Wahida Mohamed

British Prime Minister David Cameron stated that migrants who fail language tests after two and a half years in the UK may be forced to leave the country. Cameron’s statement sparked a controversy within the public opinion as the subject of his statement focused on Muslim women in the UK and considered those who speak […]

An Italian doctor has been suspended from practising medicine in the UK after failing English language tests. Dr Alessandro Teppa is one of the first EU doctors to face disciplinary action over language skills following a change in the law in 2014. His suspension will last at least nine months, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service […]

Tourists who encounter a language barrier while visiting Japan can now access 24-hour, multilingual phone assistance. Local authorities have started offering the translation services after a boom in foreign visitors, many of whom have little knowledge of Japanese, The Japan Times website reports. In some areas the hotlines are accessed by staff in hotels, car […]

Scientists in China have worked out the meaning of 13 different giant panda vocalisations, it’s reported. During a five-year study at a conservation centre in the south-western Sichuan province, researchers found that male pandas baa like a sheep when courting a mate, and females respond with a bird-like chirp or twitter if they’re keen, the […]

ARRIBA, ándale! America’s conversation about the country’s second-biggest language is as drearily predictable as the catch-phrase of Speedy Gonzalez, a cartoon mouse, is silly. The country has not quite figured how to think about the fact that it is home to millions of people who speak Spanish. Three recent stories encapsulate the tone-deaf nature of […]

According to the Languages for the Future report dated November 2013,  Spanish, Arabic, French, Mandarin Chinese, German, Portuguese, Italian, Russian, Turkish and Japanese are to become the languages most vital to the UK over the next 20 years. Another report, from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) found that the language skills deficit costs […]

Did you know that… Language skills can open you thousands of doors in the world of employment and boost your actual career!? In an interview with The Guardian, Paddy Ashdown – a British politician and former diplomat for Bosnia and Herzegovina – explains how learning languages has changed his life.  He admits that he didn’t excel at languages […]