Language and Multilingualism:

How Language Demographics Affect Communications

On August 14, 2008, the US Census Bureau came out with new projections for United States population growth. It is estimated that by 2042, within the United States, Caucasians "will no longer be a majority." And by 2050, the U.S. Latino population is "expected to reach 133 million." That’s nearly an 82% increase in the U.S. Latino population, according to the Pew Research Center. Much of this population increase will be due to newly-arrived immigrants and their descendants. Not only will there be a change in the growth rate of various ethnic groups, but the number of commonly used languages will increase. This bodes well for companies who choose to capitalize on the increased buying power of diverse populations.

In the past, increases in the U.S. Spanish-speaking population were concentrated mostly in California or the Southwest, but today this trend isn't restricted to certain geographic areas. According to USA Today, "in more than a quarter of the 1,800 counties that grew from 2000 to 2007, Hispanics provided at least half of the gains. San Diego County gained 161,000 residents, including 150,000 Hispanics. Hartford County, Conn., gained 19,600, including 18,600 Hispanics."

For now, English remains the most widely spoken language in the U.S. and many companies do exceedingly well communicating with customers and employees in that language, but the bar is being raised to a new level as the needs and desires of consumers and the workforce shift. Rick Antezana mentions on the Dynamic Language Blog that "the U.S. population [is shifting] towards greater minority representation. An effective way to capitalize on that trend is to address LEP (Limited English Proficiency) consumers and workers in their native language. Whether you try something as simple as a translated brochure, or supporting multilingual versions of your corporate website, communication can make a huge difference in how your organization is perceived."

The ability to communicate in more than one language may once have been a novelty, handy for traveling abroad. However, today it has become a huge advantage for people and corporations in America. Not only are businesses being affected, both positively and negatively, but the U.S. educational infrastructure is being changed to put more of an emphasis on language instruction and linguistic issues.

Already, elementary and secondary schools have a high percentage of bilingual students enrolled; and considering the projected 82% increase in the Hispanic population, programs which facilitate communication in several languages will become increasingly important. With the shift in population demographics and the probable new majority and minority groupings, supporting multiple languages will be the best solution for effective communication. Children will need the ability to communicate in the languages commonly used in society, but will still have a need for their native tongue in their homes and communities. This necessity provides forward-looking businesses with a unique opportunity for economic growth and advancement.

Click here to view a graph of census projections through 2050