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Foreign Language Learning: An Econometric Analysis

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  • Victor Ginsburgh
  • Jacques Melitz
  • Farid Toubal

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, two of which affect the broad decision to learn, while two concern as well the choice of the particular language to learn. Literacy generally promotes learning while the world population of speakers of the native language generally 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 the specific language. Trade is highly significant and may well deserve more emphasis than the other three key variables (literacy rate, linguistic distance, and world population of native speakers) 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

  • Victor Ginsburgh & Jacques Melitz & Farid Toubal, 2014. "Foreign Language Learning: An Econometric Analysis," CESifo Working Paper Series 4923, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_4923
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    References listed on IDEAS

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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. Jacques Melitz, 2014. "English as a Global Language," Working Papers 2014-22, Center for Research in Economics and Statistics.
    3. 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.
    4. 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).
    5. Ginsburgh, Victor & Weber, Shlomo, 2015. "Linguistic Distances and their Use in Economics," CEPR Discussion Papers 10640, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.

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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

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