of German, the official language is also used in Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Liechtenstein. Additional areas of Europe use German, and many German speakers may be found in Italy, Denmark, France and Poland. In terms of scientific languages, German is the second most commonly used in the world, and currently, 18% of the books produced are in German.
Many German words are similar to their English counterparts. The words either look the same visually or they sound the same, so individuals hoping to learn this language may have an easier start. German and English words have the same "grandparent" in common. An example of this similarity is haus (German) and house (English).
If you wish to obtain a well-rounded liberal arts education, then a study of the German language will benefit you. Such important historical figures as Bach, Beethoven, Weber and Freud utilized the German language. Germany has a rich cultural, architectural and artistic history. Those who learn German will be able to develop a deeper understanding of the country's expansive history and to use that knowledge to create a strong base for a liberal arts education.
Germany is one of the leading export nations in the world. In 2007, Germany exported 940 billion dollars worth of materials. Because Germany is so strong economically, its economic strength translates to a variety of business and employment opportunities. There are a multitude of German businesses currently operating in the United States, and those businesses provide 700,000 U.S. jobs. Individuals who can speak German proficiently will have an employment advantage when seeking work with German companies or when seeking international employment.