[tracker1]

I think knowing a given language can help a lot... for example the addition of generics and lambdas to C# has dramatically changed how I may approach a given problem in C#.

I know there is often a cost to using, for example the linq extension methods, it will look cleaner a lot of the time than the loop syntax.

Beyond this, simply using a new framework in an existing language can shape your views... for example, the differences in using JS with say jQueryUI, NodeJS, or AMD modules.

Knowing a language, and some platforms/libraries/approaches can greatly shape how you use that language. I once saw a VB app written by a COBOL convert... well, it ran in VB, but definitely looked like a COBOL application.