| When the world talks about science, culture, | | | | has a built-in significance for English speakers, |
| economy or politics, it speaks English. English | | | | even without a direct relationship with English. (3 |
| speakers don't really need a second language at | | | | points). The cultural significance of Brazil, one of |
| all. So, what's the use of a second language when | | | | the largest nations of the Americas, is continually |
| the first one is enough? English speakers can look | | | | growing. (1 point). (Total: 4 points). |
| for the luxury items: cultural and linguistic | | | | 9. Mandarin: The official Chinese language has had |
| enrichment. In this article, I will evaluate the | | | | very little influence on English. It has influenced |
| world's major languages for their usefulness to | | | | other national languages of the areas, such as |
| English speakers, according to three different | | | | Korean and Japanese, and the other "dialects" of |
| criteria: | | | | China. The Chinese written characters are the |
| | | | same for all of these dialects, and many of these |
| 1. Demographics: Opportunity to use the language | | | | characters are used in Japanese as well. (2 points). |
| actively: the number of native and second | | | | Chinese culture, with over two thousand years of |
| language speakers, and the chances of | | | | history, is quite significant, if not directly applicable |
| communicating with them in this language: use as | | | | to English speaking civilization. (1.5 point). (Total: 3.5 |
| a lingua franca. It's not simply a matter of | | | | points). |
| numbers. Mandarin is by far the most spoken | | | | 10. Swahili: As the only sub-Saharan language in |
| language but it is concentrated in one country, | | | | the group, it serves to introduce the learner to |
| China, and that reduces the impact. In the case of | | | | one of the richest linguistic areas of the Earth. It |
| Hindi, educated speakers will very likely also speak | | | | is from the Bantu family of languages, but it |
| English, so the opportunity to speak to people in | | | | incorporates many words from Arabic, Persian, |
| Hindi is greatly reduced. | | | | English and French. (1.5 points). It is the language |
| 2. Personal Impact: This subjective criterion looks | | | | of trade along the East African coast, and as |
| at the impact on the learner. How does this | | | | such, is richly descriptive of the culture there. The |
| language study increase the learner's own | | | | West African diaspora into the Americas is one of |
| sophistication regarding languages, whether English | | | | the great mass migrations of the past 500 years, |
| or another, third language? How does this | | | | but because of its tragic social dynamics, it has |
| language make the learner a more culturally | | | | left many millions of people cut off from African |
| literate person? | | | | culture. Swahili, although it is East African and not |
| 3. Business factors: How will this language open | | | | West African, can help to fill that gap. (1.5 points). |
| new business and commercial opportunities? | | | | (Total: 3 points). |
| Criterion I. Demographics: I begin with | | | | 11. Turkish: Though it has little direct relationship to |
| demographics because this is the criterion that | | | | English, it is the major language of a family of |
| first comes to mind in such a discussion. However, | | | | languages that extend eastward to the Chinese |
| this factor only weighs 40 percent in the ratings, | | | | interior. It has been influenced by Persian, Kurdish |
| and certain entries here, such as Italian, Swahili | | | | and Arabic, and thus gives some introduction to |
| and Turkish, will only become understandable | | | | those languages. (1.5 points). It also represents the |
| when one sees the tables that follow. | | | | culture of the Ottoman traditions, and of modern |
| | | | Turkey and Central Asian Turkistan. (1 point). |
| 1. Spanish: Approx. 350 million native speakers, | | | | (Total: 2.5 points). |
| with many second language speakers in the | | | | 12. Japanese: This language has had little impact on |
| Americas, North Africa and elsewhere. It is the | | | | English and it provides little insight into other |
| official language of about 20 countries. (6 points). | | | | languages. It does, however, include many words |
| It is an important lingua franca in the Western | | | | from Chinese, and uses numerous Chinese |
| Hemisphere and the Mediterranean, (3 points). | | | | characters. (0.5 points). This island nation has been |
| (Total: 9 points). | | | | one of the most successful exporters of culture |
| 2. French: Despite a relatively small native language | | | | of the Far East during the past century. (1.5 |
| base of 130 million, French has a major presence | | | | points). (Total: 2 points). |
| internationally, with a large second language | | | | Criterion III. Economic Impact. Is this language |
| population all over the world and official language | | | | useful in the world of commerce and business? |
| status in over 25 countries. It is the working | | | | Certainly English is by far the most useful |
| language of many international organizations (4 | | | | language for business, but a knowledge of other |
| points). It is also the most recognized lingua | | | | key languages can be a distinct advantage. |
| franca, after English. (4 points). (Total: 8 points). | | | | Twenty percent in the ratings: |
| 3. Arabic: Arabic speakers are hard to quantify. | | | | |
| Modern Standard Arabic is a second dialect for | | | | 1. French: has a long history as a language of |
| 250 million people worldwide, but it is quite | | | | commerce and trade. It is extremely important in |
| difference from the spoken Arabic in each of the | | | | the developing world, especially Africa. France |
| 20 countries where it is official. It is an official | | | | itself is the world's sixth largest economy. (4 |
| language of the United Nations and of many | | | | points). |
| international organizations. It is also the language | | | | 2. Spanish: the language of commerce and trade in |
| of Islam. (4.5 points). Arabic is a major lingua | | | | Latin America. Spain is the world's ninth largest |
| franca. (2 points). (Total: 6.5 points). | | | | economy and Mexico is its fourteenth largest. (4 |
| 4. Russian: Estimates are as high as 185 million for | | | | points). |
| the native speaking population, and it is the | | | | 3. German: often used for business in Central |
| second language in all the nations of the former | | | | Europe. Germany is the world's third largest |
| Soviet Union (3 points). Russia spent much of the | | | | economy. (3 points). |
| Twentieth Century securing the position of its | | | | 4. Japanese: can be extremely helpful in dealing |
| language as the lingua franca in Eastern Europe | | | | with Japanese business. Japan is the world's |
| and Central Asia, and it continues to serve in that | | | | second largest economy. (3 points). |
| capacity, in a greatly diminished way. (2 points). | | | | 5. Mandarin: China has recently become the world's |
| (Total: 5 points). | | | | fourth largest economy, and it continues to grow. |
| 5. Mandarin: It's the native language of 875 million | | | | (3 points). |
| people, however, they are concentrated in one | | | | 6. Russian: Used in a part of the world where |
| country, China. It is a second language for the | | | | English is not well-known. Russia is the eleventh |
| rest of China, Taiwan, and for Chinese community | | | | largest economy and is moving up in the rankings. |
| world-wide. It has little currency beyond its ethnic | | | | (2 points). |
| boundaries and serves as lingua franca only in this | | | | 7. Portuguese: Brazil is the tenth largest economy, |
| context. (Total: 3 points). | | | | and continues to grow. (2 points). |
| 6. German: It has approx. 120 million native | | | | 8. Arabic: the language of commerce and trade |
| speakers and many second language speakers | | | | for the Middle East and the Persian Gulf. (2 points). |
| throughout Europe. (2 points). It has had | | | | 9. Hindustani: is used in the world's twelfth largest |
| moderate success re-establishing itself as the | | | | economy, however, English is often the language |
| lingua franca of Central Europe, after the | | | | of business in this area. (2 points). |
| disastrous history of the past century, however, | | | | 10. Italian: is the language of commerce in Italy, |
| this role has been taken up in the meantime by | | | | the world's seventh largest economy. (1.5 points). |
| Russian and English (1 point). (Total: 3 points). | | | | 11. Swahili: is the language of business along the |
| 7. Hindustani: It includes Urdu at one end and Hindi | | | | east coast of Africa. (1 point). |
| at the other, with approx. 185 million native | | | | 12. Turkish: is used in the world's seventeenth |
| speakers in India, and 50 million in Pakistan. It is a | | | | largest economy, and to some extent in Central |
| second language for another 180 million people in | | | | Asia. (1 point). |
| these country. It has not had success as a lingua | | | | By these criteria we can come up with a ranking |
| franca outside of this context, as that purpose is | | | | of the 12 most useful languages for an English |
| served by English. It has also been burdened by | | | | speaker to learn: |
| the reluctance of the Dravidian speaking people of | | | | |
| South India to adopt it. (Total: 2.5 points). | | | | 1. French: 24 points |
| 8. Swahili: It is spoken natively by 5 million people | | | | 2. Spanish: 21 points |
| and by another 50 million as a second language | | | | 3. Arabic: 13.5 points |
| along the East African coast. It's the official | | | | 4. German: 12 points |
| language of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania (1 point). | | | | 5. Russian: 11 points |
| Swahili is the accepted lingua franca in that area, | | | | 6. Italian: 10.5 points |
| having achieved nearly neutral "tribal" status on a | | | | 7. Hindustani 9.5 points |
| continent where language is politics, but for | | | | 8. Mandarin: 9.5 points |
| dealings with the world beyond, it is normally | | | | 9. Portuguese: 8 points |
| eclipsed by Arabic, English and French (1.5 points). | | | | 10. Swahili: 6.5 points |
| (Total: 2.5 points). | | | | 11. Japanese: 5.5 points |
| 9. Portuguese: Spoken by approx. 190 million | | | | 12. Turkish: 5.5 points |
| people, it is the official language of Portugal, Brazil, | | | | Some readers may be familiar with George |
| Mozambique, Angola and other states. It has not | | | | Weber's well-known piece entitled, Top Languages, |
| as yet been able to establish itself as a widely | | | | which first appeared in the journal Languages |
| used lingua franca. (Total: 2 points). | | | | Today in 1997. His study rated languages |
| 10. Turkish: It is spoken by 70 million people in | | | | according to their influence in world affairs and |
| Turkey and Cyprus (1 point). It provides an | | | | world culture. It is interesting, at this point to |
| alternative lingua franca throughout the Turkic | | | | compare them. Here are Weber's results: |
| speaking lands of Central Asia, replacing the more | | | | |
| alien Russian (1 point). (Total: 2 points). | | | | 1. English: 37 points |
| 11. Japanese: It is spoken by 125 million people in | | | | 2. French: 23 |
| Japan, but has little currency as a second language | | | | 3. Spanish: 20 |
| or a lingua franca. (Total: 1 point). | | | | 4. Russian: 16 |
| 12. Italian: It is spoken by 60 million people in Italy, | | | | 5. Arabic: 14 |
| it is also the official language of the Vatican. It has | | | | 6. Chinese: 13 |
| little or no significance as a second language or a | | | | 7. German: 12 |
| lingua franca. (1 point). | | | | 8. Japanese: 10 |
| Criterion II: Personal Impact: This is the major | | | | 9. Portuguese: 10 |
| consideration for the English speaker. It weighs 40 | | | | 10. Hindi/Urdu: 9 pts. |
| percent in my ratings. How will the learning of this | | | | The rankings are similar, with some major |
| language help one's understanding of English? How | | | | differences. My criteria are based on tangible and |
| will knowledge of this language open up a portal to | | | | intangible benefits for the English speaker which |
| other related languages? For the first question, | | | | are not heavily weighed in Weber's paradigm. |
| Latin languages hold a distinct advantage, since the | | | | Thus, this subjective focus skewers my results in |
| prestige, erudite forms of English are all | | | | favor of European languages due to the cultural |
| constructed out of a Latin vocabulary. The | | | | affinity of English for the languages of Western |
| second question favors languages which are seen | | | | civilization. |
| as leading languages in particular linguistic families, | | | | Heritage Languages: The most striking example of |
| wherever they may be located in the world. | | | | a difference is my ranking of Italian as number 6, |
| | | | whereas it does not figure in Weber's top ten. My |
| 1. French: It holds a particular position among Latin | | | | justification for Italian is the phenomenon of the |
| languages, in that it has been the major conduit of | | | | "heritage language", i.e., a language that has |
| Latin vocabulary into English for the past one | | | | usefulness in our understanding and appreciation of |
| thousand years. Fully 30 percent of English words | | | | the past, rather than in the future. Italian is the |
| come from French, (6 points). In cultural terms, | | | | vehicle for our understanding of ancient history, |
| the centrality of France to European civilization | | | | the development of Latin languages, Renaissance |
| cannot be overestimated, adding 6 more points. | | | | Art and classical music. It is also the ancestral |
| (Total: 12 points) | | | | language of over 100 million people strategically |
| 2. Spanish: This Latin language has enormous | | | | placed in both North and South America. For |
| influence on the English of the Americas. It has, in | | | | these reasons, it is the heritage language par |
| turn, been influenced by Arabic and the indigenous | | | | excellence. Other languages that benefit from this |
| languages of pre-Columbian America, giving insight | | | | heritage factor in my listings are German and |
| into those languages. (4 points). Spanish culture | | | | Swahili. |
| continues to move into the forefront of Western | | | | Point values for English? French, with 24 points, is |
| civilization, ironically, often because of the | | | | number one in my listing. Where does English |
| patronage of its greatest rival, North American | | | | stand in relation? If rating it for usefulness for |
| English (4 points). (Total: 8 points). | | | | speakers of other languages, I would give it 10 |
| 3. Italian: It is the direct descendant of Latin. Thus, | | | | points in each category, for a total of 50 points. I |
| a knowledge of Italian gives the learner an | | | | think that the extraordinary position of English in |
| exceptionally clear idea of the classical language. | | | | today's world is indisputable, and considering it to |
| By the same token, it is the central romance | | | | be twice as useful as its closest competition, |
| language, and the study of a second or third | | | | French, is not a great stretch of the imagination. |
| romance language is greatly facilitated when the | | | | The only English point assignment that may |
| first one learned is Italian. (4 points). Italian also | | | | require explanation is ten points for linguistic value. |
| opens up a store of cultural knowledge dating | | | | The value of English in this area for world |
| back two thousand years, and representing, with | | | | speakers is quite wide reaching and significant. |
| the Roman Empire, the Catholic tradition and the | | | | English is the vehicle for the spread of the classical |
| Italian Renaissance, some of the very highest | | | | Latin vocabulary for abstract concepts, for the |
| achievements of European civilization. (4 points). | | | | Greco-Roman terms for government, science, |
| (Total: 8 points). | | | | philosophy, etc. It absorbs world vocabulary |
| 4. German: The linguistic significance for English | | | | without major spelling changes, effectively |
| speakers is great. German provides a clear | | | | spreading new terminology from a variety of |
| presentation of the Germanic roots of English, and | | | | sources. As the official language of international |
| of the syntactic and grammatical logic of the basic | | | | organizations, it serves as a showplace for each |
| English language. As the major Germanic language | | | | nation and organization to present itself to the |
| it can also be considered a portal to other | | | | world. Like the other "empire" languages of |
| Germanic languages such as Dutch and Yiddish. (4 | | | | Western Europe, French and Spanish, English is |
| points). German culture is also greatly appreciated | | | | propagated by native speakers worldwide with no |
| in Western culture, and its philosophers and artists | | | | ethnic, social or political relationship to its |
| are key figures. (2 points). (Total: 6 points). | | | | motherland. But English goes one step further, |
| 5. Arabic: Although the immediate linguistic impact | | | | English is capable of evolving and developing |
| of the study of Arabic may be hard to discern | | | | completely independently of its native speakers. |
| for the English speaker, the benefits of Arabic in | | | | Second language users of English drive the |
| the study of other languages is high. Arabic has | | | | introduction of new words like "informatics" and |
| greatly influenced other languages of the Middle | | | | "ufology" which gain currency first among these |
| East and the Muslim world in religion, politics, and | | | | speakers. Foreign governments keep close control |
| social life. Also, the study of the Arabic alphabet | | | | of their English language nomenclature, and make |
| opens the way to many other languages, such as | | | | changes through the United Nations and |
| Persian, Urdu, Kurdish, etc. (3 points). Arabic | | | | non-government organizations. These changes are |
| culture has had major influence on western | | | | therefore immediate in English, with no |
| civilization but it remains largely unknown in the | | | | consultation with native speakers necessary. While |
| English speaking world. Knowledge of the language | | | | some European languages are still calling the capital |
| also leads to a greater understanding of Islam. (2 | | | | of China "Peking", English made the switch to |
| points). (Total: 5 points). | | | | "Beijing" during the late 1980s (for proof, look at |
| 6. Hindustani: In its Hindi form, it is a window on | | | | contemporary reports regarding the Tian an Men |
| the origins of the larger Indo-European language | | | | Square events of June, 1989). Recently, the |
| family with its Sanskrit vocabulary. As Urdu, it | | | | switch from Bombay to Mumbai has happened |
| gives a significant introduction to many Persian | | | | before most English speakers have even noticed. |
| and Arabic terms. Urdu also uses the Persian form | | | | Conclusion - The status of English in world affairs |
| of Arabic script, opening the way to wider studies. | | | | puts its native speakers in a unique position. We |
| It is a starting point for the study of other | | | | have the opportunity of living in a provincial |
| languages of the subcontinent, an area rich in | | | | English-only environment in which the world comes |
| languages. (3 points). India's rich culture has | | | | to us, or we can take advantage of this favored |
| become more familiar in the English speaking | | | | position to become acquainted with other cultures |
| world, in large part due to India's ability to project | | | | right within our own language. So, is any second |
| its image through English. However, Hindustani | | | | language really useful for English speakers? No |
| language and Hindi culture are also spread through | | | | study can ever really measure the personal |
| the Bollywood film industry. Pakistan has yet to | | | | importance of second language learning. That is |
| make its presence felt, but the potential is there. | | | | something we have to discover for ourselves. |
| (2 point). (Total: 5 points). | | | | The fact is that every language is well worth the |
| 7. Russian: It has not had major influence in the | | | | effort to learn, as every language is a complete |
| west, given its geographical isolation. It is, | | | | way of describing the universe of human |
| however, the major Slavic language, and as such, | | | | achievement, and thus it's significance is as wide |
| opens the way to many other Eastern European | | | | and as deep as we personally make it. |
| languages. The Cyrillic alphabet, moreover, is a | | | | Note on Statistics: The statistics that I have used |
| tremendous asset for reading many of those | | | | (population, economic ranking, etc.) come from |
| languages. (2 points). Russian high culture thrived | | | | diverse sources: world almanacs, encyclopedias, |
| under both tsarism and communism, and it has a | | | | US government studies. I make no claims about |
| significant place in European civilization. (2 points). | | | | their accuracy, as they are general estimates. |
| (Total: 4 points). | | | | Their importance is in relationship to each other. |
| 8. Portuguese: As a Latin language, Portuguese | | | | |