Australia Fights To Save Languages

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Euro London

Australia has more to offer than just beautiful beaches and amazing weather the idyllic country has a number of stunning languages which are sadly dying out. With generations changing and leaving the heritage of Australia in the past, an astonishing 93 per cent of Australia’s indigenous languages have become inexistent. However Australia’s schools will now be provided with guidance when it comes to teaching indigenous languages under a new curriculum document released for public consultation. Other communities in the South of Australia are also doing their part as they are determined that these languages will flourish in generations to come.

Linguist Ghil’ad Zuckermann professor of endangered languages at the University of Adelaide in Australia is on a mission to revive the forgotten languages of the country. With the help of the older generations that still speak the language as well as a 170 year old dictionary; the professor will be strenuously trying to revive the language for future generations. However in order to update the indigenous languages new words will be created to keep up with new inventions since some of these languages had been lost. Words include ‘internet’ and ‘computer’.

It can be argued that when you reclaim a language, you feel empowered. Vincent “Jack”‘ Buckskin stated “It is about self-identity and cultural identity”.[1] Therefore learning a language that has existed for hundreds of years can give you a new found cultural autonomy as you are not only reclaiming a language but also the history of your country and the heritage that it offers.

An example of an indigenous language that has been updated is the Kaurna language which was spoken by the original inhabitants of Adelaide. The language began to disappear from daily use in South Australia as early as the 1860s.

Traditional words

Niinamarni – to say hello to one person; also means are you good
Niinamarnitidli – means good day
Purrunarninthi – means coming alive

Newly-created words

Panpapanpalya – means conference
Warraityi – means phone (literally the voice-sending thing)
Mukarntu – means computer (literally lightening brain) [2]

Does a country you come from have a language that is slowly dying out? If so why not try to preserve it by teaching younger generations.

[1][2]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20066624

Does Bilingualism Cause Language Delay?

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Euro London

Parents that are bilingual tend to want to pass the gift of a second language onto their new born child. With so many benefits of languages in the 21st century and the growing demand for them only expanding, why wouldn’t you want to share this wisdom with your offspring? Well in reality some parents actually worry that teaching or even speaking to a new born child in two different languages can cause confusion and consequently lead to language delay.

It has been known in the Western world that speech specialists and even doctors have advised parents who are bilingual, that they should deter from speaking two languages in front of their child/children. But why you ask? Well according to a percentage of the population, speaking more than one language in front of children that are learning to talk is confusing and will put a dent in their development. As a result many parents have been reluctant to try and converse with their babies in more than one language. The language that is less commonly used in cultural surroundings is suggested to be dropped from teaching.

However if we flash back to reality for a second – this does not need to be acted upon. The assumption that bilingualism causes communication disorders such as language delay is one that is incorrect as research shows that bilingual children begin to speak in exactly the same time frame as monolingual children. The only difference between the two is that bilingual children have the advantage of a second language – not bad for a beginner! Colin Baker, a researcher in childhood bilingualism states that raising children bilingually is sometimes believed to cause language delay, though evidence does not support this. [1] Raising children bilingually neither increases nor does it reduce the chance of language disorder or delay.

The most common difficulty a child who is learning two languages at once faces is the minor confusion between which language to choose from in speech. However, this is extremely common and can even carry on throughout life – but even this (speaking two languages at once) can be seen as a stroke of genius. It is also important to remember that regardless of how many languages a child may be learning to speak, each and every learning ability is different for each individual.

Have you ever faced any language difficulties when teaching an offspring a foreign language?

[1] http://www.multilingualliving.com/2010/05/31/does-bilingualism-multilingualism-cause-language-delay/

Two Languages, One Brain.

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Euro London

Learning a new language can be an extremely long process in order to become fluent – even if you are a native speaker. From the day we were born we are on a mission to speak, the curiosity of language to a child is clear to see as they strenuously try to communicate with us via babbles and gurgles. It’s a fascinating memory when a child says their first word, but even more fascinating when they can speak two languages. Some people accomplish learning languages two or three times over making them bilingual, trilingual or more. In fact it’s incredible the way any brain can function between two languages – so how is it actually done?

Scientists are only beginning to look closer at the mind of a polyglot in order to understand learning influences, behaviour and the brain structure itself when a second, third or fourth language is acquired.

Humans have been known to be simple linguists even inside the womb, before birth. This is because brain mechanisms are fully developed from 30 weeks onwards and therefore are able to hear what their mothers say and absorb elements of the language. Elisabeth Cros, a speech therapist with the Ecole Internationale de New York states that “Before 9 months of age, a baby produces a babble made up of hundreds of phonemes from hundreds of languages.” [1]

Learning two languages whilst a child is young is generally easier as they aren’t fully aware of what they are doing. But how do we choose which language to speak in, with more than one language to choose how does our brain function and not constantly mix between languages? The truth behind this is that the brain, regardless of age, does in fact get confused when juggling more than one language. Ellen Bialystok of Toronto’s York University calls it the dog-chien dilemma. [2] This is when a person who speaks two or more languages toggles between two words in order to describe something.

However there have been numerous studies which identity the benefits of knowing more than one language within education, work and even health. For example studies conducted on both monolinguals and bilinguals showed different results when it came to cognitive decisions. Even though both groups performed tasks accurately it was clear to see that bilinguals performed faster as well as more metabolically economical in executing the cognitive mission, using less energy in the frontal cortex than the monolinguals.

The brain is the most complex organ of our bodies with its function to control the other organs of the body, a vital organ that without it we would cease to exist. As previous studies have proved knowing a second language keeps the brain sharper later on in life. [3] Preliminary imaging work suggests that language behaviour can be visible in the brain. Some studies, for example, have shown a thickening of the cortex in two brain regions but most importantly the left inferior parietal. This part of the brain helps code language and gesturing.

Bialystok has also found differences for bilinguals which suggests denser signalling and complexity of functions due to fatty sheathing that insulates nerves and improves ability to communicate – this may account for the decision making when choosing between which language to use during communication.

Do you face any challenges in communication because you speak more than one language?

[1] [2[http://healthland.time.com/2013/04/23/bilingualism/
[3] http://www.eurolondon.com/blog/en/keeping-your-brain-in-shape/

Could Simplified Communication Lead To Language Extinction?

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Euro London

Is the art of learning languages soon to be a thing of the past? Over years linguists have tried a number of different ways to simplify communication between cultures; this is usually done via the pictograph (signs and symbols).

Pictographs originate from the Ancient Sumerian, Egyptian and Chinese. These early pictographs were ideograms which essentially conveyed meaning via symbols. Pictographs are often used in writing and graphic systems in which the characters are to a considerable extent pictorial in appearance.

Today pictographs are used in similar ways throughout the world in order to communicate at ease between different countries that do not speak the same language. For example ‘emergency exit’ signs, the sign with the little man throwing something in a bin or ‘hazard’ signs – anyone who sees this no matter what language they speak automatically understand the meaning of it. Signs and symbols will only increase as time goes on, but will this leave the population of the world not learning languages?

In many parts of the world pictographs are used on a daily basis at public toilets, airports, around cities and towns when it comes to directions and even now on mobile games such as Angry Birds which is navigated by arrows and not language. Linguists are predicting that as communication becomes more digital and visual, the future of language as the use of symbols and signs are on the increase. What will happen to the use of language leaning if language barriers can be reduced in day to day situations?

There are both advantages and disadvantages of pictographs. A significant advantage is that it can communicate to a large audience of a number of languages and still convey meaning. On the other hand, the disadvantage is they can unfortunately only convey a minuscule amount of information.

Undeniably pictographs make travel significantly easier; helping visitors navigate with ease around the country to see landmarks and sites. But in reality although signs and symbols allow some form of ease within communication, it doesn’t actually assist in human interaction. But general human interaction still counts for a lot for a significant amount of the population. Foreign languages are seen as a successful career tool, particularly with the growing demand for multilingual skills within businesses.

Nevertheless could it be argued that despite the growing need for multilingual skills within businesses, laziness could take over language learning? What do you think? Share your thoughts with us.

Where Have These Words Derived From?

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Euro London

Have you ever thought where words such as ‘booze’ originated from? No? It’s not surprising as many actually think that words such as ‘booze’ are typical British words and therefore originated from there. Astonishingly, this happens in a number of cases due to thousands of decades of languages becoming merged together.

Marmalade, royalty, bungalow are also considered to be typical English words when in fact these just like most other common words do not belong to us at all.

The English language originally derived from German dialects though there are many other individual languages where English has borrowed words from and added to its vocabulary. For example zombie and vampire – ever-popular characters in English-speaking films have roots in West Africa and Hungary.

John Worne, director of strategy at the British Council, said that examining the roots of these words can offer an insight into our history. ‘Many of our most popular and evocative English words – words we couldn’t live without – came from other countries and cultures,’ he said. ‘When we look at their roots, we get a fascinating insight into how the language has been influenced throughout its history. English is not just “our” language – it truly belongs to the whole world, and brings real benefits to anyone who can speak it. [1]

So how did loanwords become a fixture in the English language? In fact it’s all down to myths. Myths that have been told for years upon years make it seem as if these loanwords originated from a particular country due to the story behind it. For example an urban myth implied that the word bungalow was invented when a builder was told to ‘bung a low roof’ on a house after running out of bricks. However, it actually originated in the Bengal region of India.

Here are a few words which are listed in the English language but are in fact loan words derived from other languages across the world:

1. Dollar (German)

2. Booze (Dutch)

3. Bungalow (Hindi or Bengali)

4. Tomato (Aztec Nahuatl – Mexico)

5. Zombie (West African via the Caribbean)

6. Vampire (Hungarian)

7. Parka (Russian)

8. Shampoo (Hindi)

9. Magazine (Arabic)

10. Avatar (Sanskrit).

Have you come across any words that are similar to your native language whilst learning another language?

[1] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2303517/How-English-languages-popular-words-booze-zombie-originated-overseas.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

International Day of Francophonie

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Euro London

The 20^th March celebrated the International Day of Francophonie. The day of French language assisted UNESCO to stress the significance and diversity of linguistics of language. Further to this how a language can bring people together and help portray the understanding and respect between different cultures; all in all quite a fantastic and educational day for all celebrating.

French is one of the most spoken languages in the world and is considered to be one of the most beautiful and romantic languages that exist. According to Irina Bokova, Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, “French draws its strength from the diversity of the peoples and cultures that share it and contribute daily to its enrichment and vibrancy.” [1]

UNESCO is an organisaion set up in order to establish peace on the basis of humanity’s moral and intellectual solidarity. UNESCO strives to build networks among nations that enable this kind of solidarity. [2] UNESCO underlines the importance of linguistic diversity as a condition for sincere and authentic international cooperation. Through this, individuality can be articulated, so that each and every person can express their thoughts in their own way without the need to borrow words.

Some facts and the French language:

-The number of French speakers has tripled since 1945 since most former French and Belgian colonies kept French as their language of government, education and science after decolonization.

-French is still one of the largest working languages of the UN, the EU and dozens of organisations across the world.

-French is second only to English for the number of countries where it had official status and with 56 members, La Francophonie is now larger than the Commonwealth which has 53.

-France, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, Romania, Luxembourg and Monaco are French speaking countries.

There are also a number of other international language days set up by UNESCO, which have been in place since 2010 in order to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity. Chinese is celebrated on 20 April, English on 23 April, Russian on 6 June, Spanish on 12 October, and Arabic on 18 December.

[1]http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=44441&Cr=multilingualism&Cr1=#.UUxTxBz3OzQ

[2] http://en.unesco.org/about-us/introducing-unesco

How To Get Ahead In The Global Market

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Euro London

So, how do you get ahead in the global market? In one word – languages. The world is becoming smaller (hypothetically speaking of course) therefore it is becoming increasingly costly, in a number of ways, to remain monolingual. Learning languages is now vastly becoming an obligation in today’s business markets.

It is thought that those who grow up learning multiple languages have a distinct advantage over only English speakers. This follows the census that shows 22.1 per cent of Londoners (roughly 1.7 million) have another language besides English as their main language. London is increasingly a city of polyglots, where some households speak more than three languages. There has also been a large shift on focus in the last few years on getting England to become a more multilingual country. This focus has been on schools in particular as learning a foreign language has not been compulsory in British schools since 2004 but the Government is consulting on reinstating them from primary age.

So just how much can learning a foreign language assist you in overcoming the challenges we face today?

- Languages allow you to expand your view of the world which encourages reflection on the relationship between language and culture. This is something that can be crucial in a global business market.

- Further to this, language also allows you to develop your intellect, memory, and learning habits.

- Knowing and understanding a different language can expose you to modes of thought and viewpoints that are available only in the foreign language and its culture.

- Language can teach and encourage respect for other ethnic groups.

- Not only this but they can contribute to the achievement of national goals, such as economic development or national security

All of the above can all be advantageous in the global markets and they are all beneficial due to languages.

Dr Sharma senior lecturer in linguistics at Queen Mary, University of London said: “Multilingualism is excellent for job prospects. These London kids who are bilingually proficient could find a great advantage the more Britain looks to these regions for business partnerships. At the moment the situation is quite dire in Britain in terms of foreign language learning.” So what is the delay in language learning? Help your future or the younger generations future and encourage language learning today! [1]

[1] http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/multilingual-children-are-best-equipped-for-global-jobs-market-8529012.html

How Would We Think Without Language?

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Euro London

For many, language is an integral part of our lives in order to communicate; from saying excuse me to a stranger in a busy street or having a long chin wag to a friend on the phone. More importantly we use language to think to ourselves just take a moment to (ironically) think about it. We use language to think in our heads when we’re mentally writing a shopping list, when we’re reading a novel, that narrator voice in your head assists our thinking in language form.

As a result we tend to use language more or less everyday. But what if language didn’t exist? This made us ponder on the thought that if language didn’t exist would we be able to think?

Wittgenstein, an Austrian-British philosopher believed that “thinking” is, in a sense, a side-effect of language. [1] Wittgenstein’s most famous quote is “the limits of language mean the limits of my world”, suggesting that language is the power source that allows us to thrive in the world. Many of you may oppose this view and think that not knowing language would not create an obstacle in our thinking, which to a certain extent, we would agree. For example animals have though processes without language; they analyse, engage and think all without the use of words and language.

However is it possible that our level of thinking would disintegrate and become less intense if the powerful source, that is language, was removed from the equation? Indeed we would be able to think via images in our head, but in reality it could be argued that these images would not come remotely close to the complexity of our trail of thoughts that are a result of language. On the other hand, it could be argued that our other senses would evolve over time just as languages did.

What are your thoughts, do you think the lack of languages would have an effect on human thinking? If yes, in what way would they have an effect, if no how do you think we would think without the use of language?

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_Wittgenstein

Why Are Career Events Important?

Posted on March 1, 2013 by Euro London

Euro London values career fairs immensely as we believe them to be of high importance, not only us as a company but they are advantageous for candidates in regards to their future and career.

On Thursday 20^th February Euro London Appointments attended a Careers Fair hosted by Hult International Business School – The World’s Most International Business School with seven campuses scattered around the world. We were lucky enough to exhibit alongside large multi-national organisations (such as Apple and Allianz) and also to meet a number of Hult’s multi-national students. With approximately 90% of Hult’s 2,200 students speaking at least two languages this was an excellent chance to meet future banking, sales, marketing and IT professionals among others. It was a great experience to speak with current MBA students who have already experienced full-time working life all across the globe and who at the Careers Fair took the time to ask our Consultants for advice on the next steps in their careers. Overall it was an excellent experience for Euro London to partner up with Hult due to the multi-national and multi-cultural element that both parties are proud to possess.

At Euro London we see everything as an opportunity and so should you. Here are just some of the reasons why:

-For candidates, it’s a fantastic opportunity to meet a number of potential employers under the same roof, all in a short amount of time. This is also the same case for recruiters, it allows us to meet hundreds of candidates in a day, speak and advise candidates about roles we have.

-Many people tend to look at the negatives of job fairs, especially at the likelihood that they won’t get a job offer right then and there. However what people tend to forget is that job fairs allows you to gain contacts, something that is so valuable in the job market as these contacts can come in handy in future job searches.

-Job fairs introduce you to the reality of job searches. When you’re standing in a room full of candidates it suddenly dawns on you what you’re up against. As a result it should make you more determined and focused on a job search.

-When you’re at a job fair you might speak to employers in a sector that you had never thought about a career in before. It opens up opportunities that never crossed your mind, adding another possible prospect to your job search.

-Face to face networking can be crucial in such a competitive job market! Even if you’ve sent out hundreds of emails and resumes just speaking (even for a short amount of time) to an employer can be extremely beneficial.

When was the last time you attended a jobs fair and what did you find useful about it?

A special thanks to Michael Classen and Mary Ann for attending the Hult Business School Careers Fair on behalf of Euro London Appointments

Are Birds The Reason We Speak?

Posted on February 27, 2013 by Euro London

Have you ever questioned where language derived from? Some believe it originated from the Twenty-sixth dynasty in Egypt whereas others, rather comically, referenced cavemen in their answers. However, could a rather unlikely thought be true – that birdsong was the actual origin which language derived from?

In the 19^th century, Charles Darwin wondered what the similarities between birdsong and human speech were as he observed their similarities in pattern. In his studying he believed that ‘The sounds uttered by birds offer in several respects the nearest analogy to language.’ [1] Researchers from MIT and scholars from the University of Tokyo, strongly believe that Darwin was on the right path in his speculations with language and birdsong.

Evidence suggests that human language is a merge of communication forms which similar communications can be found in the animal kingdom from birds to primates; in particular birdsong which closely resembles the expression layer of human sentences. There are also different types of expression as well as songs that come from animals such as birds, bees and primates that are similar to human language. All humans, bees, primates and birds communicate either visually, through a range of sounds and body language and it is therefore thought that the human language evolved through these animals. Professor Shigeru Miyagawa from MIT’s Department of Linguistics and Philosophy said that ‘It’s this adventitious combination that triggered human language.’

The theory behind the link between birdsong and language is that as something evolves it builds on old parts. This is seen over and over again in evolution and even in languages today across the globe even if the old structure is slightly different.

Where did you think language came from? Share your thoughts we’d love to hear from you!

[1] http://web.mit.edu/press/2013/how-human-language-could-have-evolved-from-birdsong.html