1. Hayder al ani - Study Reveals
Shortfall of Language Competency in the UK
Languages are the primary means by which humans communicate with one another.
They serve to transfer information, describe our reality and to convey our emotions
succinctly and in a systematic manner. In the United Kingdom, we have a rich tradition of
fostering and promoting our internal languages. As the home and global hub of the
English language, the UK is regarded as the standard bearer when it comes to
promoting the English language and all that it represents. Apart from the universal use of
English, other spoken languages across the UK include Gaelic and Welsh.
When it comes to Britons learning and expressing themselves in other languages and
cultures however, the situation is quite the opposite. Recently a study undertaken by the
British Council (herein BC) has revealed some starting statistics. Out of the 10 major
languages it has identified as important for the country's future, more than three-quarters
of the UK public is not competent enough to hold conversations in such languages.
The YouGov poll undertaken by the BC found that out of 4000 people surveyed, 75%
were unable to speak and articulate in languages deemed as crucial to the UK's future
economic standing. The 10 listed languages included (in order of importance):
Spanish, Arabic, French, Mandarin, German, Portuguese, Italian, Russian, Turkish and
Japanese. Another four were also under the report's radar and described as potentially
important being: Dutch, Indian languages, Korean and Polish.
John Worne, Director of Strategy for the British Council, mentions how the problem with
the current predicament isn't that the wrong languages are being taught at school, but
rather "the UK needs more people to take up the opportunity to learn and, crucially, get
using these languages - along with new ones like Arabic, Chinese and Japanese."
The study found that out of all the 10 listed languages, only French was spoken by a
double-digit percentage (at 15%). The next most widely spoken languages included
German (6%), Spanish (4%) and Italian (2%). Arabic, Japanese, Mandarin and Russian

2. were spoken by around 1%; with Portuguese and Turkish spoken by less than 1% of the
sample population.
The criteria for choosing the top 10 languages were on the basis of educational,
economic, cultural and political indicators. They consider such variables like the current
UK trade balance and relationship, the language needs of doing business, the
government's future trade priorities and direction and emerging high-growth markets (of
particular importance being the BRICS bloc).
The BC has urged the government and business community to work in tandem toward
developing and nurturing an education policy more facilitating toward international
languages. One of the salient recommendations suggested by the BC is to utilize and
harness the diverse language and cultural skills of the UK's diaspora and minority
communities. Rather than trying to integrate them into a "melting pot," society has to do
more to embrace their unique identities and to foster diversity and communication. One
key consequence of such developments is the increased need for professional
translation and interpretation firms to work with minority communities and to promote
their interests with others groups while residing in the UK.
Worne adds that "If we don't act to tackle this shortfall, we'll lose out both economically
and culturally. Schools have their job to do, but it's also a problem of complacency,
confidence and culture - which policy makers, businesses, parents and everyone else in
the UK can help to fix. Languages aren't just an academic issue - they are a practical
route to opportunity for the UK in business, culture and all our lives.
In an effort to minimize the widening language gap between the UK and other advanced
countries, companies like Convocco Limited have stepped up to the plate in order to
promote language diversity and understanding. With a national network of over 6000
interpreters and translators, Convocco works with companies and individuals to facilitate
smooth interpretation and translation between people speaking different languages.
Other similar companies have also followed suit and have taken their own initiatives to
address the communication gap in the UK in the areas of education, business and
politics. Hayder al ani