Agree/Disagree Band: 8.0 Q: Living in a country where you | Cambridge books

Agree/Disagree

Band: 8.0

Q: Living in a country where you have to speak a foreign language can cause serious social problems as well as practical problems. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Answer:
Living in a country where one has to speak a language other than their native tongue could lead to quite disturbing problems, both on a social level and a practical one. Therefore, I am in complete agreement with the statement.

A language barrier often translates into other forms of barriers, in addition to basic communication. To order something online or through the phone, for example, a person should have some understanding of the service provider’s language, otherwise they would probably not be able to place an order. The same problem occurs when one goes on a job interview, especially one that is not in person. Without a clear understanding of the employer’s language, the candidate is unlikely to make the best first impression and obtain the job.

While less severe in everyday, especially face-to-face, interactions, the problem still remains unresolved as missing even the most minute detail of an utterance might lead to misunderstanding and subsequent complications, most notably in understanding culture-bound norms, rituals, or propositions. What is more, a person with little understanding of a language may never find friends, at least lasting ones, or a lover as both cases would require in-depth discussions and arguments on a range of subjects to be held.

It is true that there are non-verbal factors involved in any interaction, such as facial expressions and hand gestures, but they never even come close to clear articulation of language in terms of communicating the meaning the speaker has in mind. This very important missing factor tends to result in the breakdown of communication which in turn impedes the formation of a relationship.

In conclusion, I believe a language barrier is nothing we can dismiss lightly, especially when living in a country where the official language is one we do not know.
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