We Should All Speak 10 Other Languages: El dilema inglés de sólo hablar inglés - BBC Mundo - Noticias
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Q. How do I set up my AdvancePay Prepaid Phone Account? A. To set up a new AdvancePay Prepaid Phone account on ConnectNetwork.com, login to your ConnectNetwork account and either click on the Sign Up Now button on your Account Summary screen or click Phone Account from the left menu.
The first time you select one of these options, you will automatically be taken through the Phone Setup process. During this process, you will be asked to enter the Phone Number you wish to create an account for, select your statement option and enter the address associated with the Phone Number. Next, you will be asked to select the State/Facility you wish to make the number available to. If an attempt to contact you has already been made from a Facility, details regarding that attempt will be available under the Recent Attempts section. If no attempted contact has been made from a Facility, select the State/Facility for which you wish to make your Phone Number available.Q. Can I have more than one AdvancePay Prepaid Phone Account setup on my ConnectNetwork account? A. You may setup as many AdvancePay Accounts on your ConnectNetwork account as you would like. Each AdvancePay Account must have funds available on it in order for you to receive calls to that Phone Number from the Facility. Q. How do I make a deposit to my AdvancePay Prepaid Phone Account on ConnectNetwork? A. Once your AdvancePay Account is setup, you may make a deposit by clicking the Make a Payment link on your Phone Setup Confirmation screen or your Account Summary Screen. You may also click the Make a Payment left menu item under the Phone Account section. You will be taken through the Make a Payment process where you will select the Phone Number and Facility for your payment. You will then be asked to select a credit card from your saved cards. If you do not have a credit card saved yet, click the Add a Credit Card link under the Payment Information section or click Manage Cards under the Account Home menu. Q. What is my Billing Address? A. Your Billing Address refers to the address where you receive your credit card statements or the address associated with your credit card. In order to process a credit card payment online, the address you enter must match the address associated with your credit card statements. Q. What if I have set up my AdvancePay Account on ConnectNetwork, but am unable to receive calls? A. First, make sure the number is not blocked by ensuring you have enough money on your AdvancePay Account. Next, you should go through the steps for how to unblock your phone number.
If you are still unable to receive calls after following these steps, contact Customer Service for assistance.Q. How do I close/delete my AdvancePay Phone Account? Will I get a refund? A. Login to your account and select Close Account from the Phone Account menu. Follow the Close Account process instructions by selecting the radio button next to the phone number/facility you wish to close your account with. Select the radio button next to "I want to close my account and receive a refund in the mail". Follow the close out process (verify and confirm) to receive your refund check in the mail and then click the Next button to verify all information is correct. If the address listed is not correct, please update it before you close your account.
Then, contact the GTL AdvancePay Service Department. We require a written request to be mailed or faxed by the owner of the account for a refund. GTL will endeavor to process refunds within 30 days, but no longer than 60 days after the date of the last payment to the account, and only after GTL has verified the viability of the payment method used. Accounts that are inactive for more than 90 days are subject to closure, and any funds remaining in the account will be forfeited and no refund issued*. An account is considered inactive if no calls have been accepted by the telephone number and no payments have been made to the account for more than 90 consecutive days. A processing fee may be deducted from the remaining account balance when the account is closed and a refund is issued*.
*May vary from state to stateQ. Can I find out the balance of my AdvancePay Account through ConnectNetwork? A. Your AdvancePay Account statement may be viewed by clicking the view statement link under Quick Links from your Account Summary screen, or you may click on the Phone Statement link under the Phone Account menu. Select the phone number of the statement you wish to review along with statement month and then click the View button. 3. Inmate-Managed Accounts: A. PIN Debit Prepaid Phone Accounts Q. What is an Inmate PIN Debit Account used for? A. The Inmate PIN Debit Account is used by the Inmate to pay for phone calls to friends and family members. Inmates may call any telephone number permitted by their facility using their PIN Debit Account. The Inmate may fund this account themselves from their commissary or trust account. In addition, some facilities permit Friends and Family members to deposit funds directly to an Inmate’s PIN Debit Account, thereby allowing the Inmate to control and budget their phone calls. The “Locations” tab on ConnectNetwork will indicate the facilities where this is permitted.
Note that because this is an Inmate-controlled account you will not be able to find out the account balance except by asking the Inmate. Once the Inmate is released, any remaining balance in the account will be refunded to the Inmate.Q. How can I deposit funds to an Inmate PIN Debit Account through ConnectNetwork? A. After logging in to ConnectNetwork, select the “Offender Phone Account” from the left side panel and follow the instructions. Those facilities which allow friend & family deposits to Inmate PIN Debit accounts will be indicated under the “Locations” link.
You will need the Inmate's PIN number in order to make a deposit into their account on either the ConnectNetwork website or the voice response unit. If you don't know the PIN number, you may look it up online at ConnectNetwork.com for most facilities or you may also check the facility’s website.Q. How will I know if my Inmate PIN Debit Account deposit has been accepted? A. You will receive a confirmation email telling you that your deposit amount was accepted and posted to the offender account you specified. Q. How does the Inmate know that I have deposited funds into his/her PIN Debit Account? A. The Inmate can attempt to make a telephone debit call and will be informed at the beginning of that call of the money residing in the account. If that person wants to confirm that a specific deposit has been made without attempting a call, he/she can do so by making an inquiry using an automated process associated with the telephones used within the facility. Q. How do I view my PIN Debit Phone Account statement online? A. After you’ve logged into your ConnectNetwork account, click on the “Statement” link in the left side panel under the Offender Phone Account heading. Note that you will see your own deposit history but will not be able to view the account balance. B. TRUST FUND Accounts Q. Can inmates use funds I deposit in their Trust Fund Account to call me? A. No. Phone calls cannot be paid for from an Inmate Trust Fund Account. The inmate must first put funds into their Inmate PIN Debit phone account before it can be used to make phone calls. Q. How do I view my Offender Trust Fund Statement online? A. After you’ve logged into your ConnectNetwork account, click on the “Statement” link in the left side panel under the Offender Trust Account heading. Note that you will see your own deposit history but will not be able to view the account balance. Q. How soon after I make a deposit to an inmate will they receive the money? A. When you make a deposit to an inmate, the funds are available immediately to the facility. Each facility has its own policies regarding updating the inmate's commissary account with the available funds.
To find out when the inmate has received your funds, click on the Recent Activity under the Offender Trust Fund menu. At the bottom of the screen, under the Per Transaction section, there is a Payment Status table. This table will provide you with an up-to-date status on your current transactions.
An Accepted statusshows when the inmate has received the funds.
A Pending statusshows when the facility has received your funds but has not yet updated the inmate's account.
A Rejected statusshows when your money transfer was not completed.
Q. How can I deposit funds to an Inmate Trust Account through ConnectNetwork? A. After logging in to ConnectNetwork, select the “Offender Trust Account” from the left side panel and follow the instructions. Those facilities which allow friend & family deposits to Inmate Trust accounts will be indicated under the “Locations” link.
You will need the Inmate’s PIN number in order to make a deposit into their account on either the ConnectNetwork website or the voice response unit. If you don’t know the PIN number, you may look it up online at4. Depositing Funds A. Deposits Using Credit Cards or Debit Cards Q. What credit and debit cards are accepted? A. GTL accepts any credit card bearing the Visa or Mastercard emblem (including debit and check cards) to establish an account through our automated systems. These may be used to make deposits to AdvancePay, Inmate PIN Debit, Inmate Trust Fund, or email services accounts. Q. How long will it take for my payment to be applied to my account? A. Payments are typically applied to your account within one business day. Q. What is a Security Code? A. The Security Code is a three-digit security code that is on the back of credit cards. The number appears in reverse italic at the top of the signature panel at the end.
For an example of a Security Code Click Here.B. Other Deposit Options Q. What other forms and methods of deposit to an AdvancePay account are accepted? A. Acceptable forms of payment and available payment channels are indicated in the below table
To Pay With: By Phone(1) Online(2) At Kiosk(3) By Mail(4) Western Union(5) Cash X X Check X Money Order X Credit Card X X X Debit Card X X X Mastercard and Visa branded credit and debit cards are accepted.
(1) Please check the Contact section of this website for appropriate phone numbers for AdvancePay deposits.
(2) Log-in to this website to make a deposit.
(3) Check your facility for GTL lobby kiosk availability.
(4) For NY DOC: Mail to VAC, Dept 2548, P.O. Box 122548, Dallas, TX 75312-2548
For other VAC accounts: Mail to VAC, Dept 2430, P.O. Box 2430 Dallas, TX 75312-2430
For GTL, DSI, and PCS accounts: Mail to AdvancePay Service Department, P.O. Box 911722, Denver, CO 80291-1722
For all customers and facilities: indicate phone number of AdvancePay account.
(5) Use City Code AdvancePay ALQ. What payment methods can I use to make a deposit to an Inmate PIN Debit Account? A. Acceptable forms of payment and available payment channels are indicated in the below table
To Pay With: By Phone(1) Online(2) At Kiosk(3) By Mail(4) Cash X Check X Credit Card X X X Debit Card X X X Mastercard and Visa branded credit and debit cards are accepted.
(1) LIMITED AVAILABILITY. For ODRC, WADOC, and Dallas County facilities only.
Please check the Contact section of this website for appropriate phone numbers for PIN Debit Deposits to these facilities.
(2) Log-in to this website to make a deposit. Facilities where PIN Debit deposits are allowed are indicated on the Locations page.
(3) Check your facility for GTL lobby kiosk availability.
(4) LIMITED AVAILABILITY. Include the following information: inmate name/ID, and the facility name.
For Washington DOC and Dallas County facilities only - mail to: VAC, Dept. 2430, P.O. Box. 122430, Dallas, TX 75312-2430
For TN DOC only - mail to: GTL TN DOC Debit Lockbox, P.O. Box 911705, Denver, CO 80291-1705Q. What payment methods can I use to make a deposit to an Inmate Trust Account? A. Acceptable forms of payment and available payment channels are indicated in the below table
To Pay With: By Phone(1) Online(2) At Kiosk(3) Cash X Money Order, Checks Credit Card X X X Debit Card X X X Mastercard and Visa branded credit and debit cards are accepted.
(1) Please check the Contact section of this website for appropriate phone numbers for Trust deposits.
Check Locations page of this website for participating facilities and Site ID #s.
(2) Log-in to this website to make a deposit. Facilities where Trust deposits are allowed are indicated on the Locations page.
(3) Check your facility for GTL lobby kiosk availability.5. Product Information A. Phone Service Q. What are the rates for my phone calls? A. Rates vary by facility. To find out what your rates are, listen to the prompts (when the inmate calls you) and press the corresponding number to verify the call rates before you accept the incoming call. You may also contact Customer Service to request the rates for your Facility. Q. In addition to the cost of the call, what other fees may apply? A. GTL is a regulated telecommunications service that is required to remit payments to both state and federal government agencies to help fund the general agency oversight of all of the telecommunications industry. GTL is required to submit to the federal government a percentage of the money it receives from completing calls to support the Universal Service Fund. The amount of mandatory contribution is determined by the federal government and changes every quarter. This fluctuating percentage is applied to the cost of every call. The FCC also requires telecommunications carriers to contribute to the Local Number Portability fund that enables people to keep their phone number while switching phone services. Contributions are also required to the fund that ensures that phone service is available to those with hearing disabilities. Many states maintain their own Universal Service Fund, which is separate from the federal USF, and the mandatory contribution into state funds fluctuates, as well. In addition to the federal and state universal service funds, GTL files mandatory payments at the state level to help the states fund their operations. Where permitted by the pertinent agency, GTL assesses a fee to recoup the cost of these contributions and the expense invested in complying with these requirements. State and federal taxes that are collected are marked as such on a paper bill, or deducted from the balance of prepaid accounts on a per-call basis in the form of a percentage of the cost of the call. Federal USF charges are marked as such, and apply in the same manner as taxes. The recoupment of the administrative cost of complying with the federal USF program appears separately on a paper bill, as does the line for recoupment of state regulatory administrative compliance. In states that require tariffs, these state charges are authorized by the state public utility agency, and they appear in GTL’s tariffs. For accounts that are paperless, the fee is calculated as a percentage of the cost of a call, which percentage will fluctuate as the various fees assessed by agencies fluctuate, but will not exceed 5%.
Calls to cell phones may be assessed a surcharge of 4% of the cost of the call, exclusive of taxes and fees.Q. Can I call the inmate or does the inmate always have to call me? A. Calls can only be made from the inmate to the Phone Number(s) you have setup on your account. You are not able to call the inmate directly. Q. What if my call is cut off or disconnected? A. If your call is cut off or disconnected prematurely less than 5 minutes after you were connected, you may contact Customer Service to request an investigation. You will need to identify the date/time of the call as well as the facility and the inmate's first and last name. There are NO refunds for lost/dropped calls made to a cell phone due to poor reception or a bad line.
During the investigation, we will review the phone call and determine the issue. If the disconnection is not due to a fault on the phone lines, you will NOT be credited for the call and you will be charged a $5.00 investigation fee. Investigations will not be made on any calls longer than 5 minutes or calls made to a cell phone.Q. Can I use a cell phone to receive calls? A. Each facility has different rules regarding allowing calls to be made to cell phones. Contact your facility to learn their policy regarding cell phones.
If your facility approves the use of cell phones, you may add the number to your Phone Account. There are NO refunds for lost/dropped calls made to cell phones due to poor reception or a bad line.
Custom ringback tones (the sound heard by the calling party when they dial your number) may prevent your call from being received and could possibly put a block on your phone number. It is advised that you remove all custom ringback tones on your phone.Q. How do I block my phone number from an inmate and/or facility? A. You may block your phone number from an inmate and/or facility by listening to the prompts on the line and pressing the corresponding number to have the inmate and/or facility blocked.
You may also request your number to be blocked by printing a copy of your phone bill and mailing it to us. The copy of the bill must show that you are the owner of the phone line by including the page with your name, address, and the phone number. On your bill, you will need to write: "I want my calls blocked from ______ facility". Then sign and date your request before mailing it to: PO Box 2868, Mobile, AL 36652. If you want multiple phone numbers blocked from a specific facility, you must send a copy of each phone bill for each phone number you want blocked. Please note: If you block your phone number, it will be blocked from receiving calls from all facilities served by GTL, DSI, PCS, and VAC.Q. Why are my calls being blocked? How do I unblock my phone number? A. If you are being billed for collect calls from inmates on your monthly phone bill from your local phone provider, then either the local phone provider has blocked your number or you may have exceeded the collect limit for your facility. In either case, you will need to set up and fund an AdvancePay Prepaid Phone Account.
If you already have an AdvancePay Account and calls are not being received, check to make sure you have sufficient funds in the account. If there are insufficient funds in your account to pay for a 5 minute call, then the call will not be completed. Check the rates for your phone calls to ensure you meet the minimum requirement for a five minute phone call.
If you have enough money on your AdvancePay Account and your calls are still being blocked, please contact Customer Service to request your number be unblocked. They will determine the reason for the block. If it is the result of a customer requested block, in order to unblock your phone number, we will need your account Passcode, as well as the name and address listed on the account. Your phone number will be unblocked within one business day. If the block is a result of a technical problem, it may take a few business days to resolve.
If you intentionally blocked your phone number from an inmate and/or a facility, and you now want it unblocked, you will need to mail a copy of your phone bill to us. Include the page of the bill that shows you are the owner of the phone with your name, address, and phone number on it. On the bill, you will need to write: "I want to unblock calls from _______ facility". Sign and date the request before mailing it to: PO Box 2868, Mobile, AL 36652.
If your number was blocked by the Facility, you must contact the Facility to have your number unblocked.B. Phone Service - Notice to NY DOC Customers Unisys Corporation, and Value Added Communications (VAC) through a contract with the New York State Department of Correctional Services provide an inmate telephone system at each state operated facility within New York State.
The calling rate is less than a nickel ($.048) per minute for all calls terminating within the United States, Canada, and US Territories (American Samoa, Federated states of Micronesia, Guam, Midway Islands, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands) and there are no additional call set-up or connect fees. A card transaction fee will apply. The chart below shows the calling rate for the average twenty minute call.
Description New Rate Set-up fee per call $0.00 Charge per minute $.048 Cost of a 20 minute call $0.96
Note: Historical data indicates that the average call lasts twenty minutes in length. The maximum call duration allowed is determined by the facility. Most facilities allow each call to last thirty minutes.
In 2007 the New York State legislature passed a law that permanently eliminates commissions paid to the State for inmate calls. This law further stipulates that the phone contract must allow for collect and pre-paid calling services. Both of these services are included in the calling service contract. Please note that the Department of Corrections does not provide inmate-paid debit calling at this time.
The first time an inmate calls each of the numbers on their allowed list, the calling system will attempt to complete the call and bill it as a collect call on the called party’s phone bill. If the call cannot be completed because there is no billing arrangement with the called party’s telephone company or for some other restriction, an automated system will prompt the called party to set up a pre-paid account with Value Added Communications. Effective Jan 1, 2014 calls from inmates to cell phones will be allowed, as long as the cell phone is associated with an AdvancePay prepaid phone account which has complete name and address information.
If there are any problems or questions you can contact Value Added Communications (VAC) at 1-800-777-2522 or on the internet at www.ConnectNetwork.com. If a prepaid account is established it can be reviewed, managed, and funded via the 800 number or the internet address. Friends and families may also set-up or fund pre-paid accounts via a credit card or by mailing in a Money Order or Cashiers Check to: Value-Added Communications, Inc. Dept. #2548, PO Box 122548, Dallas, TX 75312-2548 . In the memo line, input the ten digit phone number that you would like the funds to be placed on in order to receive pre-paid collect calls.C. 1 Way Email Service Q. Can the inmate email me back? A. The inmate is not able to email you back. If the inmate wants to respond to an email message they will have to send a hand written letter through the mail. Q. Can I send pictures? A. No. Pictures, videos, additional files, or any kind of attachment is not permitted in the email. Q. What is the inmate's email address? A. The inmate does not have an email address. Your email will be sent to the facility’s ConnectNetwork email account. The facility staff will then review your message and decide to approve or reject the email. Q. How long does it take for the inmate to receive the message? A. This will be determined according to the policies of each individual facility. You will need to contact the facility for this information. Q. Can I receive a refund for unused stamps? A. All unused stamps will become property of DSI-ITI, LLC. There will be no refunds given for the cash value of your unused stamps. Q. Why was my email rejected? A. All email received by the facility are subject to review and approval by the participating facility staff. Inappropriate content, determined by the facility, could cause the email to be rejected. Q. Can anyone at the jail read my email? A. All email sent through ConnectNetwork is subject to review by the facility staff. Once approved, the email message will be delivered to the intended inmate. Q. Can I view my previously sent messages? A. You can view the email messages that were sent through your Recent Activity page. You will click the Email Center link from the left side menu, and then click the Recent Activity sub menu link. You are not able to view the body of the messages, but you will be able to view a summary of your sent messages. Q. What are stamps? A. Stamps allow you to send email messages to inmates that are currently in jail. Each email message that is sent will cost a certain number of stamps. This number will be determined by the facility. In order to send an email, you must have enough stamps to support the message. Q. How many characters am I permitted to send in an email? A. Each email message allows a total of 2,000 characters. You may type up to 2,000 characters in a single email message Q. How will I know when the inmate received my email message? A. You may check the status of your sent email on the Recent Activity page. The email will show as "Pending" until the facility has received it and approved/rejected it. Once the email is approved/rejected, the email will change from "Pending" to "Approved" or "Rejected".
An approved status does not necessarily mean the inmate has physically received the email. A status of "Approved" only means the facility has determined your email was appropriate for delivery. Delivery to the inmate will follow the facility policies.
PRELUAT CU APROBARE DE LA BBC WORLD.
'Los ingleses están preocupados por sólo hablar inglés. En el comienzo de un nuevo año lectivo esta semana las escuelas primarias empezaron a impartir de forma obligatoria la enseñanza de idiomas extranjeros por primera vez. Y los empresarios se quejan de que no encuentran empleados lo suficientemente preparados en otras lenguas. ¿Cuáles son los idiomas que más valoran y necesitan aprender?
El tema no sólo es relevante a nivel cultural, también tiene un peso económico.
Se estima que Reino Unido puede perder unos US$80.000 millones al año –3,5% del PIB– por "ignorancia lingüística y cultural", de acuerdo a un estudio realizado por el profesor James Foreman-Peck, de la Escuela de Negocios de Cardiff para el Departamento de Negocios, Innovación y Habilidades del gobierno británico, citado por el periódico británico The Observer.
El profesor Foreman-Peck explicó en su informe que la falta de habilidades lingüísticas termina actuando como un "impuesto sobre el crecimiento", dificultando el desarrollo del sector exportador en empresas pequeñas y medianas.
Idiomas más hablados en el mundo (como primer idioma)
Fuente: ethnologue.com
El estudio fue mencionado por el "manifiesto a favor de los idiomas", publicado en julio por el All-Party Parliamentary Group on Modern Languages (APPG), un grupo parlamentario que busca que todos los partidos políticos presionen por una mayor enseñanza de lenguas en escuelas y trabajos.
"El inglés es un idioma importante en el mundo, pero las últimas investigaciones de vanguardia muestran que, en el siglo XXI, hablar sólo inglés es tanto una desventaja como no hablar inglés".
Así comienza ese manifiesto.
El documento recibió el apoyo de las Cámaras de Comercio Británicas (BCC, por sus siglas en inglés) que, recuerda The Observer, en 2012 encontró en una encuesta que 61% de empresas que no exportan, pero eran propensas a considerar comerciar internacionalmente, no lo hicieron por la falta de conocimiento de otros idiomas.
Incluso el 70% de los exportadores reconoció no tener el conocimiento de la lengua del país en el que operan.
"En muchos sentidos somos víctimas del éxito del idioma inglés. Muchas personas piensan erróneamente que 'todo el mundo habla inglés', lo cual simplemente no es cierto: tres cuartas partes de la población mundial no lo hace", le dice a BBC Mundo Mark Moulding, del British Council (Consejo Británico), un instituto público cuyo objetivo es difundir el conocimiento del inglés y su cultura.
"En muchos sentidos somos víctimas del éxito del idioma inglés. Muchas personas piensan erróneamente que 'todo el mundo habla inglés', lo cual simplemente no es cierto: tres cuartas partes de la población mundial no lo hacen"
Mark Moulding, British Council
"Tradicionalmente –agrega– sólo un número muy reducido de idiomas, principalmente los de nuestros vecinos europeos, se enseña en las escuelas de Reino Unido, y los niños no tienen que estudiar a un nivel avanzado. Esto significa que hay una verdadera falta de personas capaces de hablar idiomas importantes como el chino y portugués, y ni siquiera hay muchos que puedan hablar francés, alemán o español".
Los idiomas más valorados
Las empresas en Reino Unido se quejan de la falta de empleados con conocimiento de lenguas extranjeras.
De acuerdo a una encuesta divulgada en junio por la Confederación de la Industria Británica (CBI, por sus siglas en inglés) y la compañía editorial y de servicios educativos británica Pearson, 65% de las empresas en Reino Unido mencionó la necesidad de empleados con conocimientos de idiomas extranjeros.
La dificultad para encontrar empleados británicos bilingües es alta y la CBI confirmó que apenas el 2% de las empresas está "muy satisfecha" con el nivel de conocimiento de otros idiomas de los graduados universitarios.
Los idiomas valorados por los empleadores británicos, según la encuesta CBI/Pearson, son:
El chino mandarín es el cuarto idioma más valorado por los empleadores británicos.
- francés (50%, +1% vs. 2012)
- alemán (49%, -1%)
- español (44%, +7%)
- chino mandarín (31%, +6%)
- árabe (23%, +4%)
- polaco (19%, sin cambio)
- ruso (18%, +7%)
- cantonés (16%, +4%)
- otros (16%)
- japonés (15%, +4%)
- portugués (11%, +5%)
- coreano (5%, +2%)
"Con la UE siendo nuestro principal mercado de exportación, no es sorprendente ver que los conocimientos de alemán, francés y español son tan apreciados por las empresas. Pero con China y América Latina en un sólido crecimiento, las empresas ambiciosas quieren conocimientos de idiomas que puedan allanar el camino a nuevos mercados", explica la subdirectora de la CBI, Katja Hall.
"A los jóvenes que están considerando sus opciones futuras se los debería concientizar de los beneficios a sus carreras por estudiar una lengua extranjera", señala Hall, quien agrega que está por verse si las recientes iniciativas del gobierno puedan estimular el resurgimiento en el aprendizaje de idiomas.
"Nos impide conectar"
En tanto, el British Council analizó factores económicos, geopolíticos, educativos y culturales para determinar cuáles eran los diez idiomas más importantes para la prosperidad, seguridad e influencia de Reino Unido en los próximos 20 años.
Los indicadores utilizados fueron: exportaciones actuales de Reino Unido, necesidades lingüísticas de las empresas en Reino Unido, prioridades comerciales británicas, mercados emergentes de alto crecimiento, prioridades diplomáticas y de seguridad, intereses lingüísticos de los ciudadanos, destinos externos de visitantes, prioridades de la estrategia de educación internacional del gobierno, niveles de dominio del inglés en otros países y la prevalencia de diferentes idiomas en internet.
En este análisis, publicado en noviembre de 2013, el British Council concluyó que los idiomas más valorados son: español, árabe, francés, mandarín, alemán, portugués, italiano, ruso, turco y japonés.
Un estudio encargado para ese informe determinó que el 75% de la población británica no puede hablar ninguno de esos idiomas lo suficientemente bien como para mantener una conversación.
El francés es el idioma extranjero más hablado en Reino Unido.
Los más hablados son francés (15%), alemán (6%), español (4%), italiano (2%), árabe, japonés, mandarín y ruso (1% c/u).
"La falta de conocimientos de idiomas extranjeros en Reino Unido provoca muchos problemas", explica Moulding, "a través de oportunidades de negocio perdidas porque no tenemos los conocimientos lingüísticos para cerrar negocios".
Otro inconveniente, señala, es que como menos personas estudian lenguas en la universidad, la oferta de profesores es menor. "Si queremos que más niños estudien idiomas, vamos a necesitar más maestros de idiomas", señala.
"Confiar en que la gente del extranjero hable inglés es efectivamente esperar a que hagan las cosas a nuestra manera, y esa no es una muy buena base para cualquier relación. Como dijo una vez Nelson Mandela, 'si hablas a un hombre en un lenguaje que comprende, eso llega a su cabeza. Si le hablas en su lenguaje, eso llega a su corazón'"
Mark Moulding, British Council
"Y hay otro gran problema –señala–: la manera en que la falta de conocimientos del idioma nos impide conectar con la gente de otras culturas. Confiar en que la gente del extranjero hable inglés es efectivamente esperar a que hagan las cosas a nuestra manera, y esa no es una muy buena base para cualquier relación. Como dijo una vez Nelson Mandela, 'si hablas a un hombre en un lenguaje que comprende, eso llega a su cabeza. Si le hablas en su lenguaje, eso llega a su corazón'".
Desde el British Council destacan pasos positivos, como la enseñanza obligatoria en escuelas y el objetivo de duplicar el número de niños que estudian chino en Reino Unido, pero reconocen que un gran desafío es que los jóvenes "entiendan los beneficios" de aprender otro idioma: "Tienen que realmente querer aprender un idioma, de lo contrario, lo van a abandonar a la primera oportunidad", le explica Moulding a BBC Mundo.
Los riesgos están a la vista, agrega. Los jóvenes, se enfrentan a entrar al mercado laboral "sin las habilidades que los empleadores necesitan", las empresas, "pierden oportunidades en el extranjero", y el país, "pierde pie en el mundo como resultado de no conectar efectivamente con otros países y culturas".
"Así que hay muchas razones por las que tenemos que tomar medidas", concluye."'via Blog this'
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