The Need to Speak Multiple Languages

As time progresses, foreign languages are being abandoned in English-speaking countries. This is because English is becoming a dominant language in international affairs. A common question has arisen because of this situation as Americans are left wondering what will become of foreign languages in the future. At this present time, monolingual English speakers are at a disadvantage. Being multilingual offers better opportunities in the working field and improves brain flexibility. On the other hand, it is understandable that it can be useless as English is becoming an international language and it is expected that people who live in America should know English already.

The world uses English to communicate as a general rule; and the world is not small anymore. In these times of globalization, communication between Norway and other countries is literally as easy as the click of a mouse and the tapping of a few keyboard keys, or dialing a number. But in work life, you communicate because you have something you want to accomplish. The intent of communicating varies wildly, but there always is one. As an example, how will you ever get to sell your cars if no one can understand that it is cars you want to sell? Knowing English is a do or die situation in work life, and it truly makes a world of difference.

A fundamental goal of learning a foreign language is to communicate. Today, the need of interacting in English effectively, is increasing. This is needed to be able to interact with both native and non-native speakers. A reason can be the diversity in populations which is growing because of migration and many adult learners study English because they need it in workplace settings, where they communicate with English-speaking colleagues or just for English environment. These learners would benefit from a wide repertoire of the learning language to communicate meaningfully.

With the United States being on the most diverse and most populated countries in the World, the ability of speaking a foreign language can be beneficial. The United States Population is estimated at 321 million and 41% are of another ethnicity, according to the United States Census Bureau. Most that have migrated to the US, speak another language other than english and it comes in handy when it is needed. Such as for translating for others that are in need or helping with directions. The more people communicate with other the more knowledge and different perspectives they can gain of of others. The ability of communicating with others in a different can change people’s point of views of others by helping them understand one’s

Companies that do business abroad have a dire need for bilingual or multilingual employees. Government agencies, education, business, entertainment, and a broad array of occupations all have needs for people with foreign language skills” (IRCSD). The United States continues to have one of the highest immigration rates of any country in the world, and the ability to comprehend another language is useful for communication regarding day to day work (Miller). The ability to converse with co-workers or customers, internationally or in local offices, can make daily life considerably easier. Knowing foreign languages creates an edge over monolingual applicants competing for the same jobs. In addition, it provides the opportunity for a higher salary

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One of the main advantages of studying English is that it vastly increases the career prospects and employment opportunities of students. One of the arguments in favour of speaking in English is that it virtually removes communication barriers. It is doubtless that it will be difficult to communicate with foreigners when the languages are different. English is therefore well-regarded as the lingua franca to ease international communication. As a result, miscommunication can be avoided and it can eventually assist companies to save cost and minimize wastage of time. (Mydans, 2007). Other than this, English is certainly the primary language of global trade and commerce and tourism sector. In many countries, most of the tourism authorities and other officials who are in contact with public prefer to speak English for interaction and also to engage with tourists and immigrants. (Wil,

Learning a second language, English in particular, is important these days for any adult wanting to travel widely either for work or leisure, and/or to improve their career chances within their own country. It is the language of commerce, diplomacy, tourism, marketing and customer service and sales etc. In addition (J Dearden, 2014, p2), undertook a study of the growing phenomenon of English being used as a medium of instruction (EMI) in countries where English is not the first language, this was undertaken in 58 countries all of which use EMI. This essay will look at why adults have many reasons to learn English in particular. As well as how they learn and are there some personality traits or interest which enhance their ability to learn?

In the United States, only about 15-20 percent of Americans consider themselves bilingual, compared to 56 percent of Europeans. Out of those 15-20 percent of Americans, only a handful of them work in a sociable, business-like career, where language and communication is key. According to an article in The Daily Texan, American employers are progressively desiring workers who speak multiple languages, particularly in industries that provide services involving a high degree of human interaction, such as business and healthcare (Franklin par.1). The lack of bilingualism in the US job market and business world is going to cause a setback for companies in the future, but with the help of increased language opportunities, the companies will be able to avoid those complications.

Language barriers often cause issues, employees lose self-confidence and induce a sense of fear and confusion. Employees are under the notion that they are more valued to the organization when their fluency is high and in turn boosts the level of commitment (Sanchez, 2006). Lack of commitment results in reduced confidence levels and low capacity of work efficiency resulting in issues. Reluctance in approaching managers in order to communicate in high among non-English speakers (Loosemore & Lee, 2002). Lack of common understanding of a language lead to misinterpretations, lack of productivity which cost the industry losses in billions of

Communication can be performed through the utilisation of languages, such as English. Presently, English has become a favourable and prominent tool for interaction among people of different cultural backgrounds. The high demand in acquiring English for fields such as international politics, science and technology has led to the global spread of the language. Consequently, English is recognised as an international language, and its ownership is considered to be denationalised and renationalised. The understanding of this ownership status is crucial in establishing an effective practice of intercultural communication, by acknowledging the variations of English and cultural differences in communication styles within classroom and business contexts.

According to Tony Wagner, collaboration across networks, adaptability, and effective oral and written communication are among the most important skills for which employers today are looking. In America, “the fastest growing segment of the U.S. public school population is English-language learners, which means that” learning a foreign language is not just beneficial in order to speak to people around the world – it is also beneficial in order to speak to our own American citizens (Cox). Therefore, globally, and even locally, the skills necessary for economic success cannot be complete without collaboration across global networks, language adaptability, and oral and written foreign language communication. Foreign languages and the knowledge that comes with them include much more than simply communicating with others – it includes exposure to “a different set of aesthetics, cuisines, philosophies, politics, histories, and traditions” that even further expands the speaker’s mind (Kim). In the globalized world in which we live today, foreign interactions are common in the workplace, on social media, and in politics as technology has made it easier than ever to have conversations with people thousands of miles away. Globalization has made foreign countries far more accessible for us to reach, communicate with, and create relationships with, in business or personally. Communicating with foreign language speakers is a definite step in the direction of true globalization, but in

It is confounding, though not in Barry’s satirical sense. Despite the increasingly connected world of Facebook, high speed travel, and Skype, Americans are still lagging behind the world when it comes to multilingual proficiency (Berman 9). In fact, while 57% of Europeans are fluent in two languages, that is only true for 9.3% of Americans (“Why Learn Languages?” 3). Modern language departments are being cut in both high schools and higher education institutions to balance budgets. Yet, learning a second language is even more relevant in our globalized world. International commerce dominates large sectors of the business world and political summits require people who are familiar with other languages and cultures other than their own to facilitate the negotiation of treaties and agreements. Thus, language learning remains an essential aspect of being a well-rounded, educated individual and provides benefits, oftentimes unexpected ones, to eager learners.

Language is one of mankind’s most powerful inventions. From the scribbles in caves, thousand-page stories of a French Revolution, to men and women standing in front of thousands eager to listen; the written, spoken, and orations of language is a vital component of the human experience. Interestingly, the greater an individual’s mastery of language the greater his or her ability to understand the world itself, and more importantly those that live on it. The following is going to be an in-depth analysis of the impact multilingualism has on an individual’s perception, exposure, and appreciation of foreign cultures.

English has taken over the course of huge advancement that is the reason why it has been preferred over any particular linguistics and for the same reason it has been taught and studied all around the world. These prospects led to the formation of English language as a lingua franca, whether it’s United Kingdom, United States or Canada people have devised their own extents for speaking the English(Wen, 2012). Not only in the European countries but also in all over South Asia, English has been utilised as the lingua franca as the English language has been definitively utilised without being necessarily the language of identification. English language has been utilised for the aspects of communication because it determined the stylistic features of an enhanced community. Therefore people all around the world started to learn English to modernise their linguistics and to be diversified because in most of the countries all around the world only English language has advocated its impression to lessen the communication barriers(Mufwene, 2012). In this particular essay it would be realised that how English has transformed to become the lingua franca of the business world and what could be the reasons, suggestions for business and for native and non-native speakers of English.