The danger of failing to communicate in languages other than one's own is demonstrated dramatically by the circumstances surrounding the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. The first atomic bombs might never have been dropped if a translator of Japanese had not translated incorrectly the word mokusatu, used by the Japanese cabinet in their reply to the Potsdam surrender ultimatum, as "ignore," rather than correctly as "withholding comment pending decision." Another striking example of intercultural misunderstanding is the indignation of many Americans after World War II when they read the mistranslation in the press that the French had "demanded" Marshall Plan aid. What the French had done was "to ask for" (demander) aid. More recently, less dramatic mishaps have occurred in the business world such as the marketing of Chevrolet's Nova car (based on the Latin for "new") in Brazil, where no va means "it does not go." Not a great marketing strategy. Beyond these linguistic misunderstandings, there are those that are culturally based: Americans doing business with a German affiliate, for example, would not want to show up at an initial meeting with a lawyer and a multi-page contract; their German counterparts would be insulted since business deals are still finalized in Germany with a handshake.

Today, knowledge of a foreign language is more important to Americans than ever before. Foreign languages have become important because so many facets of American life -- business, government, law, human service, the military, education, the media, the arts, and the sciences have become truly global in scope. An international perspective is indispensable in enabling us to cope with a rapidly expanding world and is necessary for a serious understanding of our own society. There are already over 800 international firms in North Carolina who have invested more than one billion dollars and created thousands of jobs, and the state's international exports are at an all time high. Over 200,000 Americans lose out on jobs with business each year because they do not know another language. It is no surprise since four out of five jobs in the U.S. created today are a result of foreign trade and approximately one-third of all U.S. corporate profits result from international activity.

Employers increasingly seek graduates who can interact confidently and appropriately with diverse populations. Kathy Waldron, vice president of the Private Banking Group at Citibank in New York says financial institutions tend not to hire recent college graduates unless they have the qualification of being fluent in a foreign language or have lived abroad. Job candidates in many fields today are assessed by their ability to adjust quickly to new responsibilities and environments, skills sharpened by the experience that cultural mobility provides. Today's students need to respond to this demand to compete successfully in the global economy. Foreign-language education is more than learning grammar and vocabulary lists -- it is a philosophical perspective through which on can deal more effectively and responsibly with a complex world -- today a skill essential in any career.

It is understandable that parents today want a practical curriculum for their children. The value of courses taken is weighed in how they prepare them for the workplace. I urge parents to ensure that their children graduate high-school or college with foreign language proficiency. Too often foreign language courses are looked upon as a burdensome requirement to be "gotten out of the way." Yet beyond all of the practical reasons, by learning a foreign language and the culture of another country, students enhance their personal growth and thereby expand their cultural and intellectual horizons. As a result, they become more well-rounded informed individuals who not only understand another country and the mentality of its people, but also their own and its place in global affairs.

The growing interdependence of the world community is an established fact. The new global mobility and instantaneous communications have resulted in the greatest interchange of people, goods, and ideas in the history of the earth. Those who can communicate in another language will enrich their lives, aid international understanding, and enhance their career success. Those enter into the workplace with international proficiency, both linguistic and cultural, are preparing themselves to be citizens of the world who will thrive in the truly international environment of the twenty-first century.

Most people are unaware that foreign language instruction has been part of NC State's curriculum since 1896. It is imperative that Americans know foreign languages if they are to function effectively in today's international economy. Even a century ago, an international curriculum was viewed by NC State's founding members as a highly essential component of the land-grant tradition. I therefore urge all future members of the U.S. work force to heed this legacy and become global citizens by gaining fluency in a foreign language.