Exploiting differences in worker and employer perspectives
hypothesis testing (index)

An alternative approach to testing this hypothesis would be to go directly to those who utilize the language. As employers and workers often share different opinions about their respective needs, important insight about the true need for English in the work place can likely be obtained by comparing the opinions of those who utilize English with those who employ those who utilize it in their daily activities. As the market for language competence only rises above that level where it is is no longer perceived as a "free" commodity (see Nature of the market), much of the demand for English is likely overstated.

Exploring language use in this context would permit those who supply language competence to know just how much of the "free" commodity employed is actually utilized.

In order to measure this difference in perspective a questionnaire must be developed that accurately discriminates among these varying points of view.

The general public
hypothesis testing (index)

Language has many non-economic uses with important economic consequences. Moreover, leisure activity is an important part of our individual social well-being. Thus, exploring only business needs would provide an inaccurate assessment of true demand.

• Frequency and use
  hypothesis testing (index)
  
  In order to determine non-business needs one must enquire among the general public. This enquiry could be achieved along with a careful examination of individual attrition rates. The general public would be asked:
  
  
  • how frequently he/she employs the English language in non-business contexts, and
    
    
  • to what extent the language could be substituted with other forms of leisure activity. In many cases a particular language is used simply because it is present, not because other alternatives do not exist for obtaining the same information. Alternatively, the language may be vital, but highly specialized, and thus not require knowledge of the entire language for its use -- e.g. computer program design, the purchase of a bus ticket, etc.
    
    
  • High frequency of use may or may not indicate importance, if the same information can be obtained in Cantonese or Mandarin through translation. Those who utilize English to reach their target audience, do so because they know that their target audience has some command of the language. For example, if everyone were not required to study English, advertising agencies would probably stop using English catch words as a means to attract customers for their clients.
    
    
• Demand begets supply, supply reinforces demand
  hypothesis testing (index)
  
  One must keep in mind that artificial demand creates its own supply. If there is demand for a good, it is likely that suppliers will appear to satisfy it. Once demand has been satisfied, it becomes a habit that is reinforced by supply. Thus, a market is born for something that was never needed in the first place. One can perpetuate these markets and all of the resouces that are wasted to maintain them, or one can destroy them and free the resources to satisfy other more important, non-artificially created needs.
  
  In addition to government a primary component of artificially created demand are those who supply the language -- namely, English language textbook, CD, and tape publishers, privately owned English language schools, English language teachers, and anyone else who can figure out a way to exploit the universal language needs myth. Some of the strongest proponents of universal English language training are foreign English language teachers. Their incentives for promoting the language are substantial: a low cost domestic investment with high overseas yield and large nonpecuniary pay-offs in terms of cushioned adventure.
  
  
• Attitudes toward the foreign presence
  hypothesis testing (index)
  
  As noted in my discussion paper most host country residents perceive foreigners as either unwilling or unable to learn their host country's language. They also believe that all foreigners can speak English, else how could they sustain their presence in the host country. These assumptions also contribute significantly to the host country's artificial demand for the language. "We want the foreign presence, but how can we sustain it, if we do not know English" seems to be the popular complaint. Just how frequently, to what extent , and under what circumstances do host country residents actually encounter foreign residents needs to be examined.

Tourists, overseas investors, and sales people
hypothesis testing (index)

Another important component of demand for the English language consists of those who actually depend on the langauge to get around. Even the need for this component has likely been exaggerated. (See discussion paper Seperation of language and culture andKeeping the tourist happy.)

In order to understand the true nature of demand in this regard the foreign presence can be classified into several categories:

• The transient presence
  hypothesis testing (index)
  
  Most numerous among this population are of course tourists, top ranking business executives, and sales people. All of whom rarely wander beyond those areas especially set aside for transient populations. These areas include international hotels, major transportation hubs, special tourist attractions and photo stops, and all those many small shops, government offices, and service agencies that cater directly to the needs of this transient population. Although their number when measured over time is quite large, at any given moment they represent but a tiny fraction of the host country's total population. Moreover, their English language needs can be serviced by an even smaller fraction of specially trained host country residents.
  
  
• The semi-permanent presence
  hypothesis testing (index)
  
  This population is also quite small and includes lower ranking business executives with special expertise, foreign diplomats, university researchers, NET teachers, hand labor, and the like. These people reside in their host country for extended periods, but rarely long enough to learn the language. They can be very wealthy or relatively poor; few of them are willing to pay for the costly lodging and living arrangements typically accorded more transient foreign populations. As a result, many of these people occupy foreign upscale ghettos or live in dormitories specially set aside for guest workers, students, and researchers. These localized concentrations of foreigners are generally serviced by small shops whose managers not only speak English, but also hire English speaking personnel. Once again, however, the number of host country residents needed to fill these posts is only a tiny fraction of the total host country population. Moreover, this semi-transient working population is almost always hosted in a bilingual work environment where the level of host country, non-native, English competence is quite high. Moreover, many of their bilingual needs can be satisfied by permanent foreign residents who have acquired the host country language.
  
  In the end it is the semi-permanent foreign residents, who often place the greatest demands for English language competence on their foreign hosts. This is because they desire freedom of movement. Obviously there presence is important to the host country's economy; otherwise, they would never have been issued work permits. Notwithstanding, their demands appear excessive, and their presence is thus another important area for investigation.
  
  
• The permanent presence
  hypothesis testing (index)
  
  This presence is split between those with good knowledge of the host language and those without. Those without knowledge of the host country language often occupy the same colonial or ghetto-like living quarters as semi-permanent residents. Like the semi-permanent presence many of these people place strong pressure on local governenments to cater to their English language needs. Those with good knowledge of the host country language are more likely to be found intermixed among the local population.
  
  Unfortunately, local residents rarely distinguish between those who speak the host country's language and those who do not; the overriding assumption seems to be that all foreigners speak English.
  

Having understood the different classifications of foreign residents it is important to distinguish between their true need and that which has developed as a result of artificial demand. In order to achieve this the foreign population must be questionned directly. For example,

• How many foreigners abandon study of their host country's language when they realize that they can survive without it? See discussion paper under the headings Pride of speech, Cultural arrogance or self-deprecation, and Holding foreigners at bay.
  
  
• To what degree do permanent and semi-permanent residents depend on the English language skills of the general public? Could this dependency be easily substituted with translated written material, interpretors, automation, bilingual friends and host country sponsors?
  
  
• Who are the key speakers of English without whom these foreign residents could no longer survive, or would be subject to severe hardship?
  
  
• How does the foreign community judge the ability of the local population to communicate in English?
  
  
• Among those who learn their host country's language what level is required to satisfy most of their needs?
  
  
• Under what conditions have foreigners met with severe hardship either with or without ability in the host country language?