I’m frequently asked why it’s important to learn Business English and to explain the difference between general (or everyday English) and Business English. In this column, I will endeavour to answer these questions.
It’s important to learn Business English because English is the most spoken language in the world, with one estimate suggesting that there are 1.5 billion speakers of English worldwide including those who speak English as a second or third language– and perhaps more. Estimates suggest that only 375 million speak English as a first language. For this reason, it is the language of business. Most business around the world is conducted in English.
The English language is also clear and succinct, for the most part. Consequently, and for others that are outlined below, Business English is the language of success.
There are other reasons too for doing a course in Business English, whether onsite or online, listening to podcasts in English or reading English books, that are just as important as the numbers. What are these reasons?
- Learning Business English will help you improve your overall English language ability while specifically advancing your career goals- whether you wish to secure your dream job, get a promotion or start your own business.
- Learning Business English is one of the best ways to secure a good job in any company or establishing your own company. If you want to participate in the business world- whether you are working within an existing company in, for example, operations, marketing, sales, internal or external communications or management- or are an entrepreneur and want to set up your own company, then it’s important to speak Business English. It is the language that can help you succeed in the business world.
- Increasingly, employers are demanding that everyone speaks Business English, especially if a person is a non-native speaker. In most roles now people have to communicate externally, with other companies- often negotiating for other goods or services or with the customer to give top-class customer service- or internally, speaking with colleagues who may speak a different mother tongue. It is especially important to understand the language used in the company in which you are working – or wanting to work.
- If you are an entrepreneur, it is just as important to learn Business English as someone who wants to join an established company. As an entrepreneur, it is likely you will negotiate with a company in another country for goods and services. The common language is Business English.
- All professions have their own language and Business English allows you to choose the language of a particular profession, such as law, aviation or accountancy. Learning Business English, therefore, allows you to select the language of the type of business you are in.
What’s the difference between Business English and General English?
Business English and general English probably have more similarities than differences. You could say that Business English is a subset of Business English. However, you must be competent in general English before you can learn and speak Business English. At any time, you use General English you often have to use some Business English, even it is only a smattering.
The core language skills of reading, writing, listening and comprehension -the elements that make you fluent in a language – are developed in both general English and Business English. Although both require the application of linguistic principles and plenty of hard work, Business English will give you a deeper grounding in these elements, for you must be fluent in Business English to survive in the business world.
Here are some examples of what you must learn to be competent in Business English.
- doing presentations
- writing emails/reports
- taking part in meetings
- being involved in negotiations
- making phone/conference calls
- presenting new ideas or changes to the company
You can learn all these at learnbusinessenglish.net.
