[originaltext] [23]All languages are equal from a linguistic point of view.

[23]All languages are equal from a linguistic point of view. It is wrong to judge the value of one against another. But when it comes to investing time, money and effort in the learning of languages, practical factors inevitably come into play. Politicians, taxpayers, parents and learners all want to be able to invest in those languages where their efforts and resources are going to prove most effective for their particular needs.
    There is no denying the importance of English as a common means of communication across the world. But an analysis of global language trends was a timely warning against this pride in the predominance of English worldwide. It predicted that the competitive advantage of English will decline and that monolin-gual English speakers, unable to tap into the multilingual environments enjoyed by others, would face a gloomy economic future.
    A wide range of languages are needed to exploit the benefits of the single market and keep improving trade between peoples worldwide. Even when others have a high level of proficiency in English, this does not mean that their languages can be ignored. In order to develop relations between countries and individuals based on mutual respect and trust as well as to do business effectively, there is a need for an understanding of the social, political, and technical systems of a country, as well as the countless aspects of daily life that are important to that nation’s identity and culture.
23 What do we know about the value of languages from a linguistic point of view?
24 What does the speaker say about monolingual English speakers?
25 Why do we need to understand various aspects of a country?