Brexit impact sees huge increase in Britons learning new languages
By Conor Coyle
Date: Tuesday 09 May 2017
(ShareCast News) - Learning a second language has become a priority for many UK citizens ahead of Britain's exit from the European Union, new research has found.
European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker said last week that the English language was losing importance in the bloc as both sides head towards Brexit negotiations in the coming months.
Language learning app Lingvist reported that it had seen a 91% increase in its UK membership since Britain voted to leave the EU last June, with users preferring to learn Spanish and French.
Spanish courses were seen to have risen in popularity by as much as 427%, while French courses had risen 342%.
"With Brexit around the corner, the growing concerns around how the UK will be able to bridge the language skills gap have been brought to the fore," the app's co-founder said.
"Government statistics show that the UK is already losing £50bn a year due to poor language skills with an over-reliance on one language affecting business turnover, profitability and expansion to new markets."
Britons have a poor record when it comes to the learning of foreign languages. Recent figures suggest that three-quarters of UK adults were unable to hold a conversation in a language other than English.
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