Multilingualism: Speaking the Language of Diversity
Why Read This
What Makes This Article Worth Your Time
Summary
What This Article Is About
Khaled Diab, an Egyptian-Belgian journalist, examines why Britain ranks worst in Europe for foreign language proficiency despite being highly multicultural. He identifies multiple causes: the global dominance of English provides practical disincentives for language learning, Britain’s imperial history created an entrenched culture of linguistic privilege, and the education system fails to demonstrate language learning’s relevance and beauty. While three-fifths of Britons speak no foreign language, more than half of other Europeans speak at least one, creating serious economic ramifications in a globalized world where multilingual competence increasingly determines employment opportunities.
Beyond economic concerns, Diab argues that multilingualism offers profound cultural and social benefits. Drawing on his seven-year-old son Iskander’s fluency in four languages, he demonstrates how early language exposure cultivates cultural appreciation, empathy, and an ability to bridge differences. Iskander plays with children from diverse backgrounds while remaining “blind to their supposed differences,” illustrating how multilingualism develops worldviews that recognize shared humanity beneath surface variations. In an era of rising xenophobia and division, Diab contends that linguistic diversity functions as a crucial tool for building sympathy and empathy, enabling people to appreciate global diversity while recognizing fundamental commonalities.
Key Points
Main Takeaways
British Language Deficit
Three-fifths of Britons cannot speak a foreign language, ranking them worst in Europe for multilingualism despite being highly multicultural.
Linguistic Privilege Legacy
Britain’s imperial history and America’s global dominance created a culture where English speakers feel no practical need to learn other languages.
Educational System Failures
Language instruction begins too late and fails to demonstrate relevance, with fewer than one in ten English pupils able to use foreign languages independently.
Economic Consequences
Monolingualism creates serious disadvantages in globalized economies where jobs routinely require competence in multiple languages like multilingual Belgium’s three-language requirement.
Early Exposure Benefits
Children exposed to multiple languages from birth acquire them easily, developing cultural appreciation and interest in linguistic diversity.
Cultural Bridge Building
Multilingualism cultivates empathy and appreciation for diversity while revealing shared commonalities, combating xenophobia in increasingly divisive times.
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Article Analysis
Breaking Down the Elements
Main Idea
Multilingualism as Cultural Antidote
The article’s central thesis is that Britain’s linguistic monolingualism represents both a practical disadvantage in the global economy and a missed opportunity for cultural understanding. Diab argues that linguistic privilege—inherited from imperial history and reinforced by English’s global dominance—has created complacency that harms both economic competitiveness and social cohesion. His personal narrative demonstrates that multilingualism, particularly when cultivated through early exposure, builds essential empathy and cultural agility needed to combat rising xenophobia and division.
Purpose
Advocacy Through Personal Testimony
Diab aims to challenge British complacency about language learning by diagnosing root causes—from historical imperialism to educational failures—while simultaneously advocating for multilingualism as a solution to contemporary social division. His purpose extends beyond critiquing Britain’s linguistic deficiencies to proposing multilingualism as a tool for cultural understanding. By weaving personal anecdotes about his multilingual son alongside statistical evidence and historical analysis, he makes both practical and emotional cases for prioritizing language education in an increasingly interconnected yet divided world.
Structure
Problem Diagnosis → Economic Impact → Cultural Solution
The article begins by establishing Britain’s linguistic deficiency through survey data and personal anecdotes, then analyzes root causes including practical factors (English’s global dominance), historical factors (imperial legacy creating linguistic privilege), and educational failures (late instruction, poor pedagogy). It transitions to economic ramifications in the globalized workplace before pivoting to cultural benefits through the extended case study of Iskander’s multilingual development. This structure moves from critique to prescription, ending on a hopeful note about multilingualism’s potential to bridge divisions and cultivate empathy.
Tone
Critical Yet Personal & Hopeful
Diab adopts a tone that balances critical analysis of British linguistic failures with personal warmth when discussing his son’s development. He’s candid about Britain’s shortcomings without being harshly judgmental, using phrases like “unenviable distinction” and “dire picture” that criticize while maintaining accessibility. The tone shifts to tender when describing Iskander’s linguistic journey, particularly the charming anecdote about peas tasting nicer in French. This combination of analytical rigor and paternal pride makes the advocacy feel authentic rather than preachy, ending on a hopeful note about multilingualism’s potential despite acknowledging rising global xenophobia.
Key Terms
Vocabulary from the Article
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Tough Words
Challenging Vocabulary
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Conferred or presented as a gift, honor, or right; granted something, often ceremonially or with significance.
“A recent survey bestowed upon Britons the unenviable distinction of being the worst at foreign languages.”
Based on personal accounts or observations rather than systematic research; relying on stories or individual experiences rather than statistical evidence.
“This dire picture is backed up by anecdotal evidence.”
Scolding or criticizing someone angrily and at length; reprimanding harshly or expressing strong disapproval in a prolonged manner.
“Although the days of a British imperial officer berating the natives are long gone.”
Belonging naturally or essentially to something; inherent rather than externally imposed; fundamental to the nature or character of something.
“The fact that Britain had the largest empire has created an intrinsic culture of linguistic privilege.”
Overwhelming in variety, complexity, or intensity; causing confusion or amazement through sheer magnitude or rapid change.
“It can help make you appreciate the dizzying diversity of the world.”
Intolerance or prejudice toward people who hold different opinions or belong to different groups, especially regarding race, religion, or politics.
“Multilingualism does not inoculate against xenophobia and bigotry, but it makes it harder.”
Reading Comprehension
Test Your Understanding
5 questions covering different RC question types
1According to the article, Britain’s poor performance in language learning is primarily caused by the multicultural nature of British society making language instruction more difficult.
2What does the author mean by “linguistic privilege” in the context of British culture?
3Which sentence best captures the author’s central argument about multilingualism’s broader social value beyond economic benefits?
4Evaluate the following statements about the author’s son Iskander’s multilingual development:
Iskander’s fluency in four languages by age seven resulted from early and constant exposure rather than formal instruction.
The author uses his son as evidence that multilingualism can create blindness to constructed cultural differences while maintaining awareness of diversity.
Iskander’s preference for the French word “petits pois” over Arabic “besela” demonstrates confusion between languages that concerned the author.
Select True or False for all three statements, then click “Check Answers”
5Based on the article’s discussion of Britain’s linguistic failures and the author’s advocacy for multilingualism, what can be reasonably inferred about the author’s view on cultural responses to globalization?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Conrad exemplifies how non-native speakers can achieve extraordinary mastery of English, demonstrating that linguistic proficiency isn’t limited to native speakers. The author notes Conrad ‘only learned to speak English fluently in his 20s, yet still managed to write some of the most striking and memorable fiction in modern English literature.’ This supports the article’s point about English’s global reach—that foreigners often command English as well as or better than native speakers, paradoxically reducing incentives for Britons to learn other languages since they encounter such competent English speakers worldwide.
Belgium demonstrates the concrete economic disadvantages British monolingualism creates in the globalized economy. The article notes that in multilingual Belgium, which houses the EU headquarters, ‘job postings routinely ask for competence in at least three languages: Dutch, French and English.’ This contrasts sharply with Britain where three-fifths speak no foreign language, creating a competitive disadvantage. The example illustrates how multilingual competence has become a basic employment requirement in international contexts, making British monolingualism economically costly in addition to culturally limiting.
The author acknowledges potential confusion directly but minimizes its significance compared to benefits: ‘Despite Iskander’s tendency sometimes to mix tongues confusingly, this has given him a remarkable feel for and interest in languages and other cultures.’ The mixing is presented as a minor and temporary inconvenience vastly outweighed by linguistic sensitivity, cultural curiosity, and empathetic worldview development. The qualifier ‘despite’ suggests this confusion is normal and not concerning, while the emphasis on positive outcomes (‘remarkable feel,’ ‘interest’) positions multilingual acquisition as overwhelmingly beneficial even with occasional code-switching challenges.
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This article is classified as Intermediate level, requiring ability to follow argumentation combining personal narrative with statistical evidence, historical context (British imperialism), and contemporary social commentary. The writing balances accessible anecdotes (stories about the author’s son) with analytical critique of cultural attitudes and educational systems. Readers should be comfortable with opinion pieces that blend subjective experience with objective analysis, understanding how personal examples function as evidence for broader social arguments about linguistic privilege, educational failures, and cultural empathy.
The author argues that while ‘multilingualism does not inoculate against xenophobia and bigotry, it makes it harder’ because linguistic engagement creates familiarity and humanizing contact. The mechanism operates through exposure: multilingual individuals regularly encounter different cultures through language, making ‘the other’ less abstract and foreign. The article suggests this doesn’t guarantee tolerance—one can speak multiple languages and still harbor prejudice—but it creates cognitive and emotional barriers to dehumanization by building ‘sympathy and empathy’ through direct cultural engagement, making xenophobic attitudes psychologically harder to maintain when you’ve internalized multiple cultural perspectives.
The Ultimate Reading Course covers 9 RC question types: Multiple Choice, True/False, Multi-Statement T/F, Text Highlight, Fill in the Blanks, Matching, Sequencing, Error Spotting, and Short Answer. This comprehensive coverage prepares you for any reading comprehension format you might encounter.
