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A skill or a discipline? An examination of employability and the study of modern foreign languages.

A skill or a discipline? An examination of employability and the study of modern foreign languages.
A skill or a discipline? An examination of employability and the study of modern foreign languages.
The connection between employability and modern languages is frequently framed within a utilitarian discourse about the importance of foreign language competence for business and national security in an age of globalisation.
Whilst these arguments have significant merit, they often obscure the
humanities nature of Modern Languages (ML) degrees and the skills and attributes that ML students develop in the course of their studies. Examining messages about the connections between languages and employability in contemporary and historical perspectives, this article aims to bring a greater sophistication to our understanding of the relationship between language competence and employability.
employability, modern languages
Canning, John
d37d6079-97b7-4de2-8321-1ad2274c505f
Canning, John
d37d6079-97b7-4de2-8321-1ad2274c505f

Canning, John (2009) A skill or a discipline? An examination of employability and the study of modern foreign languages. Journal of Employability and the Humanities, 3.

Record type: Article

Abstract

The connection between employability and modern languages is frequently framed within a utilitarian discourse about the importance of foreign language competence for business and national security in an age of globalisation.
Whilst these arguments have significant merit, they often obscure the
humanities nature of Modern Languages (ML) degrees and the skills and attributes that ML students develop in the course of their studies. Examining messages about the connections between languages and employability in contemporary and historical perspectives, this article aims to bring a greater sophistication to our understanding of the relationship between language competence and employability.

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Published date: September 2009
Keywords: employability, modern languages

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Local EPrints ID: 50392
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/50392
PURE UUID: 175db0d8-78a9-4534-bc74-738934fe1f81

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Date deposited: 22 Feb 2008
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 10:05

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Contributors

Author: John Canning

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