But it makes _no sense_

[andrewducker]

At least, none that I've discovered so far.

According to The Guardianthe global spread of English is a threat to the UK..  This is because:

as the number of people around the world who speak English nears 2 billion, the advantage traditionally enjoyed by UK citizens is disappearing, with millions of students in other countries speaking English and at least one other language.

The reports author says

"When we are in competition economically, educationally or culturally, conversing in English alone is no longer enough." The report found that English is not taught as a foreign language in many countries, including China and India. Instead it is seen as a "basic universal skill."

So because everyone else now speaks our language we're at a _disadvantage_?

Oh no!  We can work anywhere in the world, with absolutely anyone and be understood across the entire of the financial and technical industries, whatever will we do!

Can someone please explain to me what the problem is?

Comments

[octopoid-horror.livejournal.com]

I'll presume this is one of those joke posts.

In the same way that someone with a certificate in something looks better than something who doesn't know how to do it; someone who speaks two "business" languages well looks better than someone who doesn't. A lot, lot better.

If you try and get a job in foreign climes, your lack of any language other than English -is- a disadvantage, while if a chap from said foreign climes is trying to get a job here, then he'll speak both his own language AND English. It is an advantage for them, because THEY can work elsewhere, you can't.

Just because lots of people can speak English, this doesn't mean that when Joe Lives-Somewhere-Foreign calls his local tech support, he is going to want to speak English. If the tech support is based there, he might reasonably expect them to speak the local language. Which'd mean you wouldn't have a chance of working there. Someone -from- there, on the other hand, will have the pick of that job, or one just down the corridor from you in Edinburgh.

I don't know if things have changed, but last time I paid attention, England (at the least) was notoriously lazy as far as learning other languages etc went.

Please tell me this was a joke post?

[andrewducker]

Nope, not a joke post. I really was struggling to see where we were at a disadvantage. I suspect we will have problems if we want to do phone-support for (say) China - but for that to be the case the world financial situation would have to be staggeringly different.

And as I said, having more than one language is handy, but I'm still not convinced we're at an actual disadvantage because other people are learning English.

[laserboy.livejournal.com]

Do you mean England or Britain?

Wales seems to be doing quite well for itself as far as multi-lingual populations go. Scotland hopes to go the same route with its gaelic initiatives.

Note that this actually supports your point, as I totally agree with it and you've explained it well. However I'm just calling for clarification on the country you're talking about.