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The value of language skills

Author

Listed:
  • Gilles Grenier

    (University of Ottawa, Canada)

  • Weiguo Zhang

    (Shandong University, China)

Abstract

In today's globalized world, people are increasingly mobile and often need to communicate across different languages. Learning a new language is an investment in human capital. Migrants must learn the language of their destination country, but even non-migrants must often learn other languages if their work involves communicating with foreigners. Economic studies have shown that fluency in a dominant language is important to economic success and increases economic efficiency. However, maintaining linguistic diversity also has value since language is also an expression of people's culture.

Suggested Citation

  • Gilles Grenier & Weiguo Zhang, 2021. "The value of language skills," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 205-205, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izawol:journl:2021:n:205
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Victor Ginsburgh & Shlomo Weber, 2011. "How Many Languages Do We Need? The Economics of Linguistic Diversity," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 1, number 9481.
    2. Gianmarco I.P. Ottaviano & Giovanni Peri, 2021. "Cities and cultures," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Firms and Workers in a Globalized World Larger Markets, Tougher Competition, chapter 6, pages 153-186, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    3. Grenier, G. & Vaillancourt, F., 1982. "An Economic Perspective on Learning a Second Language," Cahiers de recherche 8238, Universite de Montreal, Departement de sciences economiques.
    4. Weiguo Zhang & Gilles Grenier, 2012. "How can Language be linked to Economics? A Survey of Two Strands of Research," Working Papers 1206E, University of Ottawa, Department of Economics.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Ibrahim Bousmah & Gilles Grenier & David M. Gray, 2021. "Linguistic Distance, Languages of Work and Wages of Immigrants in Montreal," Journal of Labor Research, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 1-28, March.
    2. Zhu, Junbing & Grigoriadis, Theocharis N., 2022. "Chinese dialects, culture & economic performance," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    3. Lorraine Wong, 2023. "The effect of linguistic proximity on the labour market outcomes of the asylum population," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 36(2), pages 609-652, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    language; human capital; immigration; lingua franca; English; linguistic diversity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J18 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Public Policy
    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods

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