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Communication Problems with Immigrants
By Lateef Oladeji
Somebody once complained bitterly against some immigrants who could not communicate in the local language, accusing them of any or all of uninterest, arrogance or sheer laziness. The extreme type of that case actually happened to me on some occasions when the local people of the place to which I was posted by my employers refused to have anything to do with me unless I spoke their own language, despite the fact that they could understand what I was saying in English, our country's lingua franca.
I quite agree that people living in other lands should endeavour to learn the local languages obtainable there so as to be able to communicate and have an easy stay. However, while this requirement or advice is valid for those living permanently in a foreign place, those on short visits may not have to be affected, especially if they can always have escorts to accompany them around. There are a number of other reasons why there will always be people who cannot communicate in local or national language at any point in time: i)People coming in newly to join their families, to study, to work, etc - such people will need some time to learn the language. ii)When adults are involved, it takes longer time to learn new languages. iii)Understanding the language is different from understanding the intonations or accents. For instance, some foreigners in the US or elsewhere can read and write well in English but find it difficult to follow when the natives are speaking. This is because they were not taught the language by the native speakers but by non-natives, who used perverted accents and intonations while teaching them. All said, there is no argument over whether the immigrants in the US or the UK should learn English, or those in France should learn French, and so on. They ought to in their own interest, particularly if they have come to stay for a long period. However, one should show an understanding with those among them who don't understand the local language at any point in time, for they may fall within the categories mentioned above. |
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This intel was contributed by gembiz
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May, 2012
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