The decline in the number of college students studying foreign languages in the United States poses a threat to national security. Despite increasing globalization, enrollments in commonly taught languages such as French, German, and Spanish have dropped significantly since 2009. The decline is not limited to these languages, as enrollments in less commonly taught languages like Chinese, Japanese, and Arabic have also fallen. This trend is concerning, especially given the current tensions between Russia and Ukraine, as the decline in Russian language study is particularly pronounced. Although Arabic language study saw a brief increase after 9/11, it has since declined. The overall decline in language study is attributed to factors such as a lack of awareness about the importance of language skills, budget cuts, and a focus on other skills like computer literacy. This decline in language study has implications for professions related to national defense and diplomacy, where language skills are crucial. Efforts are being made to promote language study, but the decline continues. [c31d3846]
According to a recent article from Yahoo Finance, the English language continues to dominate globally, with many English-speaking countries around the world. The article provides a list of 20 English-speaking countries by population, excluding the US and UK. It highlights the significance of the English language in business and discusses the concentration of English-speaking countries in Africa due to colonial history. The article also mentions companies like Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, and Coursera that offer English language courses.
The article emphasizes the economic environment and growth opportunities in Africa, mentioning countries like Sierra Leone, Papua New Guinea, Greece, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Australia, Cameroon, Ghana, Canada, Sudan, and Uganda. It also briefly touches on other topics such as investment sentiment towards China, student loans, 3D-printed houses, Charlie Munger's housing choice, yield in the stock market, a lawsuit involving Berkshire Hathaway and the Haslam family, tax breaks for older Americans, the semiconductor industry, home prices, and GenZ's approach to work.
While the article highlights the global significance of the English language, it also underscores the decline in language study among US college students. The decline in foreign language study has implications for national security, particularly in professions related to defense and diplomacy where language skills are crucial. Efforts to promote language study are ongoing, but the decline continues to be a concern. [cb99b956]
According to a scan by web-scanning firm W3Techs, English is the most dominant language on the internet, with over half of all websites using English as their primary language. Chinese and Hindi, the second and third most-spoken languages in the world, account for only 1.4% and 0.07% of domains, respectively. Many non-European languages, such as Bengali and Urdu, are nearly impossible to find online. This language imbalance on the internet has been a concern for organizations like UNESCO, who fear that only a handful of languages will be prominently spoken and used online in the future. The data comes from scans of publicly available websites and may not include content behind logins or non-English communities on English-language sites. The language imbalance on the internet is also reflected in the development of artificial intelligence, as publicly available text is often used to train language models. [841b53d3]
French linguist Bernard Cerquiglini has written a book titled 'The English language doesn't exist: it's badly pronounced French' to highlight the linguistic tangle between English and French since the Norman conquest of 1066. Cerquiglini explores the influence of Norman French on English, particularly during the 13th and 14th centuries when French words bled into English due to their importance in trade, administration, and law. He notes that around 40 percent of the words in Shakespeare's works are of French origin. Cerquiglini also discusses the defensiveness in Paris regarding the use of 'Anglo-Saxon' words in modern French and the role of the Academie Francaise in preserving the language. He sees the cross-pollination between English and French as an example for the Francophonie and hopes that English will survive the trend towards simplified forms of the language. Cerquiglini believes that automatic translation can help preserve local languages while enabling free communication. [5ab12dd9]
Former Harvard president Lawrence Summers questioned the value of learning another language in 2012, but subsequent years have proven him wrong. While AI translation has improved, it lacks the human element and cultural sensitivity of learning a language. English's dominance is being challenged by languages like Chinese and Spanish. Employers now seek workers with multiple language skills, leaving monolingual English speakers at a disadvantage. Native English speakers' resistance to learning other languages is a recurring concern. Only a quarter of the world's population has competence in English, leaving monolingual English speakers politically and culturally isolated. English is the most widely spoken language with 1.5 billion speakers, followed by Mandarin Chinese, Hindi, and Spanish. The decision to learn English varies widely within and between countries. Spanish may become a viable successor to English. Decision makers should accept English as part of multilingualism and educate citizens who can transcend linguistic and cultural borders. [d4182a58]
Catherine Churchman, a historian, linguist, and artist, discusses the decline in interest in learning Mandarin in New Zealand. She attributes the decline to several factors, including the unappealing traditional Chinese culture promoted by the Chinese government, the boring manner in which the language is taught, and the disconnect between Chinese language education and China itself. Churchman also criticizes the Confucius Institutes for promoting a monoculture of Mandarin and for excluding other Chinese languages. She argues that the lack of interest in learning Mandarin is not solely the fault of the Chinese Communist Party, but also due to underfunding and a lack of curiosity in the Anglophone world. Churchman suggests making Chinese language education more engaging and diverse to attract more learners. [a9c14e02]
In Hong Kong, there is a discussion about the need for schools to recognize that English is a foreign language and adjust their approach to English instruction. The implementation of the senior secondary curriculum in 2009 shifted the focus of English instruction from grammar translation to communicative language teaching. However, many students in Hong Kong do not have a sufficient English learning environment and may have questions about grammar and vocabulary. The exclusive use of English for classroom instruction may not be effective. The notion of translanguaging, which advocates learning an additional language with the support of multilingual resources, has gained attention in language-learning research. It is suggested that it is time to re-emphasize grammar in secondary school English education. Another letter in response to the article argues that senior secondary students should not skip grammar and that the current curriculum fails to provide training in metalinguistic skills. The letter suggests revamping school-based assessment to assess students' understanding of English grammar. [5971b13c]
According to an article from the South China Morning Post, Australia's lack of Asian language mastery is undermining its regional influence. Language courses have seen little to no improvement since a 1994 national push to prioritize Asian languages. Australia's language-skills deficit is symptomatic of its broader retreat from active regional engagement. The country's economic and political influence in Southeast Asia is now negligible. The problem is not a lack of awareness, but a lack of tangible results and a need for a fundamental rethink of Australia's place in the world. Despite government pledges for change, Asian language learning and teaching have continued to stagnate in Australia. The Asian Studies Association of Australia has expressed deep concern over the recent closures of language programs at several universities. Australia risks falling behind if it maintains a 'monolingual mind' and the perception that English is sufficient for communication in Asia. To improve language education, Australia's education department is committed to enhancing Asia literacy, but overall language enrollment remains low. Real progress will only happen once Australia reassesses its place in the world and accepts the emergence of a new, Asian-led regional dynamic. [22c7acae]
According to an article from the South China Morning Post, the popularity of Mandarin is declining in the United States. The weakening Chinese economy and strained US-China relations are attributed to the fading interest in learning Mandarin among Americans. Chinese studies at US universities dropped by 26% in 2021. The cooling off of the Chinese economy has reduced job opportunities for Americans with Chinese proficiency. Additionally, the coronavirus pandemic has impacted after-school Mandarin study programs. On the other hand, the Korean language is gaining popularity in the US due to the influence of Korean popular culture. American perceptions of China's early role in the pandemic and negative reporting on China have also steered students away from learning Chinese. The decline in interest in learning Mandarin in the US has implications for cultural and economic exchanges between the two countries. [739ecf99]