Question:
Maybe it's common topic here but I want to know something about your
countries.
Do you need to know foreign languages when you want to go to work?
What languages? And for what jobs?
When you want to fork in foreign comapny - do you need to know only your
language? or english? or maybe when comany is german, you need to know
deutsch?
How you and your friends know foreign languages? Do you think there is no
good (well paid) job in your country without good English, or maybe other
language?
Are in your country in foreign comapnies habit like that foreign leadership
in company knows only their foreign language, and require their native
language from employes? Or maybe rather leadership know language of country
where there are working?
Answer:
Alas, the situation in Italy is not wonderful. The boot-shaped peninsula
is characterised by extreme parrochialism towards foreign languages.
Italians travel a lot, but expect the rest of the world to be like Italy
(that's why I always pretend to be a foreigner when I meet another Italian
abroad...). There is little interest in foreign languages. The Faculty of
Foreign Languages is rather crappy (I beg your pardon, but some colourful
expressions should occasionally be used, I believe). Schools for
interpreters and translators are very few (I am proud of having attended
one). And what is more, the vast majority of people just study some English
at school, nothing else.
The attitude towards other languages?
FRENCH: old people studied it at school. Young people do not seem to be very
interested, probably because they associate it to "old generations, old
stuff".
SPANISH: "well, Spanish is like Italian, we can understand, so why bother?".
PORTUGUESE: more or less like Spanish. Some people study it nowadays because
of their love for Brazilian songs.
GERMAN: "Man, that's difficult!". Most people are so scared that they never
try. (I can't speak German myself, but just because I'm still young and
haven't had the time to study all the languages I'm interested in yet!).
Moreover, most people share the prejudice according to which German is
"ugly"...
RUSSIAN: See German. What is more, nowadays the Cold War is over, no need to
study Russian: the Russians may well learn English.
Other minor European languages: who cares?
Of course speaking a language is a plus, but in most cases it doesn't
prevent you from making a career, at least in most sectors. What is sad is,
in my opinion (I am a professional, an interpreter) is that many people here
BELIEVE they know English, whereas they just have a limited, imperfect
knowledge of it. In many cases they try to save money by not resorting to
professional translators, only to lose face in front of foreign guests.
My second working language is Russian. Sometimes they call me from some
translation agencies and ask me whether I am free in 24-hour's time or even
less. A typical example: some Russian guests arrive. The entrepreneurs or
company chairmen welcome them in (usually poor) English. The Russians do not
understand. Then they realise that their guests do not speak English. "How
come? Everyone speaks English nowadays! When they asked us from Russian,
"will you take care of the interpreting?", we thought they would speak
English, we didn't think they meant we were supposed to look for a Russian
interpreter for some Russian guests!". So, they call me with little or no
time to get ready (provided I'm free, sometimes I have to decline the
offer), which obviously may affect my performance, and if they don't find an
interpreter free at the very last minute, which is often the case, they run
the risk of seeming impolite and non reaching an agreement with their
important guests.
That's what I meant by "Italian parrochialism towards foreign
languages".
Submit Your
Own Answer!
