The availability of so much information of course ties into education as well. Children can receive richer and more comprehensive knowledge from around the world, and they can learn to compare and discuss different perspectives.

In countries with many foreign-language-speaking children (caused by immigration, for example) translation can help with integration. Imagine living in a new country. You don’t understand the language—even your parents don’t. If all of your schoolbooks are translated into your native tongue, surely you can better adjust to your new surroundings.

Sometimes schools provide these children with individual educational interpreters. These people are specially trained, understand the child’s learning needs and communicate between the family and the school’s administration. This provides an invaluable help to ensuring a more secure future for the child.

However, when it comes to language learning, translation has fallen out of fashion. And no wonder: when you’re learning a new language, you want to communicate, not get stuck converting every word into your native language.

But translation remains a useful language skill to add to your toolbox. Just imagine all of the times you’ve had to translate a menu, interpret a train-schedule or be the mediator for your grandparents trying to order museum tickets abroad.