Learn a language
Friday 29 August 2008
Speaking another language can be really useful and it looks super impressive on your CV. n2k finds out why languages are so important.
How to start
There are so many ways to learn a new language. You can choose to take languages at GCSE, continue to study them at A Level and there are also many language courses available at university. You can join language clubs at school too.
Check out some helpful tips from the BBC.
There's also loads of online videos that can teach you a language. Here's a short French tutorial!
Why bother?
Speaking another language could be an advantage when you go for that first job.
Businesses are always looking to expand and this means travelling to other countries. Employees are sent abroad all the time so speaking another language will make you stand out of the crowd!
You could even end up working with The Wombats!
Translators
Translators interpret written material from one language to another. This includes fictional books, product manuals, legal documents and even websites. Harry Potter has been translated in to more than 60 languages!
Interpreters
Interpreting involves translating the spoken language – but it’s not as easy as it sounds! There are two types:-
Consecutive interpreters
Interpreters listen to what a speaker is saying, waits until they are finished, and then translates their speech in to the language that the audience speak. Many consecutive interpreters work for well known companies such as the United Nations, the Military and areas of the Government.
Simultaneous interpreters
These interpreters do the same thing but they translate the speech whilst the speaker is speaking. This is a high pressure job but it’s also one that pays well.
Teachers
Language teachers work in many different establishments from primary to secondary school and colleges and universities. Most secondary schools teach French, German and Spanish at GCSE - and teachers who can speak less common languages such as Portuguese and Russian are sometimes sought after for after school clubs.
Je Suis un Rockstar
C4 is encouraging you to learn a new language. Their new show ‘Je Suis un Rockstar’ follows The Wombats as they tour around Europe with three young ‘fixers’. The ‘fixers’ are music industry wannabes and for them, this is the work experience opportunity of a lifetime.
In episode 2, one of the ‘fixers’ Alice, has to organize The Wombats stay in Germany where they will be performing at the Hurricane Festival.
She hardly uses a dictionary and manages to find a spa and a room for the band to stay in – she didn’t even use the internet, only the local lingo! Also, the band gave her a special mission to translate their opening speech in to German which she completed easily.
Without her multilingual skills, she wouldn’t have been able to impress the band and the tour management. Good things are likely to come out of speaking another language.
