Brits shun foreign languages because of nerves, not ignorance, poll finds

Hablas vous Englisch? Brits are shy when attempting a foreign language, poll reveals.

Say it quietly, then a little louder, then more slowly, then just point – the trials and tribulations of Brits abroad are as old as the package holiday itself, and have earned British travellers the unfair reputation for being ignorant of other cultures and languages.

But a recent study by the British Council has found that many Brits are simply too embarrassed to try speaking another language so they prefer to either keep schtum or converse only in English…

The poll of more than 2,000 UK adults found that 40 per cent of those surveyed felt red-faced when faced with having to attempt a smattering of foreign dialect.

Nevertheless, the same poll revealed that 65 per cent of Brits do believe it is important to learn at least some local words and phrases before holidaying abroad – so it’s shyness rather than ignorance that is holding Brits back.

The poll arrived in the same week that exam regulator Ofqual reported on a further decline in the number of students sitting language exams at GCSE and A-level – a trend that is set to further cement the UK’s reputation as a land of monoglots.

“Languages are vitally important to the UK if it is to be fully engaged with the world,” said Dr Wendy Platt, director general of the Russell Group of leading universities, which has noted the alarming fall in the number of Brits studying foreign languages.

Brits – and the Irish, Australians, Americans and Canadians – have the excuse that everybody speaks English, and that the language is quickly becoming the global tongue. But that first point is not true everywhere, and the second point raises an interesting question: if everybody else speaks English, then English-native speakers are likely to be left behind as the world’s only monolingual cultures.

Back to the poll, the British Council study also found that 25 per cent of those surveyed said that even the thought of having to speak a foreign language on holiday made them nervous, with a third (36 per cent) falling under the assumption that everyone in the country they are due to be visiting will speak English well enough.

True for, say, Spain or Germany, but not so ideal if Brits fancy sojourning to parts of Greece, Turkey or many other places in Europe. Of the poll, a mere 16 per cent said that they could speak a foreign language to a satisfactory level, but all is not lost – 48 per cent revealed that they do enjoy trying out their language skills when the opportunity arises.

“While it’s encouraging to see that Brits are generally willing to have a go at speaking the local language when on holiday, too many of us still rely too heavily on English while abroad,” said Mark Herbert, head of the British Council’s schools programme. “The reality is that speaking a foreign language doesn’t just help you to get the most out of your holiday – it is a rewarding way to connect with another culture and, with employers now crying out for more language skills, it can boost your job prospects too.”