Language Problems
1 You want to learn a language fast.
2 You want to maintain your languages.
3 You want a job using your languages.
Answers
If you want to
1 Learn Languages: Enrol in a class in person; enrol online (Duolingo is free); audio discs for home or car, Earworms from Berlitz, teach a language such as English for foreigners in a language school overseas and you often get a reduction if you sign up to learn another language such as German or Mandarin. (I taught English in several private schools in Singapore, created a course for other teachers, and as a volunteer introduced and helped run an English enrichment programme at weekends for those who failed their English O level mock in a state school and the pupils all (except one in hospital) re-took and passed.
2 Take holidays in foreign countries speaking your second language. Whilst there look for job opportunities. Go to job agencies. Attend a bilingual Toastmasters International speakers club as a guest. Go to a sports club which has local or expat members. Employ a nanny or au pair from the country whose language you wish to learn or maintain. Set up a system in which you teach them or they teach you for an hour, even half an hour, even 15 minutes, every week or every day.
3 Go to the German / Italian / other language embassy (or website) and find their trade department. Write or phone and say (in German and English) that you want to help German businesses with German exports into your area. Ask for a list of companies doing business in your area. In addition or instead check the phone book and the internet in both countries.
Story
A Magazine Article
I met somebody from a travel magazine at the World Travel Market in London. I told him I was a specialist in books and articles on weddings, wedding etiquette and honeymoon hotels and asked if he wanted any articles. He said he did not need any writing because he had the editor or features editor of a Bridal magazine doing his articles. I asked him to keep my card and remember my name in case the situation ever changed. I forgot all about it, once in a while found his card in my pile of cards, shrugged.
Then, suddenly, unexpectedly, an urgent voice on the phone wanted to know if I remembered him and whether I was available - at very short notice, to complete an article and text half done. His writer had had an accident (nothing serious, a limb (for anybody reading this in a second language, that means an arm or a leg) and she could not complete the work.
He said, "I can send a courier over straight away, collect the stuff from her and transport it to you."
"Yes, of course," I said. "Just send me an email confirming the time you need it, the length of the article, and what you will pay, and when, and I'll reply confirming I have understood and agree to the terms. Tell me if you will pay automatically on receipt or if I need to enclose an invoice and if so which person, department and company name I should invoice. A one line sentence from you is enough. How soon can you do that?"
A Book
If you have no luck with a business proposal such as a book, simply try again a year later.
Somebody who had recently worked in the book buying department of a major supermarket (think Marks and Spencer) told me that if I had a book rejected I should send a slightly different version, or even exactly the same one, a year later.
Why? Firstly, because the staff my have changed and a new person may think differently. Secondly the competition may have changed. Maybe last year they had two cookery books offered but only one on gardening but this year it's the other way around.
Secondly, the staff could be the same but the policy could have changed. Maybe last year company policy was to focus on women and cookery, but this year it's on men and gardening.
You can schedule one phone call or email per week or month through the year. Add seasonal greetings. Change dates. Update your current experience.
Tips
3 Where Can You Use Languages?
1 Teaching Languages: primary schools, bilingual schools, secondary schools, adult education, business schools, in house training.
2 Websites.
3 Packaging. Instructions. Instruction books.
4 Book translation.
5 Magazine translation.
6 Encyclopaedia translation
7 Online translation service for business letter.
8 Wedding speeches. Wedding Services.
9 Funeral speeches. Funeral services, prayers and memorials.
10 Poetry and songs.
11 Greetings cards.
12 Advertising and marketing letters.
13 Conferences. Translating written speeches in advance for printing. (I did this for a Belgian delegate at a lawyers' conference in Delhi. It takes hours!) Simultaneous translation. (I did this from French into English at a motoring and tourism event in France.)
14 Thank you speeches from delegations to host country. (I did this for groups of travel writers in France.)
15 Political speeches; and religious sermons.
16 Conference presentations.
17 International contests.
18 Radio and TV.
19 Foreign Language newspapers, own language newspapers overseas.
20 Annual reports.
21 Law courts.
22 Hospitals.
23 Government publications.
24 Police stations.
25 Hotel registration forms. Hotel websites. Travel brochures. Hotel receptionists.
26 Airport security, offices, sign writing.
27 Bilingual magazines on airlines and trains.
28 Nannies, babysitters and home schooling in bilingual families.
29 Cleaning, gardening, DIY, secretary/PA for expats.
30 New business and start-up associations.
Good luck. Enjoy using your skills.
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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