In the digital age that we find ourselves in today, the world has grown both larger and smaller in more ways than one. A majority of us tend to spend a large part of our day online, doing things both locally and globally.
A fact that holds particularly true in our professional lives. This is where our language skills play an incredibly important role in shaping our lives.
English, the Universal Language
In today’s globalised economy, English is the universal language of choice for both business and general communication.
It is also the third most widely spoken language in the world (after Chinese and Spanish), with a new word being added to the dictionary every two hours.
According to some online estimates, there are a whopping 1.5bn English-speaking people across the globe today; that’s about 20 % of the total global population of approx.7.5bn inhabitants.
About 6 -7 countries (including some of the world’s most powerful nations) lists English as their primary and official language. A different set of 27 countries lists it as their second official language.
India is one of those few countries which lists English as their second official language. Thus, the importance of the English language in India is tremendously immense.
It has now evolved into becoming the common denominator that unites different people and cultures, who are currently using it to understand one another better.
The Internet has also played an enormous role in promoting the use of English across the world. For this very reason, it is also being taught extensively to children in non-English speaking countries like China, Argentina, Columbia and South Korea among others.
The Language of Business
As outlined earlier, English also provides a viable common platform for global communications. This is why companies value the importance of an English-speaking workforce — for the distinct competitive edge it gives them within high-pressure global markets.
This preference for English speaking personnel is mostly expected to persist until global business conglomerates continue to trade with each other in USD.
So if you are planning to pursue career profiles like an international business analyst, global banking & economic policy, maritime law, diplomacy, etc., it makes sense to learn the language sooner rather than later.
Thus, the importance of spoken English is prominently visible in the field of global business.
Importance of English Language for Professional Needs
A Sound knowledge of English is also essential when it comes to finding the right job or starting with a lucrative career with government departments or private corporations.
Going forward, there is every chance that your choice of the profession might mandate frequent meetings and interactions with foreigners with a good knowledge of the English language.
At such times you will be expected to converse fluently in proper English to meet your professional objectives. Any failure to communicate effectively could just put an end to your career aspirations – making it a skill that every job aspirant would love to add to their resume.
Besides, it’s a well-known fact that employees who are proficient in English are much more effective in meetings, making presentations, corporate negotiations, management and job-related social engagements.
Importance of English while Travelling Abroad
In many countries, the second most widely spoken language (after the native language), is English, which has now become a popular choice as the lingua franca.
If you’re a non-native English speaker travelling to a place where it’s not widely spoken, you still have a better chance of making yourself understood by writing or speaking in English. Even people in small-town markets across the world are adept at haggling over prices with English speaking customers.
Also, in many countries abroad, after their local dialect, English is the most commonly used language for official purposes (in law, administration, government & public agencies). So your knowledge of the language could come in handy when you need it the most.
Importance of English Language in Education
The importance of speaking English is Learning a new language never hurts anyone. On the contrary, it has only opened the person’s mind to a whole new world of possibilities and opportunities.
Learning English adequately opens the door to the mastery of other non-linguistic subjects as well (history, technology, science, mathematics, engineering, etc.) – from English speaking experts in that particular domain.
For students seeking to go abroad for further studies or research, the ability to speak and write in English is a virtual must. Since it’s used by the world’s leading universities, research agencies & journals and top publishers, put differently, the inability to communicate in English could put a serious question mark on the person’s admission eligibility.
What makes it even more difficult are the common English mistakes done by most of Indian in their everyday lives.
Importance of English in Our Life
As adults, we all tend to voice our needs in words – from sharing our likes and dislikes, making friends, requesting for information, starting an argument to going on a long, romantic drive and settling down with our respective life partners.
Our ability (or inability) to communicate effectively in English can make all the difference between success and failure here. Unlike in social media where we have a choice of colourful emojis to convey our feelings, real life offers no such concessions.
Knowing English will not only make you feel good about yourself but will also earn you the respect of others around you. It will also attract them to you.
Importance of English to Improve your Self-Esteem
Learning a new language is undoubtedly hard, yet there is not a single person alive today who did not wish he could speak another language. Those who went ahead and took the leap to learn English, have the ability today to communicate with a massive variety of people from across the globe.
It eventually helps to boost your confidence level. Thus, the English language becomes crucial for the personality development of an individual.
They are now in the privileged position of being sought out by people they barely know, who want to know more about them and their perspective on issues. They also want to know their opinions, hopes, fears and thoughts.
In short, almost everything about them. You can become one such person – by putting in the effort to learn English as the saying goes – No Pain, No Gain.
In Conclusion
It was the well-known Canadian author and artist Douglas Coupland who said it best when he opined – English is flexible. You can jam it into a Cuisinart for an hour, remove it, and meanings will still emerge. Words truly are the foundation that supports all our physical and emotional well-being .
It also helps improve our English language skills can help us live our life to the fullest.
