Dear LPG,

I have got to be a really boring person because I cannot help but find statistics fascinating.  This all started when I was still at work and I think that I have come across some vaguely interesting statistics over the years.

I once worked in the personnel office of a manufacturing company and although it was a while ago now, there were quite a lot of foreign workers. This was about thirty years ago, but it was about the time when there was a bit of a government drive on to encourage employers to offer extra benefits to their employees.

Our company thought it would be a good idea to offer education to the workers and a group of us office workers were put in charge of finding out what they would most like to learn.   My first idea was a survey and after much preparation we got everyone to take part.  Predictably computer skills came out on top, but we asked one particular question and the answers really surprised me.

We asked how many languages each of our workers could speak.   At the time there were a lot of workers of Asian and African descent, quite a few West Indian and some European workers, but the thing that really struck me was the fact that nearly all the foreign workers spoke more than one language while most of the English workers only spoke English (me included).

Did you know that, according to the internet only 38% of Brits speak more than one language while 62% can only speak English?  Another thing I learnt is that the challenge of learning a new language keeps the older brain young and my research did not end there. I found a list of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn and I also found a list of the hardest, and according to some other information I learnt is that you can learn online for free by spending a few minutes a day

I know that my little survey was nowhere near a perfect reflection of the British population and it is well past its sell by date now, but it got me thinking and now after all these years of retirement, I have decided that I should learn another language.   

So, I think that I have found something new to aim for in 2021 as I try to become one of the 38% as opposed to staying one of the 62%. With the shadow of lockdown and self-isolation still on our horizon I thought it a good idea to leave what I have learned about the subject for any other readers who might be looking for a new challenge.

WA, Woolwich.

WA found a little information on the statistics and advantages of having a go…

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… the easiest and hardest languages for English speakers to learn…

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… and a few online places to get started…

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