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Foreign language learnings: An econometric analysis

Author

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  • GINSBURGH, Victor

    (Université Libre de Bruxelles, ECARES, Brussels; Université catholique de Louvain, CORE, Belgium; Center for the Study of Diversity and Social Interactions, New Economic School, Russia)

  • MELITZ, Jacques

    (ENSAE and CEPII, Paris, and CEPR, London)

  • TOUBAL, Farid

    (Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan, France)

Abstract

The paper is devoted to an econometric analysis of learning foreign languages in all parts of the world. Our sample covers 193 countries and 13 important languages. Four factors significantly explain learning. All four affect the broad decision to learn but the last two also point to the choice of the particular language to learn. Literacy promotes learning in general while the world population of speakers of the native language discourages it. Trade with speakers of a specific language prompts learning of that specific language while the linguistic distance between the home and the foreign language discourages learning of that specific language. Trade may well deserve more emphasis than the other three factors (literacy rate, linguistic distance, and world population of native speakers), not only for its high significance, but also because its direction can change faster and by a larger order of magnitude. Controlling for individual acquired languages, including English, is of no particular importance.

Suggested Citation

  • GINSBURGH, Victor & MELITZ, Jacques & TOUBAL, Farid, 2014. "Foreign language learnings: An econometric analysis," LIDAM Discussion Papers CORE 2014049, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    • Handle: RePEc:cor:louvco:2014049
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Melitz, Jacques & Toubal, Farid, 2014. "Native language, spoken language, translation and trade," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(2), pages 351-363.
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    Cited by:

    1. Tamara Gurevitch & Peter R. Herman & Farid Toubal & Yoto Yotov, 2020. "One Nation, One Language? Domestic Language Diversity, Trade and Welfare," Working Papers 2020-15, CEPII research center.
    2. Melitz, Jacques, 2014. "English as a global language," CEPR Discussion Papers 10102, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Ginsburgh, Victor & Weber, Shlomo, 2015. "Linguistic Distances and their Use in Economics," CEPR Discussion Papers 10640, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    4. Victor Ginsburgh & Jacques Melitz & Farid Toubal, 2014. "Foreign Language Learning : An Econometric Analysis," Working Papers 2014-21, Center for Research in Economics and Statistics.
    5. Uriarte Ayo, José Ramón, 2015. "A Game-Theoreteic Analysis of Minority Language Use in Multilingual Societies," IKERLANAK info:eu-repo/grantAgreeme, Universidad del País Vasco - Departamento de Fundamentos del Análisis Económico I.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    language learning; language and trade; English as a global language;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F10 - International Economics - - Trade - - - General
    • F20 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - General
    • Z00 - Other Special Topics - - General - - - General
    • J00 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - General

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