The world as we know it changes around us, the Europe of old and the business culture that existed may be changing as well. A key component of this culture was language. There have been many discussions as to whether English will remain the ‘lingua franca’ of the European Union. This article attempts to unpack this and determine whether this is the case and, if not, why?
Culture and language
Language and culture are intertwined, and a language generally denotes a specific group of people. When you use a language, you are generally interacting with the culture that surrounds that language. The European Union language policy is clear as to the fact that all languages are given equal priority. Culture is generally defined as the set of rules, values, and norms that are associated with a specific grouping of people. And the most regular norm is the use of language; it is something that the human race is unable to do without. Communication is intrinsic for normal human life, and it is through such ongoing communication, a strong and vibrant culture is built up over time.
The language of business in the European Union has been English for most nations, and there have been discussions internationally as to how this may change based on Brexit. For if the UK, the most English speaking nation in the union, is no longer then surely a language that denotes a culture that is still part and parcel of the European Union should be embraced. At the time of Brexit, English was, and still is, the most widely spoken language in the European Union.
Brexit, business and language
Will the EU and Brussels keep English? This is the big question that all English businesses are asking, and only time will tell. English will always be available and be part of international business relations, however, it may very well not hold the same prominence as it does today. Therefore, many have argued that if your business is still to participate in Europe, sans the English, it may be worth having access to French translation services.
French is said to be the language that euro business will need to interact with on the continent. French leadership, both past, and present has been at the forefront of this debate, noting that French should be the language of choice in the European Union.
One would think that Germany, which has the strongest EU economy and a higher proportion of people in the union, would be taking the lead. However, the argument around culture and the fact that the French culture is perhaps more accepted than that of Germany and the ongoing stain of the 2nd World War and extremism may have something to do with these perceptions. The German leadership and public have also not pushed for this, and many would say that there is not as much language pride as there is elsewhere on the continent. Or perhaps it is simply because French is said to sound better and be the language of love. But this internal debate as to which European language is the main one and will denote a European culture to the world has perhaps caused the uncertainty as to which of the European languages could serve to replace English.
As language and culture are so closely intertwined and the fact that the EU is now less English than it has ever been surely reason enough to consider this if not to implement and change that would speak to the new European culture.
Thus, the discussion around language in the European Union has been quite emotional, based on the closeness language has to culture and the importance of European culture to the lawmakers on the continent.
However, if you are to remove the emotion, the numbers tell a different story. There are officially 23 languages in the European Union, yet only three of these, French, English, and German, are working languages with any chance of being used in business and trade as well as governance and legislation. At the time of Brexit, approximately 51% of people in the European Union could speak and communicate effectively in English. Whilst only 32% could do so in German and 26% in French. Conversely, the number of first language English speakers in the EU dropped from 13% of EU citizens (with the UK) to 1% of EU citizens without the UK.
These numbers serve to dispel the idea that English can simply be signed away in the same manner as the UK was removed from the union.
It is thus clear that for the immediate future and the medium-term at least. English will be a major part of the European Union, and business will continue to be conducted in the English language. Your business may still need access to translation services, but these will be for marketing and dealing with any glitches at the port and channel crossing.
By default and based on the fact that the European Union itself cannot decide on a possible successor for English, there will be no replacement. English will remain at the heart of Europe. It will always be a misnomer in that language and culture are intrinsically linked, and yet the language that dominates the European Union has very little to do with its culture now that the UK is no longer a partner to this union. Perhaps this is an aspect that requires further research and investigation as we see the culture of Europe undergoing a long-lasting change through the adoption of English and the reduction of the number of people speaking and interacting in their native tongue.
It used to be that English would be used primarily in business, while the native European language was used at home and in personal life. This has changed, and from social media, one observes that language is changing, and more people will use English as an everyday language in Europe than any other language.
