Languages are an integral tool for expression, communication and co-operation. It is
estimated that up to 7,000 different languages are spoken around the world. Those
7,000 languages open doors to thousands of different cultures, millions of
conversations, and billions of different people. However, in the UK, these doors
seem to be a one-way entry. Only those who can speak our language may enter
whilst we stay inside those doors, shut away from the rest of the world. Not only that,
but more chains and locks are being added. This is due to the rising of the unofficial
lingua franca: the English language, which dominates spheres of business; science;
technology and diplomacy- despite only being the 3rd most widely spoken language,
with 380 million native speakers. This complacency within our language has led to a
language drought.
Despite not being the most widely spoken language, English is the most common
second language around the globe. Knowing English as a second language can
even elevate people’s chance of earning higher wages. Bilingualism globally can
lead to an overall salary increase of 12.7%, but if either your first or second language
is English, those prospects are potentially even higher. Sadly, this popularity has led
to complacency within the UK, and our attitudes towards learning languages. In High
schools in the EU, 60% of students study two or more compulsory languages. Yet in
the Uk since 2004, languages have not been compulsory after the age of 14. Hence
the push for learning languages is much stronger outside of the UK.
“Lorsqu’on analyse les statistiques sur le bilinguisme mondial, le Royaume-Uni figure
parmi les pays les moins bien classés. Seuls 20% des Britanniques se déclarent
bilingues, dont les trois langues les plus parlĂ©es sont toutes europĂ©ennes.” Let me
provide a translation: When you dissect the statistics on global bilingualism, the UK
is one of the lowest. only 20% of the Uk declare to be bilingual, within which the top
3 languages are European. However, you may not have needed that translation. You
may have already used google translate for that, another lock that keeps the UK
from being able to really immerse themselves in bilingual communication. Online
translators are adding to the fatigue to learn languages, and some students have
become reliant on such translators. This means the drive to learn languages is
constantly declining.
However, even those with the desire to learn are facing obstacles. As of a report in
July 2025, it has been noted that since 2014, 17 post-1992 universities have lost
their MFL degrees, bringing total closures in these universities to 28. This left
modern languages in only 10 of these universities. More recently, there has also
been a spike in closing language courses in prominent Russel Group universities
too, seeing Cardiff University and now University of Nottingham joining these
conversations. When decisions are made to cut courses, languages are almost
always first on the chopping block, along with other humanities subjects, like music.
Restricting the means to learn languages only catalyses the dictatorship of the
English Language, and linguistic lethargy.
There will always be the stigma that learning languages is nowhere near as
important as learning STEM subjects. If I had a pound for every time someone told
me my degree was useless, I wouldn’t need to be studying for a French degree… I’d
be rich already. Yet what people fail to recognise is that multiple studies have
demonstrated the earning potential of language degrees, including the Oxford
Learning College study of 2022 which put languages as the 6th best degree for
earning potential. Additionally, translators are so valuable, they recognise nuances
that online translators cannot, retaining a sense of humanity in the translation field.
However, the benefits of learning languages are numerous and constantly glossed
over. Languages are the key to culture; English dominance is a cultural thief. It stops
us from being able to witness and fully immerse ourselves in culture from all around
the world. Knowing even just a slither about the language or the culture opens you
up to a whole different world. We will always be on the sidelines of that if English
remains dominant.
Knowledge of other languages is seen to have multiple other benefits as well: It is
seen to be linked with having a better memory; studies have shown that those who
study languages have a higher competence for mathematical subjects as well, due
to languages being linked to pattern recognition; and being bilingual has been
proven to elicit a lower risk or delayed onset of dementia.
It also has effects in the political sphere too. There is a feeling of elitism with the
English language, which creates disadvantages for those who cannot speak it.
English is the official language of the United Nations, the European Union, the
African Union and multiple other organisations. This complacency means many of
our UK diplomats are also monolingual. Today, only 20% of our UK Foreign Office
has any language background. Politically, the English language runs a dictatorship.
Luckily, many people do still recognise the beauty of languages. Artist Edward De
Waal says, “with languages, you are at home anywhere.” Ludwig Wittgenstein, a
British philosopher, states “the limits of my language mean the limits of my world.”
and famous translator Kato Lomb adds “We should learn languages because
language is the only thing worth knowing even poorly.” The way to combatting this
linguistic drought is not by perfecting languages by any means. The whole world
does not need to be bilingual or trilingual. We just need to reopen our minds to the
languages, to the cultures, and to the people who share this world with us.
We must stop supressing languages.