Review of Why You Need a Foreign Language & How to Learn One (Paperback)

According to this book, Americans have allowed themselves to be lulled into a belief that foreign language skills are no longer necessary because "everyone in the world is learning English." In this concise volume, Trimnell examines some neglected sides of the national debate about globalization.

The first of these is that Americans have become dependent on the language skills of others. The ramifications of this dependency (especially for American businesspersons) are explained and documented in-depth.

The book includes other arguments, such as the limited proficiency of non-native English-speakers who have studied English abroad. The author also has a lot to say about globalization, and some new trends which will likely affect the status of various languages in the world.

The second half of the book is a roadmap for learning a foreign language. The information presented here is helpful for anyone new to language study.

I would have given this book five stars but for a few minor quibbles: In the scope of a 236-page book, the author explores topics as diverse as business, world governing bodies, cultural nationalism, the war on terror, and how they relate to language. The arguments mostly ring true, but the sheer scope of the thesis might be a little too vast for the format. This might have been broken down into two separate books.

Nevertheless, the author deserves kudos for approaching the issues from a truly original perspective. Trimnell also backs up his arguments with facts and data. You may or may not agree with him, but you'll have to respect his arguments.


Product Description
In the age of globalization, English-speakers have largely neglected the languages of others, trusting instead in the promise of an international version of English. In Why You Need a Foreign Language & How to Learn One, author Edward Trimnell makes a contrarian case for a renewed emphasis on foreign language skills in the United States, Great Britain, and elsewhere in the English-speaking world. Drawing on topics as wide-ranging as military intelligence and international business, Trimnell explains why our neglect of foreign languages makes us dangerously dependent on the language skills of others. The book also explores the "truth and the hype" about English as an international language, and explains the functional limitations of English as a global means of communication. Finally, the book describes techniques and resources that businesspersons and other professionals can use to acquire a language through independent study.

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