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Who's number 1? Really? What country's non-native English-speakers speak the best business English?
The Economist ^
| 08/13/2014
Posted on 08/13/2014 4:20:47 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
WHAT country's non-native English-speakers speak the best business English in the world? Try to think of five countries before reading on.
Done? The answer, according to GlobalEnglish, is probably not what you think. (GlobalEnglish is owned by Pearson, which part-owns The Economist).
Remember that the survey tested non-native speakers, so don't be too distracted by the placement of the Anglophone countries. Still, Global English's results are very strange. If you thought that the Philippines has the best business English in the world, and that Germany would miss the top 25, you haven't had the same work and travel experiences I have.
Global English says this about its Business English Index:
The GOE [Globalisation of English] and BEI [Business English Index] together give us a complete picture of the trends, achievements and challenges in business communication and the importance of Business English in the workplace.
If this is a complete picture, we have a genuine stop-the-presses moment here: Madagascar, Bulgaria and Romania well ahead of Denmark, Switzerland and Germany? Spain just behind Angola? If this doesn't violate your common sense about the relative quality of English around the world, look at a few neighboring and demographically similar countries. Slovenia miles ahead of Slovakia and the Czech Republic? Argentina and Uruguay leagues ahead of Chile?
In mild amazement, I wrote to Global English's press-relations person, asking how the study had been compiled. His reply:
The Business English Index is based on the placement test that GlobalEnglish subscribers take within GlobalEnglish Edge, an on-demand Business English development solution, to assess the Business English proficiency level of each respondent.
(Excerpt) Read more at economist.com ...
TOPICS: Business/Economy; Society
KEYWORDS: business; english
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To: SeekAndFind
2
posted on
08/13/2014 4:21:57 PM PDT
by
cripplecreek
("Moderates" are lying manipulative bottom feeding scum.)
To: cripplecreek
To: SeekAndFind
From
YAHOO NEWS :
EXCERPT:
The Philippines was named the worlds best country in business English proficiency, even beating the United States, according to a recent study by
GlobalEnglish Corporation.
GlobalEnglish has released early this month the results of its annual Business English Index (BEI), the only index that measures business English proficiency in the workplace.
For 2012, results showed that from 76 represented countries worldwide, only the Philippines attained a score above 7.0, "a BEI level within range of a high proficiency that indicates an ability to take an active role in business discussions and perform relatively complex tasks."
This is particularly interesting because the Philippines, a country with one-tenth of the population of India, recently overtook India as a hub for call centers. Over 400,000 Filipinos are now employed in call centers, roughly 50,000 more than in India, the study said.
CLICK ABOVE LINK FOR THE REST...
4
posted on
08/13/2014 4:24:28 PM PDT
by
SeekAndFind
(If at first you don't succeed, put it out for beta test.)
To: cripplecreek
I’m with you, Canadians, except for the Quebecquois Canadians.
5
posted on
08/13/2014 4:25:20 PM PDT
by
Fungi
To: cripplecreek
RE: Canadians.
Canadians are non-native English speakers?
I thought it was Californians.... :)
6
posted on
08/13/2014 4:25:23 PM PDT
by
SeekAndFind
(If at first you don't succeed, put it out for beta test.)
To: SeekAndFind
7
posted on
08/13/2014 4:31:53 PM PDT
by
Zeneta
(Thoughts in time and out of season.)
To: SeekAndFind
When my wife and I have to call for technical assistance for electronic equipment we say we’re “calling India.”
To: SeekAndFind
“The Philippines was named the worlds best country in business English proficiency,”
_______________________________________________________
While the result seems surprising, one must know that English is the second language in the Philippines. It is not surprising to find even poor people out in the countryside who are able to speak English. My 3 yr old, now in school here, is taught in both English and Tagalog.
Here at home, he speaks only English.
9
posted on
08/13/2014 4:36:06 PM PDT
by
AlexW
To: SeekAndFind
It probably helps English fluency that the Philippines was a US Protectorate for 48 years.
And we were at Subic Bay for another half century.
10
posted on
08/13/2014 4:39:20 PM PDT
by
Reaganez
To: SeekAndFind
Having been to a few countries ten I would say Denmark or Norway.
11
posted on
08/13/2014 4:42:08 PM PDT
by
manc
(Marriage =1 man + 1 woman,when they say marriage equality then they should support polygamy)
To: SeekAndFind
Actually, the Philippines was the country I thought of first just from the title; not surprised in the least.
12
posted on
08/13/2014 4:44:41 PM PDT
by
eclecticEel
("The petty man forsakes what lies within his power and longs for what lies with Heaven." - Xunzi)
To: SeekAndFind
“...the survey tested non-native speakers, so don’t be too distracted by the placement of the Anglophone countries.”
13
posted on
08/13/2014 4:44:51 PM PDT
by
EDINVA
To: SeekAndFind
Try listening to some airline pilots on a scanner near an airport, then see which countries have the poorest business English speaking pilots flying their planes.
-PJ
14
posted on
08/13/2014 4:45:19 PM PDT
by
Political Junkie Too
(If you are the Posterity of We the People, then you are a Natural Born Citizen.)
To: manc
Other than the Anglo-Saxon countries, I would say, the Scandinavians, the Dutch and the Swiss speak the best English in Europe.
In Asia, I’d say it’s the Philippines, Malaysia, India and Singapore.
I’ve only been to South Africa in Africa and of course, they speak good English there, they’re mostly of Anglo-Dutch descent.
15
posted on
08/13/2014 4:45:49 PM PDT
by
SeekAndFind
(If at first you don't succeed, put it out for beta test.)
To: SeekAndFind
The Philippines was named the worlds best country in business English proficiency
It's the reason why a lot of white collar jobs have been outsourced to there instead of India in recent years. Cheap labor that actually speaks English.
16
posted on
08/13/2014 4:48:43 PM PDT
by
peyton randolph
(Show me the man and I will find the crime. - Lavrenti Beria)
To: SeekAndFind
Agree with you there.
Most of Northern Europe I have been too and it seems their kids can speak English fluently when they are 7 years old.
17
posted on
08/13/2014 4:49:12 PM PDT
by
manc
(Marriage =1 man + 1 woman,when they say marriage equality then they should support polygamy)
To: SeekAndFind
Norway is a lot like the USA, except that in Norway, 7-11 clerks speak perfect English.
18
posted on
08/13/2014 4:51:18 PM PDT
by
Dagnabitt
(Amnesty is Treason. Its agents are Traitors.)
To: Dagnabitt
19
posted on
08/13/2014 4:52:34 PM PDT
by
GeronL
(Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
To: SeekAndFind
The Boar if I am not mistaken right?
20
posted on
08/13/2014 4:52:47 PM PDT
by
manc
(Marriage =1 man + 1 woman,when they say marriage equality then they should support polygamy)
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