UNIT-1 [ Lesson-2: Why should we learn Business English in Bangladesh? ]
After reading this lesson you will be able to:
- explain the purpose, importance and necessity of learning business
English in Bangladesh.
Why should we learn Business English in Bangladesh?
Introduction
If you go to a village market in Bangladesh and ask a vegetable seller: “How much is a kilo of potatoes?” What language will you use? Obviously Bangla. Even if you ask in English, the man might reply ‘5 Taka’ in Bangla. He will do so inferring from context i.e., your pointing to the potatoes, your looking at him and probably a shopping bag in your hand.
Even then you should not use English with him in this kind of circumstances, because people here speak Bangla. If you are talking to a receptionist who is Bangladeshi in an international hotel in Dhaka you can speak to him/her either in English or in Bangla.
This is because here guests speak both Bangla and English. On the other hand, you are talking or writing to the First Secretary of the British High Commission in Dhaka, for example, about a UK scholarship you have been offered, you have to use English because the secretary is not supposed to understand Bangla.
In fact, when you correspond with any foreigners both within and outside the country, you are expected to use English. This is because English is widely known among various nationals. Roughly one in every seven people in the world can speak English.
We usually use English for communicating with those who do not understand Bangla.
ACTIVITY
1. List 4 persons with their position and organisation, with whom you can speak either in Bangla or in English.
2. List 4 persons with their position and organisation to whom you have to write in English only.
The present-day world has become a ‘global village’ mainly because of the overwhelming developments in information and communication technologies. While sitting in your office or home, you can now talk about important business matters over the phone with people across the world.
Movement of people and materials between countries has also become easier. All these facilities have made the world a big cosmopolitan village, and hence no country can now afford to be insular. Perhaps, nowhere are these global characteristics felt so strongly as in today’s business world.
With the telephone, fax, e-mail and transport facilities ready on hand, many organisations are now involved in international business. To facilitate their activities these organisations have to use an international language which is English.
People need to learn Business English to communicate in international business and in employment market.
A large illiterate, unemployed population is a big problem for a small country like Bangladesh. But if this huge number of people is turned into skilled manpower many of them will be able to find work in international business and employment markets, thereby increasing their income and hence improving the quality of their life.
This could be greatly possible if our people can master communication skills in English. Thus business English can hold out before us great potentials of development, individually as well as nationally.
ACTIVITY
Choose the best answer.
1. The expression ‘global village’ refers to
A. the biggest village
B. the whole world
C. a developed village
D. a small village
2. Because of the modern transportation technologies you can
A. talk to people living at a distance over the phone
B. watch on TV what is happening thousands of kilometres away
C. move fast from one place to another
D. travel by train, by plane, and even by cast and boat
3. ‘No country now can afford to be insular’ This means:
A. Any country can survive without keeping in touch with others
B. All countries are now united
C. The people of a country live as if in an island
D. All countries are interdependent
4. ‘Skilled manpower’ means
A. trained workers
B. educated people
C. powerful people
D. people employed abroad
5. ‘Communication skills’ help the learners to
A. travel aboard
B. learn how to speak and write
C. find jobs
D. become good citizens
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