Conclusion

In this free course, Exploring languages and cultures, you explored the multiple relationships between languages and cultures and the way these work at an individual level and within the workplace. You considered intercultural encounters and how people from one culture may be led to make generalisations about those of another culture. However, you also considered the importance – particularly within the professional environment, and when operating on a global level – of intercultural and multicultural perspectives and insights, and how these insights can help overcome negative initial impressions of others. You considered the vital role that English can play as a lingua franca – when operating across linguistic and cultural boundaries – but also the difficulties of communicating successfully in English as a second language. Finally, you considered how interpreting and translating provide a way to address such problems, but also demonstrate the complexities of mediating between speakers of different languages from both a linguistic and a cultural perspective.