3C. Usefulness of Language Skills

Perceived Usefulness - A large majority considers that knowing foreign languages is useful-

The vast majority of Europeans (83%) believes that knowing foreign languages is or could be useful for them personally. In fact, over half (53%) of the respondents perceive language skills to be very useful.

Recognition of the benefits of competences in languages is increasing. In comparison with the results of 2001

A distinct majority acknowledge the advantages of foreign language skills, with scores ranging from 73% in Portugal to 99% in Sweden. Practically everyone in Sweden (99%), Cyprus (98%) and Luxembourg (97%) recognise the benefits of knowing languages other than their mother tongue. Even in countries where fewer citizens speak several languages, about three quarters evaluate language skills as beneficial, this being the case in Portugal (73%) and Greece (75%).

Strong agreement on the benefits of multilingualism is also perceived in the candidate and acceding countries. 95% of Turks and Bulgarians consider that knowing foreign languages is useful and, 88% of Croatians and 87% Romanians are of this view.

The younger the respondent and the longer the education he/she has, the more useful skills in languages other than their mother tongue are rated. This is also the case for those with a multicultural background, especially if the respondent is born outside Europe or his/her parents are born in a different country than the country of residence.

Within the occupational group, managers and students stand out as benefiting from ultilingualism, while fewer pensioners perceive multilingualism as personally advantageous.

- English is rated as by far the most useful language to know –

As expected, English is perceived by Europeans to be by far the most useful language to know (68%). French (25%) and German (22%) follow next almost side by side, and Spanish ranks fourth with a 16% share. 1 in 10 Europeans do not see the benefits of knowing any language other than their mother tongue.

Russian and German, in particular, are perceived significantly more useful by the more recent EU countries while French and Spanish maintain more support among the older Member States. In 26 out of 29 countries covered in this survey, English is rated as the most useful language to know. The shares range from 97% in Sweden to 59% in Portugal. Only three exceptions are perceived: in Luxembourg (81%), the United Kingdom (62%) and Ireland (58%), French is assessed as the most useful language to know apart from the mother tongue.

Further variations can be observed when the languages perceived as the second most useful are considered. German reaches second place as a useful language to know in 14 countries, particularly in Slovakia, Slovenia (61% each) and Luxembourg (60%). French is rated as the second most advantageous language to know in 8 countries, especially in Belgium (53%) where it has the status of a state language, followed by 35% in Cyprus and Portugal. Spanish is appreciated as the second most useful foreign language in France (37%) and the United Kingdom (34%). Russian is assessed as the second most useful language in Latvia (54%), Lithuania (50%) and Estonia (48%), in countries where a significant Russian speaking minority resides. Swedish gains considerable support in Finland as the second state language of the country. The Maltese prefer to learn Italian, for reasons of geographical proximity.