The fight for multilingualism in Great Britain

Whether you’re on the hunt for certified translation services, marketing translators or even a little bit of localisation, there’s one obvious thing that binds them all: Multilingualism.

Multilingualism is big business – we wouldn’t exist without it! – but a recent Guardian report has highlighted the lack of foreign language learning here in the UK and the knock-on effect it has for everyone. The Living Languages report has been compiled after collating hundreds of interviews, articles and online Q&A sessions from polyglots all over the country. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the more interesting conclusions:

It makes economic sense

For small and medium businesses wanting to export their product overseas, multilingualism can directly benefit their sales. In fact, a study by the British Chamber of Commerce revealed that 62% of companies who wanted to export regarded languages as a barrier. It’s easy to think that English is the lingua franca of business, but as only the third most spoken language in the world – behind Mandarin and Spanish – there’s much to be gained from going multilingual, particularly in the field of marketing. Nick Parker, UK business leader, said, ‘English is fine if you want to buy things, but it’s not the right language to use for people who want to sell things.’

Minority languages are in danger of extinction

According to Unesco, nearly half of the world’s current 6000 languages are in danger of fading into obscurity by the end of the century. Frightening stuff, indeed. Multilingualism is essential if we are to keep some of the oldest languages alive. Here at Reflective Source, we have translators in some wonderfully obscure languages. So if you’re looking for certified translation services into Chiga or technical translation in Tigrinya, we have a translator to fit the job.

Young people should be encouraged to learn languages.

Leading language education professional, Stephen Parker, described the way UK students are expected to learn languages as, ‘like learning in a padded cell’. The report suggests that teaching methods need to change if we as a country are to embrace multilingualism. Immersive teaching methods, setting realistic goals and foreign exchanges have all been touted as potential learning methods. And we don’t need to look far to find language teaching methods that work. The vast majority of our European cousins teach English to a high standard from a very young age.

It’s easier than ever to learn

In this technological age, learning a language no longer means you’re confined to boring textbooks and audio tapes (remember those?!). Online videos, blogging platforms, iPad and smartphone apps all provide a new, engaging way to learn a foreign language. Open communication, here, is the key. The report, however, stresses that while it may be easier to access resources to learn a language, the actual learning process is undeniably difficult. Dedication, a desire to challenge yourself and a fundamental hunger to learn are still required to master a foreign language.

Multilingualism opens doors

While 70% of businesses value foreign language skills in their employees, learning a foreign tongue is so much more than a great addition to your CV. It’s about discovering the secrets and the essence behind a country, a language and its culture, as well as bettering yourself. Some experts even claim that learning a foreign language significantly increases our cognitive function, and can help stave off dementia. So what’s in the future for UK’s multilingualism? Well that’s impossible to predict, but until then, we have access to thousands of talented multilinguists from all over the world. If you need certified translation services or to kick-start your multilingual project, get in touch today.