Culture and civilization of a foreign country

The aim of learning a foreign language is to enable students to understand the way of living and thinking as well as to acquaint themselves with the literature of the people whose language they are learning. According to Jespersen, the most important purpose of learning foreign languages is to become familiar with the best thoughts and institutions of a foreign nation, its literature and culture, in short, with the spirit of a nation in the broadest sense. Learning a foreign language contributes to the direct intercultural communication and its ultimate aim is the international understanding and co-operation.