This old joke has more than a grain of truth to it. Unless you are an immigrant or a child of immigrants, chances are you only speak English.
There are lots of reasons for this. Like…we’re a big country and don’t need to speak anyone else’s darned language. Or…English is already the “international language” so other languages are unnecessary.
It’s also true that foreign languages are not emphasized in school. Plus they are hard to learn! And if you didn’t do it when you were young and had a nice elastic brain, it is even harder.
But research shows that learning a second language offers proven benefits for intelligence, memory, and concentration, plus lowered risks of dementia and Alzheimer’s.