I was talking with an Indian guy just yesterday, a travelling bridge engineer, about issues ranging from health care to the environment. The guy is willing to move around with his small family anywhere in the world, do whatever it takes to fashion a life. English was not his first language, but he learned it early. Armed with an iPhone, he keeps abreast of Indian, American and world business for about $360/year in internet costs, plus mobile phone plan.
In India, English is a de facto language for business and government; but it's only one of maybe two dozen languages spoken there. Obviously, knowing even accented English is a huge leg up on the world stage, because of the immediacy of technology.
Likewise, American English speakers who learn other languages gain an equal advantage and for the same reasons, especially if they're willing to move. In any case, more English-only Americans need to learn other languages, if only to remain competitive. India alone has some 1.2 billion people; in other words, for every one American, there are four Indians, and a lot of them can compete head on for less pay -- here, there or anywhere.
For a sampling of the contemporary Indian perspective, The Times of India is useful:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
The world section has these subheadings:
US
Indians Abroad
Pakistan
South Asia
UK
Europe
China
Middle East
Rest of World
Mad, Mad World
The Times of India is the largest-circulation English language newspaper in the world.
Today's Rune: Flow.
8 comments:
I think that's awesome, what technology can do and such and that the people there try and learn different languages.
This is why I keep trying to tell my siblings that they should take foriegn language classes and take them seriously, you need to be able to communicate in this world. Especially here where you have people from all walks of life.
It is time to decide...
Either the ENTIRE world go to a one planet system of governance or pull back to the internationally recognized borders and use the economies to lay off each other.
With near on 7 billion people on the blue marble it is no longer feasible to maintain the willy nilly course we are on.
But is it really necessary for anyone to learn French? Which language should Americans choose to learn as a second language?
I'm probably already obsolete. I just hope no one discovers it until I get ready to retire.
Erik, I have a nephew that lives in Dubai and speaks one of the languages spoken there. He loves it, but I cannot imagine it for myself.
Isn't it funny how English has become the "Lingua Franca" of this century?
I completely agree with you that everybody should learn another language. I'm very happy with the decision I made years ago to learn Spanish. Not only did it broaden my horizons (and sometimes love life), it was of great help in my Anatomy class this last semester-- about 40% of medical terms are based in Latin (most of the rest are Greek-based-- wish I knew that language too!).
I tried to encourage my son to learn Cantonese form his grandmother (his mother's parents were both Chinese), but to no avail. He is studying Italian in high school.
I've always been fascinated by India & had the priviledge of befriending an Indian gentleman when I lived in Toronto. He was "just off the boat," so to speak, but his English was pretty good. We worked security together, even though he was one of the leading microbiologists in the world. Canada didn't recognize his credentials. He was very kind & wise & eventually moved out West, where he got a better paying job that was more in his field.
Thanks for bringing up the memories. :)
I hadn't noticed it's not soooo expensive to stay connected worldwide. well, almost worldwide. there are still places like here (Yola) to experience, well, Old School Charm.
Learn a language that amuses you. I like hot weather so I chose Arabic. (That's not the only reason :) ) If you love beer, try Irish :0 etc. If you think German sounds romantic, like in porn or whatever...ok, never mind.
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