We all know that English is the global language for business, but it's not even many countries' first language. This is why learning a second language can provide you with a competitive edge. For example, translators and interpreters all over the world tend to earn quite well.
The median salary is $49,930 for translators and the unemployment rate is just 3.1%. If your second language is English, becoming a translator might be an obvious choice! However, if English is your first language, which languages would be best for becoming a translator?
1. Chinese/Mandarin
One of the most spoken languages, Chinese is a macrolanguage that includes dialects like Mandarin, Wu, Min, Xiang, Gan, Hakka, and Yue. Of all these dialects, Mandarin accounts for 70% of Chinese. Mandarin, which is predominantly spoken in Taiwan and Beijing, is considered the "standard Chinese language" and is mostly spoken in Taiwan and Beijing provinces.
Chinese might be a divided dialect, but knowledge of Mandarin will help you communicate with
a large percentage of Chinese people.
2. Spanish
After Chinese, Spanish tops the table with more than 410 million native speakers worldwide. It's also the first language in 20 countries and a popular second language in countries like Belize, the Philippines, and even the United States.
Spanish to English is a popular language pair for translations and there are plenty of countries needing content translated.
3. French
French is often ranked as one of the most beautiful languages in the world and as the fifth most spoken language in the world, it's quite a popular second language.
It's a native language for many in Canada, Switzerland, Belgium, and, of course, France. Additionally, it's quite an important language in international business.
4. German
With 130 million speakers, German is the most spoken first language in the EU. As a minority language, there are also 7.5 million German speakers across 42 countries in which German isn't the most common language.
German learners are often impressed by the structure and grammar of the language and how nouns combine to form new words.
Learning German can improve your career prospects, especially in translation. Furthermore, it's never been easier thanks to all the online resources and the efforts of many mobile app developers.
5. Russian
Russian is one of six official languages on the United Nations. It has more than 144 million speakers in Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus. and is one of the most widely spoken Slavic languages.
Russian is an important language for business and tourism across several nations, making it a great choice for anyone interested in becoming a translator or interpreter.
Second languages can now be used for much more than just talking to others, you can use it to further your career. With business becoming increasingly globalised, it makes sense to speak more than just one language.
With technologies like Artificial Intelligence an
d the Internet of Things (IoT), the need for interpreters that can produce native content based on global demand has increased and created more opportunities.
Manoj Rupareliya is the Online Marketing Expert and Blogger. He is an experienced writer with expertise in the field of technology, blockchain, crypto, AI, Digital Marketing and SEO. All the blogs he writes are aimed at providing credible help and insights for readers who want to stay updated all the time. You can find him on LinkedIn and Twitter.