Language economics

François Grin (.doc): “On balance, the rates of return to English are likely to decline in the long run, in the same way as the ability to read and write, having become commonplace, no longer attracts wage premiums. Therefore, people will have an economic incentive to invest in the acquisition of additional languages, and it is probably incorrect to assume that English alone will suffice to guarantee a person’s professional and economic success. This suggests that language education policies should avoid emphasising one language only or neglecting the teaching of foreign languages other than English.” It only gets nasty and complicated once you start factoring in happiness, to say nothing of national destiny.

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