English and my Profession

Considering the increasing pace of globalization and the accompanying processes which
can be currently observed in the world, there is no doubt about the leading position of English
among other languages. According to a recent study by Accredited Language Services, English
is the third most spoken language in the world, and it remains the most popular language that
people want to learn.

We can see the tendency of English becoming a common language for the whole world,
and the actual transformations of society and culture are the proof of it. For example, it is not
uncommon to find out that a film director from a non-English-speaking country has made their
recent film in English, a non-English-speaking musician has recorded their new album in English,
or a non-English-speaking author has written their new book in English for the first time in their
careers. Considering the ever-growing expansion of English, it is not surprising that people tend
to see using English in their work as a key to success. First of all, as a means of conveying a
message, English has proven to be the most efficient and reliable one if we intend to reach out to
wide audiences. Creating an English-language product increases the chances of it being known
and accepted in the world, because people in different countries who speak English would easily
understand our message. For example, if we write fiction, record songs or have an active online
presence in social media, we are more likely to gain popularity provided that anything that we
create is in English. In fact, this pattern is true for a number of authors, musicians and bloggers
from non-English-speaking countries who have come to be known recently.

As well as reaching out to people with our message to the world, we can be recipients of
somebody else’s message. A good knowledge of English allows us to understand English-
language songs when we listen to them, watch popular TV shows and read popular blogs. Apart
from mainstream culture, there is an incredible amount of English-language classical cultural
heritage which includes literature and films, and while the majority of it is translated into other
languages, a part of it still remains untranslated. It may not be the most popular portion, but it
can give us a more thorough and deep understanding of the culture of English-speaking nations.
The most essential condition to access this cultural layer is to have a good command of English.

For instance, knowing English well, we are able to delve deeply into English and American
literature, piercing through the surface and approaching less known parts of it. We can read the
works of less famous authors as well as less prominent works by acclaimed writers. In my
opinion, thanks to that, we could broaden our horizons and enlarge, or possibly, even change our
paradigm of knowledge. The same is true of cinema. Moreover, we can find unknown pieces
among the works of classical masters, which are worthy of becoming acquainted with, but
modern culture is also a great source of notable creations. There is a plethora of books and films
by modern English-speaking writers and directors, but not all of them gain popularity due to
various factors, such as cultural needs and pragmatic interests of society. As a result, they may
not be translated into other languages, so they might remain unknown to a great number of people.
These works might not be mainstream, although they are targeted at a particular group of
enthusiasts and connoisseurs, and if we belong to it, knowing English would be of great use. We
could read such books and watch such films without having to rely on translation, and they would
be available for us even if there were no translation at all.

There are several important points concerning translated fiction and films. Firstly, not all
of them have good quality of translation, and it might distort the original message and create a
wrong impression. Therefore, I believe that perceiving the original, that is, English version of a
book or a film would be more advantageous than having to rely on a poor translation. Secondly,
if we are interested in reading some books and watching some films which are not originally
created in English, we can expect them to be translated into English first, and then into other
languages, including our native language. Even if they are not likely to ever be translated into
Ukrainian or Russian, we could easily access them in English, if we know it well.

Moreover, as an avid reader and a cinema lover, I find it greatly rewarding to read the same
book or watch the same film twice – once its original English version, and then a translated one,
or vice versa. It is stimulating to compare the source text and the translation, in the first place.
Apart from that, it is even more fascinating to compare the way I have perceived a book or a film
for the first time with the way I perceived it in the other language. Remarkably, almost every
time I realize that the images arising before my eyes as I read a book are a bit different depending
on the language version. Sometimes particular fragments in the original version affect me in some
other way than they did in the translated one, or vice versa. Even the overall atmosphere of a
book may seem different to me when I reread it in the other language.

Seeing the same film in different languages is similar to reading a book twice. I may
interpret the same piece of dialogue in a different manner because of the choice of words and
intonations of actors. As for me, it is a wonderful and beneficial experience to extend the
boundaries of fiction and film perception. Generally, reading English-language literature in
English helps connect better with authors, grasping their thoughts and messages unmediated, and
watching a film in English gives me an opportunity to listen to the voices of actors and enjoy
their original intonations.

Being able to perceive the original version of an English-language literary work is not only
entertaining, but also advantageous if we intend to study it from a scientific point of view. A
profound literary analysis of an English-language book suggests its close reading in English,
because it enables us to trace all meanings originally given to it by its author. While reading and
analyzing a text in English, we can be certain that nothing has been removed from it or replaced
by something else, and nothing has been added. The text is intact, so the analysis can be more
scientifically relevant.

In this regard, knowing English is also significant for accessing international research. A
number of leading research papers and scholarly works is written in English, and without reading
them and referring to them our research would be superficial and insignificant. There is a lot of
English-speaking literary scholars, linguists, culture researchers, philosophers, sociologists
whose works could be important for humanities research but they are not translated into
Ukrainian or Russian, and good English skills could be of great use for us. Some essential
scholarly works by non-English-speaking scholars are only translated into English, so it is
necessary to know English to read them. English skills also give us access to recent works by
scholars from all over the world. Eventually, we might end up publishing our own study in
English, which will enable our voice to be heard and possibly recognized by academic
community and consequently we would have an opportunity to start our academic career.

However, even without pursuing an academic career, English is useful for self-
improvement and self-education since a huge amount of information on various subjects is
available on the internet in English. If we are searching for some materials or data, we are not
limited by Ukrainian- or Russian-language sources due to our English proficiency. We can visit
a great number of websites, read a lot of blogs and books online, listen to numerous podcasts and
watch plenty of educational videos in English.

Furthermore, there is a number of free and fee-paying online courses on any subject which
can actually provide us with credible certificates, and a basic requirement for all of them is a
good command of English. English can also enable us to get more traditional education. Having
excellent English skills is an essential requirement for entering some of the European and
American universities. Knowing English well, we may take one of the international English tests
such as TOEFL or IELTS, receive a language proficiency certificate and apply to a foreign
university.

Fluent English opens up ample career opportunities in almost every industry. Firstly, if we
are proficient in English, we have better chance of obtaining the job position of our dream.
Nowadays, almost every well-paid job requires the applicants to have at least an intermediate
level of English. And if a job is related to communication in English or using English directly,
for example, in negotiations with international clients, then upper-intermediate English is a must.
Secondly, fluent English is essential if we would like to work abroad. In this case, it is not only
necessary for us to be hired, but also for living in the country where we are going to work even
if it is not English-speaking. English is a universally understood language, so it is very likely that
we would be able to communicate with people abroad in English even without the knowledge of
their native language.

Being able to communicate with people from all over the world is essential nowadays. We
can have some friends abroad who might tell us about life in their countries, so we would learn
some new first-hand information, and we might also tell them something about our life. We can
also communicate with various people online, for example, participate in discussions. Fluent
English can be extremely helpful for tourism, because while traveling, we will inevitably need to
ask someone for directions, buy something in a local shop or order a dinner and ask for a check
in a restaurant. Thanks to the tendency of globalization, we do not necessarily have to speak the
language of the country we are visiting – we can just use English even if we speak it on an entry
level. The significance of intercultural communication is rapidly increasing as it becomes more
frequent, and English as a common means of communication is one of the main reasons it became
possible and widespread in the first place.

In terms of career, English itself may be a career choice. Excellent English skills and a
related degree allow us to pursue the career of English teacher, editor, proofreader, journalist,
digital copywriter, web content manager and so on. In order to get one of these job positions, we
have to practice and try to improve our English every day and constantly learn something new
through reading different kinds of literature, op-ed articles, news as well as polishing your writing
skills. It takes a lot of effort, but it is a rewarding intellectual challenge. In terms of a profession
of teacher and other jobs that require interaction with people, apart from fluent English, we should
have good communication skills, tolerance and be polite. Teaching English also involves some
academic knowledge and ability to convey our knowledge to other people and make it
understandable. But however hard and demanding it is, this job proves to bring a feeling of great
fulfilment eventually as we actually satisfy our students’ thirst of knowledge.

Another job opportunity for a person with high level of English is the profession of
translator and interpreter. Certainly, to take up this career, we have to know our native language
very well and to use a scrupulous and thorough approach to using it. But what is equally important
is an excellent command of English, especially the knowledge of special terms and phrases which
do not have direct equivalents in the target language. There is a high demand for written technical
translation from English, and even higher demand for quality interpreting. Provided that one is
proficient in English and has sufficient working capacity and speed of thinking, one can become
an interpreter.

All in all, learning English and mastering it is a fantastic intellectual challenge which is
not only profitable for achieving some pragmatic goals, but it may also help improve one’s
confidence. It is a language skill that requires a lot of time and hard work to develop it. I believe
that if one has managed to acquire English proficiency and is able to use it easily, it makes a
person stand out. In my opinion, it is an achievement of which one can be proud, because it proves
one’s abilities and demonstrates one’s diligence and devotion to the challenging process of
acquiring knowledge. For instance, a person deserves respect for their communication skills
which have been improved by having fluency in English, which is particularly beneficial in the
modern globalized world.

To conclude, I find it necessary to emphasize that being proficient in English broadens our
intellectual horizons and virtually erases boundaries of knowledge and perception. Thanks to it,
we gain an ability to change the paradigm of our worldview by accessing some new opportunities
which might be unattainable for those who do not speak English. In addition, knowing a major
language of global communication is advantageous per se, as it facilitates understanding between
people of different nations and cultural backgrounds and gives a person a more flexible position
in the world.