Articles

Language learning tips for the international internal auditor
(Article written for a student newspaper with adaptation for Internal Auditors)

Introduction

Language learning is a standard feature of any good education system, especially as the world globalizes and professionals are more mobile than ever before. We personally have a family history of globalization that predates the current wave, and that goes back more than a thousand years before the advent of modern means of transportation. Family members have travelled and remained in far flung corners of the world, often being buried there. One interesting fact that I have learnt from all the family histories is that without exception my ancestors learnt the local languages, be it Romanian, Bahasa Indonesia, or French, amongst others, and that they were fluent to the point of being effective in their new environments. Languages were seen as a tool to communicate and integrate sufficiently to be successful. This historic process has culminated in the next generation (our children) all learning languages as a second tool next to English.

My own journey started at 12 years old when I was introduced to language learning at a Dutch secondary school where I started learning 4 modern and 3 ancient languages. My mother was a professional translator based in Rouen, Normandy, before I was born, and to this day I have the dictionaries and study books she used, for a wide range of languages, so both at school and at home there were a lot of stimulants to promote language learning.

Based on these early 5 years at secondary level, learning up to 7 different languages at a very high rate of progress, I became adept at learning new languages and became a bit of a gourmet, trying my hand at Asian, Eastern European and African languages over the past twenty years of professional experience, including intensive Mandarin some 15 years ago.

From this I can share with you the following experiences which may help you to determine and increase the value of language learning while you are struggling with strange tenses and challenging grammar in your own courses at Uplands.

Guidelines from a dedicated polyglot

Languages are tools of communication. Learning a language outside of a related country, and not using it in its original environment is unlikely to be beneficial if your objective is to be able to communicate effectively in that language. By that I mean that the brain seems to be very adept at learning and storing information for future usage, but that the command center of the brain is also rather ruthless in storing or discarding information if it is not of immediate relevance or usage. So if you are learning a language, you need to also use it in context, at the place of origin, to truly "learn" it.

Languages are never forgotten. Research on language learning has shown that the brain stores information in a short term memory initially. This short term memory is cleaned out daily, when you sleep. To get information (words, rules etc) into long term memory, you need to repeat the words at least 15 - 20 times. Once this has happened, then the word is registered in your memory, and retrievable at any time in future, even after a long absence of usage. This is similar to learning to holding a hammer effectively. Once you stop using a hammer for a number of years, when you pick it up again, you may initially need to get used to the feel of it again, the weight, and you have to rebuild calluses.

Once you learn another language successfully, and preferably a second and third one, your neurons become adept at learning other languages rapidly. When you learn the first language your neurons actually build something similar to a small wire bridge, similar to the rickety contraptions you may sometimes see across canyons in the forest. When you learn the second and then the third this initially feeble structure is reinforced and strenghtened, until it is virtually cast in concrete. You just need to get through the pain and challenge of effectively learning at least three languages including your mother tongue, and then you are set for life.

Useful tips

If you have trouble learning languages remember there are four golden rules to rapid language absorption.

The first is to be and remain playful. Children at a young age learn very quickly which is because they are playful and because there is no "right" or "wrong" in language learning. Mistakes are good because they allow you to learn more quickly. If you don't try you don't make mistakes. This, by implication, means that you are not learning as effectively. This is in my opinion part of the reason why adults are often not as successful at learning languages.

The second rule is to focus on learning for immediate needs. Formal language programs, especially ones I followed many years ago, tried to teach all the "boring" stuff first, rather than focusing on everyday language, phrases and words to do with everyday life, like, "what is your name, where is the toilet, I am hungry, I can't understand, please repeat slowly". Modern language programs, eg Berlitz, recognize this, and teach these key phrases first. The reason is the same as why a child learns more quickly. These words are used more frequently in conversation, and give us a sense of achievement when the person responds or remarks on our language skills, similar to the sense of achievement of children when they are praised.

The third rule is to take small bites but frequently. It is better to learn vocabulary and rules each day for 20 minutes, rather than 2 hours once a week. This refers to my point previously, that language needs to be repeated to be shifted into long term memory in the brain.

The last rule is to find an environment which stimulates language absorption. Any baroque music will do the trick, Bach, Handel and so forth, as this type of music opens the brain to receive information due to the specific brainwaves set off by this music.

Regarding the effectiveness and professional use of language for you future career, I have the following observations to share with you.

Language is a way to build bridges. In conjunction with a brief study of a country or region's social, economical and historical context, languages can break down barriers very quickly and build a base from which develop networks in the new location. Without this investment the "locals" may often perceive you as the "outsider", one of many, who travel from place to place but are unlikely to be serious about their intent. This might prevent you from being effective in your role, be it as a professional or as a tourist.

Languages are not generally a key decision factor in employment and recruitment. Regardless of all the articles written on this topic, the reality is that an additional language is seen as a marginal benefit which may be the deciding factor in a competitive situation where there are two candidates with the same personality, experience and qualifications.

In some cases language is a key issue for employment, but these are rare. A recent Economist article rightly states that the world, including China, is increasingly learning English which reduces the benefit of learning foreign languages. The second point to note is that, where a second language is really a requirement, you must be able to use it at a very high level of proficiency. It is difficult to keep several languages at a very high level of proficiency unless you are a professional translator or you happen to be in the country of origin of the language required. I have seen this first hand when I was hired for a small project where my fluency in German was deemed to be an absolute requirement. The reality on the ground was that most of the people I interviewed at the organization based in Germany spoke very good or passable English.

Multiple language skills are seen as an oddity. If you list more than 4 languages on your CV you may suffer because this is generally seen as being outside the norm. Worse still, the recruiter or HR department of the company reviewing your CV may question your accuracy and sincerity when stating this achievement, which, by implication, could mean that you have made up other parts of your CV.

Lessons from a wandering polyglot

However, before you have been negatively affected by the previous observations and tips, this is what I have personally experienced through learning language:

Ancient Latin and Greek were a real challenge, but taught me all the basic rules of grammar and etymology. This allowed me to easily learn the modern romantic languages (French, Italian, Spanish, Romanian) and even eastern European languages. Sanskrit, for those of you who are keen, will do the same but for a much wider variety of modern languages, including Asian languages. Even if you only learn French, you will find it much easier to also learn Italian and Spanish later on due to their common ancestor, Latin.

Language opens doors in new countries. You are able to quickly connect with the locals and find out things that you would otherwise not be able to. A good command of different languages is also very useful when you are in a marketing or sales position, even at a social level.

Languages and their connections between them, similarities and differences, allow you to learn about a society's culture, historical connections and clarify things quickly. Life has become much richer for me through the study and practice of languages. I particularly learnt this in Latvia, with the Latvian language being one of the oldest surviving Indo European languages, directly related to Sanskrit.

Implications for Internal Auditors

Language skills are a survival tool for internal auditors. For Internal Auditors it is crucial to break the ice and create open communications in order to obtain information efficiently.

Secondly, when doing reviews and audits, even limited language skills can assist in reviewing documents and picking up valuable information to be corroborated verbally later on.

For travelling internal auditors, projects often take us to places where English is not well or widely spoken. To facilitate with logistics, for example hotel and local travel arrangements, it pays to be able to make ourselves clear about our needs and also to build a rapid rapport with others in the service industries or government. The impression left by our language ability can often be the difference between failing to get that seat on the special train which will get us somewhere on time, or to be left stranded with all the other “outsiders” who “never take the time to get to know our culture” and are “here today and gone tomorrow”.

Lastly, in this day and age it is not uncommon for an auditor to be facing the barrel of a gun or similar stressful situation. Language can help in two ways. The first is where the holder of the gun is unaware of your language capabilities and divulges his real intents by talking to his colleagues in front of you. A person forewarned counts for three in other words. The second benefit is that you mark yourself out and sow doubt. It is unusual to find foreigners who speak your language, especially if it is an esoteric language like Malagasy. The gun toting gentleman may deduce that you have local friends including some in high places (which indeed you may have). This aspect may lead him to conclude that you are a poisoned chalice.

Conclusion

In general, the best option is to:

Learn at least three languages fluently at school and subsequently by visiting the relevant countries of origin and staying there for some time to practice and cement your skills. This will build your ability and skills in order to effectively to learn languages in future.

On each new country assignment or visit, buy a Berlitz or similar language tape. With your language learning skills you will be able to rapidly learn key words and phrases if you start at least 4 weeks before your visit there. Once you are in the country you are then able to assess whether you should learn more. To get around without too many mistakes and have an adequate level of fluency, you should learn about 300 - 500 words in a new language (Basic to intermediate level). If your assignment in a new country is for 1 year you will realize that you only need to learn one word each day to achieve this target.

Don't be disappointed if after your visit or stay in a country you quickly lose fluency and forget all that you have learnt. The information is stored away for future. I learnt Vietnamese 12 years ago and never visited Vietnam again until recently. I was amazed at how quickly my language skills came back in the space of 3 weeks, and was more or less fluent again as measured against the 300 word rule.

Do it for fun. Imagine the opportunities if you can travel to a new place and the amazed faces when you are able to speak in the local language. People are literally bowled over especially when you ask something like: “Prosze daja mnie opopernisczka” which is a bit of a tongue twister. Very useful if you need an ashtray in a Polish restaurant, which I did in 1996 when I first visited Warsaw for a very successful business meeting. I am sure this small phrase and other similar ones impressed my hosts and contributed in some way to me obtaining the contract.

Penang, December 2007