Why Learn English?
by Margaret Watson
The question should really be ‘Why not?’
Have you seen any of Michael (Monty Python) Palin’s television programmes? Wherever he goes – ‘From Pole to Pole’ or ‘Around theWorld’ and now he is visiting Eastern Europe – in all those places he manages in English, because there is always someone who speaks it from the Dalai Lama to an Estonian train driver.That person could be you.
English is everywhere. The Internet for example is a virtually English medium. That said, it is difficult to assess the exact percentage of English speakers in the world, because there are so many different kinds of English – American , Australian, African, Indian. In England alone there are huge differences between formal English and the dialect and accent of someone from Northumbria or Cornwall.
But differences aside it is always worth knowing another language, if only because it increases your chances of romance. If you only speak one extra language you can chat with people who understand it, and because so many people understand some English, if you are going to learn a language this is the one to choose.
I was with an international group of about 20 people recently in Romania. Between us we spoke 6 languages as our mother tongue. Only one person didn’t speak any English. Guess who didn’t have a partner by the end of the week? Not that we thought the less of the other languages, but English was our common factor.
It also looks good on your C.V. So many companies these days have international connections that someone with a second language will always have the advantage.
And it isn’t difficult any more. When my father first went to school everyone spoke English except him. He had to learn it with difficulty, learning rules of grammar and pronunciation that were far removed from the language of home. In those days no concessions were made for non-native speakers. Later you could not distinguish him from any other person in the school, but it was hard at only 5 years old. Nowadays we have multiple ways of learning; with tapes, the internet, even computer programmes that will match your pronunciation against that of a native.
Travel is easier so the chances of meeting native English speakers is that much higher, wherever you live, this means you can practise. English as a second language courses are everywhere and of course there are internet magazines like this one. On Sunday I heard a lady give a speech. Just over a year ago she could only say ‘Hello’ and she is a housewife. Her daughter of 15 who is out and about much more used English at a very academic level on the same day – yet she didn’t even know how to say ‘Hello’ a year or so earlier.
I once did a university course in another language – in that case Spanish. The first session we all talked about our reasons for learning it. 3 of us planned to work in a Spanish speaking country, another one had business reasons – their company traded with Spain. Some just thought it might be useful and were doing it as part of a degree in Modern Languages or South American studies. One had a Spanish speaking fiancée and wanted to be able to speak to his mother-in-law – yes really! And finally there was a lady whose grandchildren were being bought up in Spain and she wanted to be able to talk to them on the telephone.
Any of those reasons could apply to you and English. And don’t worry too much about accent. I for one find English spoken with a certain accent very attractive, and I’m not alone.
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