Languages Work*

Business, administration and finance

 

There is a huge competitive advantage in being able to communicate with customers, suppliers or partners in their own language and UK businesses are becoming increasingly aware of the need to use other languages besides English. Surveys of exporting and multinational businesses have found that the ones which take languages the most seriously are also the ones which are the most successful: valuing language skills seems to go hand in hand with good business practice.

1. Can you match the currency to the language most commonly used in the country where it is used?

Lira	Japanese
Yen	Greek
Kroner	Spanish
Euro	Turkish
Peso	Norwegian

 

• Answer

  Lira	Turkish
  Yen	Japanese
  Kroner	Norwegian
  Euro	Spanish
  Peso	Greek

   

2. Take a look at the business pages of a national newspaper. How many references can you find to other countries? Which countries are mentioned most? What is their connection to UK business? Which languages would be most useful if you were involved in the activities being described?

 

3. Which bank is British? 

HSBC, Abbey, MBNA, Citibank, First Direct


• Answer

  None.
  HSBC, the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation has its HQ in London but is a global corporation with offices in 83 countries describing itself as the ‘world’s local bank’.
  Abbey is part of the Santander group from Spain.
  MBNA and Citibank are US corporations.
  First Direct is a division of HSBC.

4. Go to the CILT website and and choose one of the financial services businesses featured there. Why are foreign languages important in this line of work? Which languages are used, and for what purpose?