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When the world talks about science, culture, economy or politics, it speaks English. English speakers don't really need a second language at all. So, what's the use of a second language when the first one is enough? English speakers can look for the luxury items: cultural and linguistic enrichment. In this article, I will evaluate the world's major languages for their usefulness to English speakers, according to three different criteria:
Demographics: Opportunity to use the language actively: the number of native and second language speakers, and the chances of communicating with them in this language: use as a lingua franca. It's not simply a matter of numbers. Mandarin is by far the most spoken language but it is concentrated in one country, China, and that reduces the impact. In the case of Hindi, educated speakers will very likely also speak English, so the opportunity to speak to people in Hindi is greatly reduced.
Personal Impact: This subjective criterion looks at the impact on the learner. How does this language study increase the learner's own sophistication regarding languages, whether English or another, third language? How does this language make the learner a more culturally literate person?
Business factors: How will this language open new business and commercial opportunities?
Criterion I. Demographics: I begin with demographics because this is the criterion that first comes to mind in such a discussion. However, this factor only weighs 40 percent in the ratings, and certain entries here, such as Italian, Swahili and Turkish, will only become understandable when one sees the tables that follow.
Spanish: Approx. 350 million native speakers, with many second language speakers in the Americas, North Africa and elsewhere. It is the official language of about 20 countries. (6 points). It is an important lingua franca in the Western Hemisphere and the Mediterranean, (3 points). (Total: 9 points).
French: Despite a relatively small native language base of 130 million, French has a major presence internationally, with a large second language population all over the world and official language status in over 25 countries. It is the working language of many international organizations (4 points). It is also the most recognized lingua franca, after English. (4 points). (Total: 8 points).
Arabic: Arabic speakers are hard to quantify. Modern Standard Arabic is a second dialect for 250 million people worldwide, but it is quite difference from the spoken Arabic in each of the 20 countries where it is official. It is an official language of the United Nations and of many international organizations. It is also the language of Islam. (4.5 points). Arabic is a major lingua franca. (2 points). (Total: 6.5 points).
Russian: Estimates are as high as 185 million for the native speaking population, and it is the second language in all the nations of the former Soviet Union (3 points). Russia spent much of the Twentieth Century securing the position of its language as the lingua franca in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and it continues to serve in that capacity, in a greatly diminished way. (2 points). (Total: 5 points).
Mandarin: It's the native language of 875 million people, however, they are concentrated in one country, China. It is a second language for the rest of China, Taiwan, and for Chinese community world-wide. It has little currency beyond its ethnic boundaries and serves as lingua franca only in this context. (Total: 3 points).
German: It has approx. 120 million native speakers and many second language speakers throughout Europe. (2 points). It has had moderate success re-establishing itself as the lingua franca of Central Europe, after the disastrous history of the past century, however, this role has been taken up in the meantime by Russian and English (1 point). (Total: 3 points).
Hindustani: It includes Urdu at one end and Hindi at the other, with approx. 185 million native speakers in India, and 50 million in Pakistan. It is a second language for another 180 million people in these country. It has not had success as a lingua franca outside of this context, as that purpose is served by English. It has also been burdened by the reluctance of the Dravidian speaking people of South India to adopt it. (Total: 2.5 points).
Swahili: It is spoken natively by 5 million people and by another 50 million as a second language along the East African coast. It's the official language of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania (1 point). Swahili is the accepted lingua franca in that area, having achieved nearly neutral "tribal" status on a continent where language is politics, but for dealings with the world beyond, it is normally eclipsed by Arabic, English and French (1.5 points). (Total: 2.5 points).
Portuguese: Spoken by approx. 190 million people, it is the official language of Portugal, Brazil, Mozambique, Angola and other states. It has not as yet been able to establish itself as a widely used lingua franca. (Total: 2 points).
Turkish: It is spoken by 70 million people in Turkey and Cyprus (1 point). It provides an alternative lingua franca throughout the Turkic speaking lands of Central Asia, replacing the more alien Russian (1 point). (Total: 2 points).
Japanese: It is spoken by 125 million people in Japan, but has little currency as a second language or a lingua franca. (Total: 1 point).
Italian: It is spoken by 60 million people in Italy, it is also the official language of the Vatican. It has little or no significance as a second language or a lingua franca. (1 point).
Criterion II: Personal Impact: This is the major consideration for the English speaker. It weighs 40 percent in my ratings. How will the learning of this language help one's understanding of English? How will knowledge of this language open up a portal to other related languages? For the first question, Latin languages hold a distinct advantage, since the prestige, erudite forms of English are all constructed out of a Latin vocabulary. The second question favors languages which are seen as leading languages in particular linguistic families, wherever they may be located in the world.
French: It holds a particular position among Latin languages, in that it has been the major conduit of Latin vocabulary into English for the past one thousand years. Fully 30 percent of English words come from French, (6 points). In cultural terms, the centrality of France to European civilization cannot be overestimated, adding 6 more points. (Total: 12 points)
Spanish: This Latin language has enormous influence on the English of the Americas. It has, in turn, been influenced by Arabic and the indigenous languages of pre-Columbian America, giving insight into those languages. (4 points). Spanish culture continues to move into the forefront of Western civilization, ironically, often because of the patronage of its greatest rival, North American English (4 points). (Total: 8 points).
Italian: It is the direct descendant of Latin. Thus, a knowledge of Italian gives the learner an exceptionally clear idea of the classical language. By the same token, it is the central romance language, and the study of a second or third romance language is greatly facilitated when the first one learned is Italian. (4 points). Italian also opens up a store of cultural knowledge dating back two thousand years, and representing, with the Roman Empire, the Catholic tradition and the Italian Renaissance, some of the very highest achievements of European civilization. (4 points). (Total: 8 points).
German: The linguistic significance for English speakers is great. German provides a clear presentation of the Germanic roots of English, and of the syntactic and grammatical logic of the basic English language. As the major Germanic language it can also be considered a portal to other Germanic languages such as Dutch and Yiddish. (4 points). German culture is also greatly appreciated in Western culture, and its philosophers and artists are key figures. (2 points). (Total: 6 points).
Arabic: Although the immediate linguistic impact of the study of Arabic may be hard to discern for the English speaker, the benefits of Arabic in the study of other languages is high. Arabic has greatly influenced other languages of the Middle East and the Muslim world in religion, politics, and social life. Also, the study of the Arabic alphabet opens the way to many other languages, such as Persian, Urdu, Kurdish, etc. (3 points). Arabic culture has had major influence on western civilization but it remains largely unknown in the English speaking world. Knowledge of the language also leads to a greater understanding of Islam. (2 points). (Total: 5 points).
Hindustani: In its Hindi form, it is a window on the origins of the larger Indo-European language family with its Sanskrit vocabulary. As Urdu, it gives a significant introduction to many Persian and Arabic terms. Urdu also uses the Persian form of Arabic script, opening the way to wider studies. It is a starting point for the study of other languages of the subcontinent, an area rich in languages. (3 points). India's rich culture has become more familiar in the English speaking world, in large part due to India's ability to project its image through English. However, Hindustani language and Hindi culture are also spread through the Bollywood film industry. Pakistan has yet to make its presence felt, but the potential is there. (2 point). (Total: 5 points).
Russian: It has not had major influence in the west, given its geographical isolation. It is, however, the major Slavic language, and as such, opens the way to many other Eastern European languages. The Cyrillic alphabet, moreover, is a tremendous asset for reading many of those languages. (2 points). Russian high culture thrived under both tsarism and communism, and it has a significant place in European civilization. (2 points). (Total: 4 points).
Portuguese: As a Latin language, Portuguese has a built-in significance for English speakers, even without a direct relationship with English. (3 points). The cultural significance of Brazil, one of the largest nations of the Americas, is continually growing. (1 point). (Total: 4 points).
Mandarin: The official Chinese language has had very little influence on English. It has influenced other national languages of the areas, such as Korean and Japanese, and the other "dialects" of China. The Chinese written characters are the same for all of these dialects, and many of these characters are used in Japanese as well. (2 points). Chinese culture, with over two thousand years of history, is quite significant, if not directly applicable to English speaking civilization. (1.5 point). (Total: 3.5 points).
Swahili: As the only sub-Saharan language in the group, it serves to introduce the learner to one of the richest linguistic areas of the Earth. It is from the Bantu family of languages, but it incorporates many words from Arabic, Persian, English and French. (1.5 points). It is the language of trade along the East African coast, and as such, is richly descriptive of the culture there. The West African diaspora into the Americas is one of the great mass migrations of the past 500 years, but because of its tragic social dynamics, it has left many millions of people cut off from African culture. Swahili, although it is East African and not West African, can help to fill that gap. (1.5 points). (Total: 3 points).
Turkish: Though it has little direct relationship to English, it is the major language of a family of languages that extend eastward to the Chinese interior. It has been influenced by Persian, Kurdish and Arabic, and thus gives some introduction to those languages. (1.5 points). It also represents the culture of the Ottoman traditions, and of modern Turkey and Central Asian Turkistan. (1 point). (Total: 2.5 points).
Japanese: This language has had little impact on English and it provides little insight into other languages. It does, however, include many words from Chinese, and uses numerous Chinese characters. (0.5 points). This island nation has been one of the most successful exporters of culture of the Far East during the past century. (1.5 points). (Total: 2 points).
Criterion III. Economic Impact. Is this language useful in the world of commerce and business? Certainly English is by far the most useful language for business, but a knowledge of other key languages can be a distinct advantage. Twenty percent in the ratings:
French: has a long history as a language of commerce and trade. It is extremely important in the developing world, especially Africa. France itself is the world's sixth largest economy. (4 points).
Spanish: the language of commerce and trade in Latin America. Spain is the world's ninth largest economy and Mexico is its fourteenth largest. (4 points).
German: often used for business in Central Europe. Germany is the world's third largest economy. (3 points).
Japanese: can be extremely helpful in dealing with Japanese business. Japan is the world's second largest economy. (3 points).
Mandarin: China has recently become the world's fourth largest economy, and it continues to grow. (3 points).
Russian: Used in a part of the world where English is not well-known. Russia is the eleventh largest economy and is moving up in the rankings. (2 points).
Portuguese: Brazil is the tenth largest economy, and continues to grow. (2 points).
Arabic: the language of commerce and trade for the Middle East and the Persian Gulf. (2 points).
Hindustani: is used in the world's twelfth largest economy, however, English is often the language of business in this area. (2 points).
Italian: is the language of commerce in Italy, the world's seventh largest economy. (1.5 points).
Swahili: is the language of business along the east coast of Africa. (1 point).
Turkish: is used in the world's seventeenth largest economy, and to some extent in Central Asia. (1 point).
By these criteria we can come up with a ranking of the 12 most useful languages for an English speaker to learn:
French: 24 points
Spanish: 21 points
Arabic: 13.5 points
German: 12 points
Russian: 11 points
Italian: 10.5 points
Hindustani 9.5 points
Mandarin: 9.5 points
Portuguese: 8 points
Swahili: 6.5 points
Japanese: 5.5 points
Turkish: 5.5 points
Some readers may be familiar with George Weber's well-known piece entitled, Top Languages, which first appeared in the journal Languages Today in 1997. His study rated languages according to their influence in world affairs and world culture. It is interesting, at this point to compare them. Here are Weber's results:
English: 37 points
French: 23
Spanish: 20
Russian: 16
Arabic: 14
Chinese: 13
German: 12
Japanese: 10
Portuguese: 10
Hindi/Urdu: 9 pts.
The rankings are similar, with some major differences. My criteria are based on tangible and intangible benefits for the English speaker which are not heavily weighed in Weber's paradigm. Thus, this subjective focus skewers my results in favor of European languages due to the cultural affinity of English for the languages of Western civilization.
Heritage Languages: The most striking example of a difference is my ranking of Italian as number 6, whereas it does not figure in Weber's top ten. My justification for Italian is the phenomenon of the "heritage language", i.e., a language that has usefulness in our understanding and appreciation of the past, rather than in the future. Italian is the vehicle for our understanding of ancient history, the development of Latin languages, Renaissance Art and classical music. It is also the ancestral language of over 100 million people strategically placed in both North and South America. For these reasons, it is the heritage language par excellence. Other languages that benefit from this heritage factor in my listings are German and Swahili.
Point values for English? French, with 24 points, is number one in my listing. Where does English stand in relation? If rating it for usefulness for speakers of other languages, I would give it 10 points in each category, for a total of 50 points. I think that the extraordinary position of English in today's world is indisputable, and considering it to be twice as useful as its closest competition, French, is not a great stretch of the imagination.
The only English point assignment that may require explanation is ten points for linguistic value. The value of English in this area for world speakers is quite wide reaching and significant. English is the vehicle for the spread of the classical Latin vocabulary for abstract concepts, for the Greco-Roman terms for government, science, philosophy, etc. It absorbs world vocabulary without major spelling changes, effectively spreading new terminology from a variety of sources. As the official language of international organizations, it serves as a showplace for each nation and organization to present itself to the world. Like the other "empire" languages of Western Europe, French and Spanish, English is propagated by native speakers worldwide with no ethnic, social or political relationship to its motherland. But English goes one step further, English is capable of evolving and developing completely independently of its native speakers. Second language users of English drive the introduction of new words like "informatics" and "ufology" which gain currency first among these speakers. Foreign governments keep close control of their English language nomenclature, and make changes through the United Nations and non-government organizations. These changes are therefore immediate in English, with no consultation with native speakers necessary. While some European languages are still calling the capital of China "Peking", English made the switch to "Beijing" during the late 1980s (for proof, look at contemporary reports regarding the Tian an Men Square events of June, 1989). Recently, the switch from Bombay to Mumbai has happened before most English speakers have even noticed.
Conclusion - The status of English in world affairs puts its native speakers in a unique position. We have the opportunity of living in a provincial English-only environment in which the world comes to us, or we can take advantage of this favored position to become acquainted with other cultures right within our own language. So, is any second language really useful for English speakers? No study can ever really measure the personal importance of second language learning. That is something we have to discover for ourselves. The fact is that every language is well worth the effort to learn, as every language is a complete way of describing the universe of human achievement, and thus it's significance is as wide and as deep as we personally make it.
Note on Statistics: The statistics that I have used (population, economic ranking, etc.) come from diverse sources: world almanacs, encyclopedias, US government studies. I make no claims about their accuracy, as they are general estimates. Their importance is in relationship to each other.
Dominic Ambrose has taught languages for over twenty years, from Middle School to Community College, from adult ed to ESL to TOEFL training. He has also traveled as a teacher educator to many Eastern European countries as well as South America, including three years with the Romanian Ministry of Education. Presently, he lives in Paris writing full time, mostly about films and fiction, but he is still fascinated by languages. To see his blog, click on the link: http://dominicambrose.wordpress.com
The English language is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. At present, there are approximately two billion English speakers all around the world today. These people are either speaking English as a first language or else using the English as a first language. This means that whatever part of the world you find yourself in, you will be able to find someone who speaks the English language in order to help you in whatever task you are doing. With this in mind, you should also know that the English language can be difficult to learn, especially for Mandarin Chinese speakers since the grammar and sentence structures are vastly different than their native language. Learning a new language is also a difficult endeavor for someone who is not naturally gifted in learning it.
However, this should not dissuade you if you really want to learn how to speak the English language. If you feel that you have the ability and the capacity to do so, then by all means you should do it. What you need in order for this to happen is to have a grim determination and the passion to learn English. Mere interest in the learning the language will not cut it. You need to live, breathe and obsess about learning the English language in order to give you the proper motivation in which to learn. Once you are fully decided to do so, you need to find the best avenue for learning. This would be through the use of English language audio tapes. These language audio tapes will enable you to learn the new language much faster than it ordinarily would if you took classes in school. This is because with language audio tapes, you can listen to the tapes at any time you please and anywhere you like.
By popping the lessons into your cd player or even by downloading the lessons onto your portable mp3 player, you will be able to listen and learn while you are doing your chores, driving your car or even while you are exercising in the gym or jogging on the street. The best thing about learning the English language through language audio tapes is that you will be able to keep on learning, even while you are asleep. This is because according to studies, if you play the language audio tapes while you are asleep you will be absorbing the knowledge into your subconscious. This helps make learning faster and easier than the conventional ways. Another great fact about learning through language audio tapes is the fact that anytime you find yourself not able to master a particular lesson, then you can just listen to the lesson again. In fact, you can listen to the lessons for as many times as you want, without the extra cost.
This method is surely the best way in which you can learn. Soon you will be speaking English in no time.
For those who want the real thing, here are a list of English For Mandarin Chinese Speakers language learning audio courses: learn English for Mandarin Chinese
When you happen to have a particular foreign language course in mind, try searching for it here: Foreign language learning courses
Why learn Chinese - well 882 million speakers of that language can converse with you if you can. English speakers are between 312 and 380 million. So in terms of the number of people you can do business with - well you do the math.... if your potential to interact with Chinese in business is high, I hope to encourage you to learn Mandarin and excel in your field, and make it easier.
Perhaps you want to maximize your income, and if this is your plan, you need to know the high demand languages. Apparently the student enrollments in both Arabic and Chinese between 2002 and 2006 spiked by 127% and 51%, respectively, the highest of languages other than English.
To maximize your income long term, learning another business language is a true investment. The west has seen China emerge as a global player, opening to private business trade - and who knows that you might not end up marrying there, to a Chinese person. Or relocating your entire family to a Chinese city to have your children grow up with Chinese friends and teachers.
An audio course can get you learning Chinese fast. Repetition applied during all your "wasted hours" in the car, in the office and at home, adds up to rapid study results.
While Chinese especially has subtle nuances of tone, with an audio course, you can take it anywhere, and master the new sounds. No more wasted time in traffic, or waiting for people to show up for meetings.... you can profit in your spare time.
Business aside, when you visit China there will be all the cultural attractions that draw in any tourist. You will understand more and connect better, as would anyone who had taken the trouble to learn the language.
You will learn to speak Chinese with confidence if you get a good course.
I do not know exactly how fast you can learn another language. I do believe that with carefully constructed instruction, you will do your possible best. Visit us and get the best language course that will answer all your questions, if you're still wondering why learn Chinese.
The English language is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. At present, there are approximately two billion English speakers all around the world today. These people are either speaking English as a first language or else using the English as a first language. This means that whatever part of the world you find yourself in, you will be able to find someone who speaks the English language in order to help you in whatever task you are doing. With this in mind, you should also know that the English language can be difficult to learn, especially for Mandarin Chinese speakers since the grammar and sentence structures are vastly different than their native language. Learning a new language is also a difficult endeavor for someone who is not naturally gifted in learning it.
However, this should not dissuade you if you really want to learn how to speak the English language. If you feel that you have the ability and the capacity to do so, then by all means you should do it. What you need in order for this to happen is to have a grim determination and the passion to learn English. Mere interest in the learning the language will not cut it. You need to live, breathe and obsess about learning the English language in order to give you the proper motivation in which to learn. Once you are fully decided to do so, you need to find the best avenue for learning. This would be through the use of English language audio tapes. These language audio tapes will enable you to learn the new language much faster than it ordinarily would if you took classes in school. This is because with language audio tapes, you can listen to the tapes at any time you please and anywhere you like.
By popping the lessons into your cd player or even by downloading the lessons onto your portable mp3 player, you will be able to listen and learn while you are doing your chores, driving your car or even while you are exercising in the gym or jogging on the street. The best thing about learning the English language through language audio tapes is that you will be able to keep on learning, even while you are asleep. This is because according to studies, if you play the language audio tapes while you are asleep you will be absorbing the knowledge into your subconscious. This helps make learning faster and easier than the conventional ways. Another great fact about learning through language audio tapes is the fact that anytime you find yourself not able to master a particular lesson, then you can just listen to the lesson again. In fact, you can listen to the lessons for as many times as you want, without the extra cost.
This method is surely the best way in which you can learn. Soon you will be speaking English in no time.
For those who want the real thing, here are a list of English For Mandarin Chinese Speakers language learning audio courses: learn English for Mandarin Chinese
When you happen to have a particular foreign language course in mind, try searching for it here: Foreign language learning courses
Mandarin Chinese is the most popular Chinese language. It is the language that you can hear Chinese people speak in the nearby grocery supermarket in your area. This language is a combination of the old and the middle Chinese language. That only means that it is halfway between a traditional and the modern Chinese. It is also continuously changing.
You simply have a lot to expect from the Chinese language, it coming from a strong country. China is said to be the oldest civilization dating back 5,000 years ago; it is also known to be evolving still. It has the oldest writing system in the world. It is also the cradle of many inventions from the ancient years until this day. It is where the first specimen of the Homo erectus was found, as it came to be known as the Peking Man. Its writing system and language system have been used by its neighboring countries in Vietnam, Korea, and even Japan. That is how wide the sphere of influence of the Chinese language is.
However, given that China is now turning out to be a super power, it still remains to be a lingua franca only among Asian nations. As Chinese people start to become more global, it is necessary for them to have a language that would allow them to interact with as many people as there are around the world. There's no other language that can do that but English, the universal language.
Wherever you are in the world, it is more likely that there is a Chinese man in your neighborhood. That is because of the Chinese population that is the largest in the world. The globalization of trade, investments, and business poses great opportunities for China to become more powerful not only in the military but also in other aspects of the economy.
The traditional Chinese value system is a great help for their efficiency conducting business and to nurture negotiations and diplomatic relations with the other powerful nations of the world. Because of this, it is even more important for a Mandarin-speaking Chinese man to learn the English language.
It is his ticket to further his academic knowledge all throughout the world. Many Chinese people now have faired well in international academic institutions. Some Asian writers have also been doing well in their craft, with many of them gaining influence among the avid international readers. The medium used by these Chinese literary writers is English and they are good at it.
To say the least, anyone who wants to go worldwide should learn the English language. You can start by learning the language through the Pimsleur language learning audio program. You can get a copy of it from The Talking Bookstore.
For those who want the real thing, here are a list of English For Mandarin Chinese Speakers language learning audio courses: learn English for Mandarin Chinese
When you happen to have a particular foreign language course in mind, try searching for it here: Foreign language learning courses
