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In a report published in 1992 the Overseas Students Trust in London declared that "Britain still lags in languages." Echoing similar calls from the National Association of Headteachers, the Trust strongly encouraged schools in Britain to teach foreign languages from as early an age as possible and with a clear emphasis on practical linguistic skills.
According to a poll conducted earlier this year, sponsored by the European Commission in an effort to learn about languages in the European Community (EC), British, French, and Irish politicians and civil servants were the Community's worst "Euro-linguists." The Dutch, Luxembourgers, Danes, and Greeks emerged as significantly more adept at speaking two or more languages.
My previous columns discussing mobility and the single European market have stressed the importance of linguistic ability. As competition between European companies (and between European companies and U.S. and Japanese ones operating within the EC) intensifies, linguists could well become an increasingly scarce resource. Indeed, people who are fluent in several languages will be the most likely to rise to management positions in European industry and commerce in the years to come.
Currently the foreign language most widely spoken in Europe is English, followed by French and German. Indeed, the growth in the number of English classes offered has been a significant feature in language schools across the continent. The Berlitz International chain of language schools, with about 140 branches currently active, estimates that English accounts for an estimated 50% of the market.
Some 84% of young people in the EC member states are currently learning English as a second language. The percentage of young people learning English as a foreign language is 100% in Denmark, 95% in the Netherlands, 91% in Luxembourg, 90% in France, and 84% in Germany.
What is the current status of language learning in the schools of Europe? Clear evidence is emerging that an early start is both desirable and common. In Denmark, English (the first foreign language) is compulsory for all students in the folkeskole (the common school) starting at age 11, but some Danish educators are calling for total bilingualism in schools...