As we become increasingly connected and businesses strive for further global expansion, the ability to communicate and interact with others is more important
There are polyglots — people who can assimilate multiple languages — and then there are the majority of people who can understand their native language and possibly one more.
There are currently upwards of 7,100 spoken languages across the globe. Indonesia has 715 languages, India has 456, China has 317, and Brazil has 238, according to Ethnologue.
It’s likely impossible for one human to learn every language in a lifetime. But, as the world becomes increasingly connected and industries strive for further global expansion, the ability to communicate and interact with others around the world becomes more important — especially with regard to business relations.
[This article has been reproduced with permission from Knowledge Network, the online thought leadership platform for Thunderbird School of Global Management https://thunderbird.asu.edu/knowledge-network/]