Europeans’ language skills on the rise

A survey of Europeans’ language skills concludes that the situation looks promising as to the targets set for a multilingual Europe. However, the long-term policy target of “mother tongue + two foreign languages” receives cautious support from Europeans.

According to a special Eurobarometer on Europeans and their languages, the number of EU citizens who can speak at least one foreign language has increased from 47% in 2001 to 56% in 2005. An increasing number of Europeans also find that language skills are useful (83%).

Half of Europeans agree with the EU’s political target that everyone in the EU should be able to speak two languages in addition to their mother tongue. However, 44% oppose this objective. Currently, 28% of Europeans say they have mastered two foreign languages. The Luxembourgish (92%), Dutch (75%) and Slovenians (71%) score the highest in this respect. 

Around half of Europeans (44%) know only their mother tongue. This is especially the case in in Ireland (66%), the United Kingdom (62%), Italy (59%), Hungary (58%), Portugal (58%) and Spain (56%). 49% of French and 33% of Germans speak only their own language. 

English remains the most widely spoken foreign language throughout Europe (38%) of followed by French and German (with 14% speaking each) and Spanish and Russian (6% for each). 

The aims of the Commission’s multilingualism policy are to encourage language learning, to promote a healthy multilingual economy and to give all EU citizens access to EU legislation in their own language.

Read more with Euractiv

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