Englishlink...your global online English school

Technology and English

I had 2 things happen recently that made me realise the grip the Internet and technology have over my life.

Last week I posted the Englishlink Word of the Day and was soon told by my German friend Fritz that I referred to the glasses you swim in as googles. I spelled the word like this not once, but 3 times. I must do too many searches…

A few weeks before that, my friend Celia was packing for her trip to Hawaii. I was sitting in her bedroom chatting with her while she did so. After going to get her iPod charger in the livingroom she came back and said she needed to find her iMask. Being somewhat tech savvy, I was baffled as to what an iMask did and why I had not read a review on this new Apple technology. It turned out she was searching for her eye-mask for the flight.

I really need a time-out on an island without my laptop or Internet connection.

Using the semicolon

The semicolon is something that truly evokes fear in teachers and students alike. I can go to town teaching commas, non-defining relative clauses and even quotation marks in citations, but the semicolon, no thanks. Like the slang we use, does it show our age? This article is great.  http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/18/nyregion/18semicolon.html?ex=1360990800&en=c00d1c75ab9a5f83&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Driven Vietnamese mototaxi drivers

Good on them! http://english.vietnamnet.vn/social/2008/02/768002/

A switched-on Korean!

Ji-Young come work with us! http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/opinon/2008/02/137_18526.html

Vietnamese English

I was in Ho Chi Minh last week and was amazed at the level of English many people had. This was until I realized the conversation often stopped when the money was agreed upon.

This is a city of non-stop action. With a population of 8 million people and 4 million motorbikes, it is daunting for the visitor. I have never heard so many horns and a few Vietnamese men were surprised to find me trailing them like their shadow while crossing the road. I can say though that I did not see a single act of road rage...must be the Buddhism.

Back to the English. The economy is booming and so is the need to speak English. I was generally impressed by the overall level of English in tourist areas.  There were though some funny moments for me.

At the airport I successfully negotiated a ride to the city - I got ripped off by the way paying $6 US for the 40-minute trip. During the drive to my hotel (the Metropole - a bit exy but not bad) we were having what I thought was a conversation. I realized he was struggling so, as he was an older gentlemen who would have grown up with some French influence, I asked him in French if he spoke French. After another 2 minutes of conversation in French I realized he still thought I was speaking English.

To make a long story shortish, the desire to speak English in Vietnam is huge and they are trying their darnedest to master the language. The Vietnamese are the 5th highest in numbers visiting Englishlink. We appreciate their interest in our school and are currently putting Vietnamese on our site.

Englishlink would like to welcome VEGA Vietnam as our exclusive Vietnamese partner.

Call Centers in Bangladesh

Now this one floored me...US call centres are opening in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh was not the next port of call I would have imagined centers and BPOs heading to.  The cost of labor is very low, but so is the quality and pool of English speakers. However, the focus will initially be on non-voice assistance like 'live typing chat' technical help.

The majority of Bangladeshi visitors to Englishlink are coming via dial-up; a no-no for our video-streamed lessons. It seems though that a new submarine cable is in the works to modernize their connectivity. In addition, with a population of 150 million, the potential for bums on seats is high.

While their next door neighbors could be concerned about their stake in the billion-dollar industry, the demand for call center workers worldwide far exceeds even massive India's ability to keep up with the required English speakers.

That is where Englishlink comes in...