How knowing more than one language boosts your income

"We must do our best to form a class who may be interpreters between us and the millions whom we govern; a class of persons, Indians in blood and colour, but English in taste, in opinions, in morals and in intellect."

This is how Lord Macaulay in his now-infamous 1835 treatise "Minutes on Education" articulated reasons for why the East India Company and the British government should spend money on the provision of English language education in India.

However, as witnessed within the very next century, many Indians not only learnt the basics of the English language but also mastered it and then turned it into an instrument for the progression of their livelihood as well as their own liberation.

Ironically, according to research by Professor James Foreman-Pech in December 2013, Britain is losing £48bn or 3.5% of its GDP every year because of its population's relatively poor language skills and the false assumption that "everyone speaks English."

Clearly, Lord Macaulay and his countrymen, all those centuries ago, were ignorant to recognise that "language" is a two-way road. And their successors in positions of power and influence continued to adamantly believe so. This is perhaps why England is falling behind in several economic indices right now – also courtesy of its English-speaking citizens who attest to Lord Macaulay's notion –  in spite of being the torchbearer of the most widely spoken global language in the world. 

The English remained under the impression that they hold a superior position, and others are obliged to learn their language to communicate with them, even if the liability falls squarely on their shoulders.  

Little have they understood that they too need to learn a foreign language or two on occasion to establish communication with others, especially the native residents of a region. 

These two examples can also be used as classic case studies of how language is not just the medium of governance or power establishment anymore but also goes to the length of bringing about freedom as well as contributing to the economic progress of a demography. 

And when we talk about freedom, it can also be used to indicate the notion of economic freedom. 

Given the global village that the world has now become, the importance of effective communication for the betterment of the economy through the knowledge of more than one language has increased more than ever. 

That multilingualism is good for the economy has been proven by multiple studies. According to them, countries that actively nurture different languages reap a range of rewards from more successful exports to a more innovative workforce. 

Switzerland holds the brightest instance in this regard. So much so that many people term multilingualism – over many other things – as the unique selling point of the country. It is understood that because of the country's multilingualism and proficiency in other languages, Switzerland was able to thrive in trade relations with respective foreign countries. It is also claimed that the country's "multilingualism" amounts to one-tenth of its annual GDP. 

The country has four national languages: German is the most widely spoken, followed by French, Italian and then Romansh, an ancient Latin-based language spoken by just 0.5 per cent of the population. 

Also, English has become the first foreign language taught in schools in several cantons, particularly in German-speaking Switzerland. 

As a result of that, the companies and services of the country are able to freely trade with, and export more goods to Italian, German, French and English-speaking nations. 

Apparently, the more equipped in language skills the director is, the bigger a Swiss company is. Aside from skills in other languages, proficiency in English also largely contributes to the prosperity of a company. 

It has been revealed through another study of small and medium-sized companies in Sweden, Germany, Denmark and France that companies investing more in languages were able to export more goods to foreign countries. 

For example, German companies that made hefty investments in multilingual staff added 10 export countries to their market. On the other hand, companies investing less were said to have missed out on lucrative contracts. 

The reason behind such commercial benefits is very basic: besides bringing about the much-needed innovation, multilingualism also helps individuals to be in possession of sharper and more adaptable minds than monolinguals so that they can inject more positive and productive energy into their workforce.   

This notion is also supported by neuroscience, which certifies that multilingualism increases the brain's capacity for plasticity, which in turn increases the brain's ability to code new information. 

This is an ability that is directly linked with higher incomes of individuals. Several studies showed that multilingualism boosts earning power.  

In Florida, workers who speak both Spanish and English earn $7,000 per year more than those who only speak English. Meanwhile, in Canada, bilingual men earn 3.6% and bilingual women earn 6.6% more than their English-only peers. 

Now, if we shift our focus from the global aspect to our own country, the situation is promising for sure, at least on the surface level. In recent times, the attempt to become multilingual has evidently increased in Bangladesh, with the emergence of many multinational companies. 

Not only English, but the young generation nowadays is also becoming interested in learning other foreign languages like Spanish, German, Korean, Japanese, and Mandarin among others. This is also a result of the impact of pop culture on Bangladesh. 

But the most concerning matter is: are we tapping into the countless economic potential that comes along with multilingualism? Not really. In terms of monetising language skills, we are still in the toddler phase. 

However, for this same reason, Bangladesh, with a population of about 170 million, in all probability can become one of the most fertile lands in the world to make the best use of multilingualism. And this is applicable not only to international communication but to intranational communication as well.  

Ours is a country that already has a multilingual environment where nearly 60 languages are used and practised among different communities. Also, there are as many as 45 indigenous and small ethnic groups who have their own mother tongues.

In a bid to build trade relations and effectively act upon them, showing proper respect as well as learning the basics of at least a few regional dialects of Bangla, and ethnic languages could prove to be highly beneficial. Needless to mention, this can also pave the way for strengthening the cultural diversity in Bangladesh.    

Even at a time when robots and artificial intelligence are threatening to take away our human jobs, the appeal of human communication and building relationships through the knowledge of multiple languages will remain intact.