The Linguist is a languages magazine for professional linguists, translators, interpreters, language professionals, language teachers, trainers, students and academics with articles on translation, interpreting, business, government, technology
Issue link: https://thelinguist.uberflip.com/i/786024
thelinguist.uberflip.com FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 The Linguist 5 It is impossible to predict what languages a child will need as an adult. The range of plausible possibilities is too vast… Given the huge range of languages available, I'd plump for the not-immediately-obvious choices of either Dutch or Italian. Both are (I think) fun to speak and easy to learn. It's not about the language itself, but giving young people an enjoyable experience. This means they will want to continue language studies. 'Arabic? Polish? Dutch? Your Views on the Languages Schools should Teach', 1/12/16 What the papers say… [According to Adzuna co-Founder Doug Monro], "With nobody quite sure whether 'Brexit means Brexit' actually means an end to free movement, the business community will be looking to the UK government for assurances that access to skilled foreign language speakers will not be restricted." …Germany is one of Britain's biggest trade partners and has strong financial services and business ties with the UK. Speaking German will not only get you, in general, the highest- paid job, it is also the language that is in highest demand across job postings. 'The Top 9 Languages for the Highest-Paid Jobs in Britain', 31/12/16 It was thought that the spoken word originated sometime [sic] within the last 70,000 to 100,000 years. However the researchers wrote in the PLOS ONE paper that their findings suggested "spoken languages evolved from ancient articulatory skills already present in our last common ancestor with Cercopithecoidea, about 25 million years ago". As part of their work, they listened to some 1,335 spontaneous vocalizations by 15 male and female Guinea baboons. 'Baboons make Vowel Sounds Similar to Humans Revealing the Evolution of Language, Study Finds', 11/1/17 The latest from the languages world System 'fails' refugees A lack of adequate language provision is making it difficult for refugees to integrate and find work in the UK, according to a new study. Over a three-year period, researchers at the University of Sussex followed 280 people who came to the UK between 2006 and 2010 via the Gateway Protection Programme. Linda Morrice, Senior Lecturer in Education at Sussex, commented: "Overwhelmingly we found people wanted to learn the language and found that this was absolutely vital to their integration, work and independence… Although the assumption is if you are living in England you will come into contact with British people and over time learn the language, it NEWS & EDITORIAL The second Language Show Live Scotland will take place at the SECC, Glasgow on 10-11 March. Among the more than 50 seminars, panel sessions, case studies, talks and performances will be workshops on 'LinkedIn for Linguists' and 'Should Translators and Interpreters Specialise?', organised by CIOL, who will also be at stand 220. This free event provides an opportunity to meet thousands of language professionals, attend language classes and talk to experts. www.languageshowlive.co.uk/scotland Language Show in Glasgow Part of a map showing the average number of languages European pupils learn in secondary education, based on Eurostat's 2013 figures. It shows a high of 2.5 languages studied in Luxembourg, with no data for the UK. actually happens the other way around." The multidisciplinary project, 'Optimising Refugee Resettlement in the UK', gathered information from refugees from Ethiopia, Iraq, Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo and found that the "one-size fits all approach" isn't working. Refugees receive eight hours a week of free English for Speakers of Other Languages (Esol) classes in the first year, but this is not always effective. The problem is likely to be compounded by a £45 million cut to Esol tuition, announced in 2015, when the government also agreed to accept 20,000 Syrian refugees by 2020. http://bit.ly/2iupLFV © SHUTTERSTOCK © JAKUB MARIAN; JAKUBMARIAN.COM