what is more useful for a lawyer, chinese, german, or potuguese

by Frederique McCullough 5 min read

Do lawyers need to speak a foreign language?

The Chinese language is the new boss in town, with the most significant number of native speakers (approximately 983 million speakers), while …

Is it worth having a multilingual law firm?

Mar 28, 2022 · The remaining four in the top 10 include the two other BRIC languages (Portuguese and Hindi), and the tongues of two economic heavyweights (Germany and Japan). Why language matters Language is an essential component of competitiveness and the results above explain (in part) why London and New York are the world’s two premier cities .

How can a second language help your legal practice?

Jul 07, 2015 · But for students hoping to enter the legal profession – which is increasingly global in outlook – being able to speak a foreign language is useful, and …

Why learn Chinese when you can speak German?

Jan 21, 2022 · Functionality becomes more important than form and cultural neutrality is your goal. This won’t satisfy your master’s program language requirement, but there’s a good chance you’ll use it far more frequently than any fully recognized foreign language on the list. Chinese. We’re not just cribbing this from Looper. Chinese really is the ...

What is the most important language in the world?

English is the most influential language of academia and the business world, occupying the top in the field of languages, and spoken by over three-quarters of the world’s population. It is used in 94 countries by 339 million native speakers, and it is the de facto language of the United States and an official language of Australia, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and several other countries, making it an essential language for business owners.

How many people speak Portuguese?

Portuguese is one of the top 10 most spoken languages in the world and the second most spoken language in Latin America behind Spanish. Portuguese is spoken around 215 million people in Portugal, Brazil and some parts of Africa. As per the statistics, the Portuguese blasted forward with 6% share growth after several flat years and managed to come in fifth, with a whopping 154.5 million speakers.

Why is Spanish important?

As the US has the world’s largest economy and the Hispanic population in the US is projected to double by 2050, this makes Spanish enormously important. If you are willing to start your business in the US, or indeed anywhere in the Western hemisphere, Spanish needs to be one of your chosen languages.

Which countries speak French?

The French-speaking world also includes Africa, which is proliferating and rich in natural resources. The top 5 fastest-growing African economies include Tanzania, Rwanda, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Cote D’Ivoire, which French is an official language in 3 of them.

Why is Russian the official language of the United Nations?

Due to the historical power of the Soviet Union, Russian is an official language of the United Nations and cited as the most influential Slavonic language in history. The Russian language is also widely used in many of the post-Soviet states, which provides access to new and up-in-coming business potential.

Is Japan a technologically advanced country?

Being the world’s second largest investor in research and development, Japan is one of the most technologically advanced and integrated nations in the world. In fact, Japan is renowned as a significant contributor to UK prosperity, both as a substantial investor and an export marketer by the British Council.

Is Russian a good language to learn?

With a deep oil and gas reserves and rich culture, and enormous potential for real estate investment, Russian is one of the best languages to learn for anyone who wants to grow their business into one of the most powerful countries on Earth.

What is the most widely spoken language in the world?

Opt for Mandarin! It is not only the most widely spoken language in the world but also the official tongue of China, one of the world’s most influential economic centers. Every year, goods made in China are sold worldwide and bring trillions of dollars to a country’s economy. What is more, it is one of the six official languages ...

What countries speak German?

German is also the official language of other wealthy European countries like Austria, Switzerland, and Belgium. This brings exciting career opportunities for those who learn German and want to do business or start their career in Europe.

Why is it important to have good language skills?

Having good language skills is highly advantageous when it comes to landing foreign jobs. According to the New American Economy, the demand for foreign languages keeps steadily growing in different fields, including healthcare, finance, information technology, etc.

What is preply language?

Preply is an educational platform that is designed to help you find a qualified tutor and study online via the user-friendly video chat at a reasonable price.

Where is Spanish spoken?

Today, 30% of the US population are of Hispanic descent. Outside the US, Spanish is widely spoken in South America, Europe, and Africa, and as an official language in Colombia, Spain, Equatorial Guinea, and other countries. With more than 570 million native speakers, Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the world.

Why is English important?

English remains the most crucial language for business and career development. There are a lot of jobs you can get with an English degree. However, there are even more career opportunities for those who know an additional language. Analyze the regions where you do business or want to land a job, and choose the most useful language to stand out from your competitors.

Is Arabic a language?

Arabic. Arabic, as one of the fourth most widely-used languages in the world, is in high demand. It is the national language of over 20 countries, so there are a lot of places where you can find a job if you have Arabic language skills. Besides, it has been called one of the critical languages for US national security.

Which language is the most powerful?

English is by far the most powerful language. It is the dominant language of three G7 nations (USA, UK and Canada), and British legacy has given it a global footprint. It is the world’s lingua franca. Mandarin, which ranks second, is only half as potent.

Why is knowledge of languages important?

In a globalized world with multilingual societies, knowledge of languages is paramount in facilitating communication and in allowing people to participate in society’s cultural, economic and social activities. A pertinent question to ask then is: which are the most useful languages?

How many languages are spoken in the world?

Image: REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis. There are over 6,000 languages spoken in the world today, but some 2,000 of them count fewer than 1,000 speakers. Moreover, just 15 account for half of the languages spoken in the world. In a globalized world with multilingual societies, knowledge of languages is paramount in facilitating communication ...

What is the ability to travel?

Geography: The ability to travel. 2. Economy: The ability to participate in an economy. 3. Communication: The ability to engage in dialogue. 4. Knowledge and media: The ability to consume knowledge and media. 5. Diplomacy: The ability to engage in international relations.

What is the power language index?

The index measures the usefulness of a language to a representative human being and is not meant to apply to any particular person with their own set of conditions, preferences and geography . Neither is the index a measure of the beauty/merit ...

Is English a positive or negative language?

The strength of English has both positive and negative effects . Its status helps facilitate international communication in a globalized world. But conversely, “Englishisation” – the creep of English into other languages and its displacement of rivals – threatens the survival of lesser languages and the integrity of others.

What is the official language of India?

Punjabi. Another one of India’s official languages is Punjabi, and that’s one reason to learn it… but the better reason is that it’s the primary language spoken in Pakistan, another nuclear power in a region that perpetually threatens to flare up into the global spotlight.

How many languages does India speak?

India has 23 official languages and Hindi is foremost among them. With around 260 million native speakers dominating the Indian subcontinent, it’s a must-have language for India experts. As a country with perpetually up and coming industrial and digital bases, that makes Hindi a good choice for international business experts as well as government trade negotiators and diplomats.

What happened in Japan in 1991?

Japanese. Japan has had a few difficult decades with the pricking of the asset price bubble in 1991 leading to an extended recession, which was followed by the devastating TĹŤhoku earthquake and attendant nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant.

Is Arabic the most spoken language in the world?

Arabic is only about the fifth most commonly spoken language in the world, but it’s the most popular language in some of the most traditional hotspots drawing international attention today. The Middle East is a perpetual powder keg, and American soldiers and diplomats seem likely to be busy there for decades. There will be a steady stream of demand for Arab linguists in foreign relations circles for years to come.

Is Spanish the only language that can dominate an entire continent?

Spanish may be the only language that can reliably claim to domina te an entire continent. If you plan to have any dealings with South America, and a vast chunk of Europe or even North America, Spanish is a reliable tool to have in your pocket.

Is Portuguese a good language to learn?

In the case of Portuguese, Portugal itself isn’t the reason to learn it. Instead, the more than 200 million citizens of Brazil, the 8 th largest economy in the world, are enough to make it a worthy subject of study.

Is Chinese the future language?

Chinese really is the language of the future. Although estimates vary on how many native Chinese speakers there are in the world today, all of them start north of a billion. That makes it the most commonly spoken language on the planet, and if it’s not widely spoken yet, that day is coming.

What jobs require German?

salary for jobs requiring German is higher than for any other language on our list. Some popular, lucrative jobs requiring German include marketing manager (median salary: $117,500), sales manager ($103,750) and computer systems analyst ($137,500), one of Kiplinger’s best jobs for the future.

Which language is the hardest to learn?

The German language has a reputation for being among the hardest European languages to learn. American writer Mark Twain wrote, “Surely there is not another language that is so slipshod and systemless, and so slippery and elusive to the grasp.”.

Why is learning a new language important?

In this increasingly global economy, learning a new language, especially one less-studied by your competitors in the job market, can greatly boost your chances of landing lucrative work. In this increasingly global economy, learning a new language, especially one less-studied by your competitors in the job market, ...

What is the main language of Brazil?

Portuguese is the main language of Brazil, the eighth-largest economy in the world and host to the 2016 Summer Olympics. Brazil has been struggling recently; inflation is high, the country’s gross domestic product is contracting, and some doubt Brazil can hold its place among the world’s other large economies.

Is Spanish a first language?

Plus, you will be competing with millions of Americans for whom Spanish is a first language.

Is French a language?

The language is the second-most-studied (behind only Spanish) in American classrooms, according to the Modern Language Association. French is relatively similar to English, and thus easier to learn, than many of the other languages listed here. Sponsored Content.

Is Mandarin a critical language?

The State Department, in its description of Mandarin as a "critical language" for Americans, cites a high demand for Chinese speakers in booming Asian economies, including China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. If you decide to learn this top language for your career, prepare to study hard.

What is the most widely spoken language in China?

Mandarin is the official and most widely spoken language within China, though there are also a number of other Chinese dialects that are also spoken within the country. 6  Mandarin is one of the official languages of the United Nations. 7 .

How many people have hearing loss?

It is estimated that as many as 28 million people suffer from some degree of hearing loss within the United States. 9  Based on these figures alone, learning American Sign Language, or ASL, could prove to be a handy skill to add to your resume.

Who is Janet Fowler?

Janet Fowler is a freelance financial writer and has 5+ years of professional experience in human resources. As the face of international business changes, so do the languages used to communicate. Shifts in economic strength have certainly impacted the most popular languages used to communicate within international business, ...

Is Spanish the second most spoken language in the United States?

Spanish is the second-most commonly spoken language after English within the United States. 1  For this reason, getting a good job within any customer service-related industry is almost certainly tied to your ability to speak Spanish.

How many Russian speakers are there in the world?

It is estimated that there are as many as 250 million Russian speakers worldwide. 10  Though the majority of them may live within the Russian borders, there are many who do not. Other Russian speakers reside within many former soviet republics, such as Ukraine, Latvia and Kazakhstan. Russia's economy continues to grow and strengthen as the nation develops further. This means that the country is becoming increasingly involved in international trade, making this an appealing language to those pursuing careers in international business - especially as Russia's land is rich with resources that organizations seek to reap the benefits of. For those interested in learning Russian, they may enjoy a wage increase of about 4% per year. 3 

Do Canadians speak French?

As many Canadians are probably already aware, there are a large number of native French speakers residing right within North America in addition to a large number of French-speaking colonies worldwide. There are parts of Canada that use French as the primary language of communication, and for this reason, Canadians might particularly wish to learn French since it is a requirement of many jobs within the Canadian government. Additionally, France is a key player within the eurozone, with many representatives of the country holding key positions within the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the United Nations, NATO, UNESCO and a number of other international organizations. 4  5  It is estimated that the ability to speak French could come with a wage increase of about 2.7%. 3 

Is German a language?

Additionally, German is the most widely spoken language within Europe. 11  Not only is Germany one of the most populated countries within Europe, but there are also a large number of German-speaking people within the nearby nations of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Holland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and Switzerland. It is estimated that the ability to speak German could come with a wage increase of about 4%. 3