Studying foreign languages links people to the world and to foreign opportunities. A University Of Zambia Literature and Languages lecturer has urged students to learn foreign languages.
In an interview with the Lusaka Star, Mr. Lombe Musonda said studying foreign languages linked people to the world and to foreign opportunities.
He noted that knowledge of foreign languages made international trade easier because people could easily communicate.
“Language is a vehicle of culture and therefore, studying foreign languages helps one to experience a new culture” he said.
Mr. Musonda has since urged people to study foreign languages in addition to the degrees they were pursing.
Meanwhile, an UNZA lecturer of Chinese under the Confucius Institute Liang Yongchi, said studying Chinese can help students get scholarships to China and work for international or Chinese organizations.
“It is important to know foreign languages because it is an advantage when competing for jobs at international level,” he said.
He added that knowledge on various languages such as Chinese made it easier for people to know other cultures and be able to interact on various levels.
And a 4th year student of French at UNZA Victor Mbaluwa, said studying French a had given him the opportunity to interact with the French culture and attend foreign conferences.
Currently, the University Of Zambia offers two foreign languages at degree level; French and Chinese. Other languages such as Spanish and Portuguese are being offered on certificate level in the department of foreign languages. Plans are underway to include a Spanish curriculum at degree level.
There are approximately 45 students studying Chinese at different levels and about 50 students studying French.