Press Release

Language - Your Safety Blanket

2007 June, 26

Knowledge of a second language, or better still, the ability to converse in the local tongue while traveling abroad, can be an invaluable safety tool.

Expansion of the European Union and improvement in foreign relations, fuelled by globalisation, has opened borders and British residents of all ages and situations have been bitten by the travel bug.

However, in the current climate of terrorist conflict and continued unrest in certain parts of the world, safety is on everyone’s minds when traveling to another country. People, as well as the government and the travel industry, are taking extra precautions. Airport security has increased notably, baggage controls have become much stricter and people are being urged to travel in groups, refrain from visiting politically unstable places and register all travel plans with appropriate British authorities.

Being able to speak the local language, even if it’s only basic phrases, automatically puts you ahead of the pack and gains you an understanding of intercultural communications, so that you can integrate and interact much more freely.

Not only does this enable you to have a much more enjoyable experience – all of a sudden you can order a glass of wine, read the menu, or chat up a cute local – it is also an important safety measure.

Knowing the language increases your confidence, in the sense that you know that you will be able to understand and follow instructions in an emergency situation, you will be able to read directions and will be in a position to explain your situation to local authorities much more proficiently.

It is common knowledge amongst locals in many of the less developed parts of the world that police in those areas are not English educated. Therefore, it is also common practise to perform the so-called ‘language test’ on tourists. Should they fail to understand a basic question, they are deemed a perfect target for petty crime, as even the local authorities will not bother investigating a claim that they cannot understand.

After finishing school, many young people choose to take a gap year from study and travel abroad. As keen as parents are to let them benefit from this valuable life experience, they constantly worry for their safety, regardless of destination. Similarly, many retirees are now opting to use their savings and pension funds for travel, while their children at home worry for their elderly parents.

English, as a second language, has been taught in schools worldwide for many years and a large population of educated people worldwide are either fluent in English or capable of holding a conversation on some level. It is wrong and dangerous however, to assume that everywhere British residents travel, they will be able to get by with only English. That is not the case. In some places, this assumption may even cause offense.

Figures released by the European Commission show that 50 per cent of EU residents speak at least one language other than their mother tongue. Many member states claim a second or third language proficiency for more than 80 or 90 per cent of population, while the UK lags well behind with only 30 per cent of people speaking a language other than English. We scrape in at second lowest by one per cent.

Children in the UK are not being encouraged or even offered enough opportunity to learn a foreign language. In 2004, the government ceased compulsory language education in secondary schools past the age of 14, meaning that upon graduation most children in the UK have no knowledge of any language other than English, because if a language is not practiced it’s as good as lost.

Since schools are not providing this opportunity, it is up to parents to help their children gain these valuable skills that will benefit both their future career and social development. It can be as easy as giving them access to a computer and Rosetta Stone language learning software, to allow them to learn at their own pace at home with this interactive product. It is also a great option for adults, who may not have the time or the inclination to attend language classes.

People these days take extraordinary measures to stay safe while overseas. Learning the language should definitely be high on the list, especially since it is something that will come in handy so often and will be beneficial in other areas of life, like career progression, overseas work placement or study abroad.

Peggy Lohmann
Rosetta Stone