32%

[André Schappo]

Many of you will have seen https://twitter.com/EUErasmusPlus/status/1144889491053862913 and noted the 32% figure for the UK.

I consider interest in language learning can be stimulated and encouraged by collaborations between Computer Science and Language departments.

Here, briefly, are 2 possible i18n collaboration topics:

① One of the topics I have taught over the years is that of "Keyboard Mappings and Input Methods". This involves teaching students how to write on Computers/Mobiles, not just English, but other languages such as Russian, Arabic, Chinese, Korean ...etc... Even now I have to teach the majority of students how to write the acute accent for my name.

② Much computing power is dedicated to text processing: sorting, storing, retrieving, comparing, searching, matching, transmitting, encoding, decoding. Certainly in the UK this is taught using ASCII text only. Text from other human language scripts need to be encompassed.

It seems to me that Language and Computer Science departments can benefit each other and can learn from each other.

...and possibly if such Computer/Mobile aspects/technologies/methodologies are incorporated into both Language and Computer Science curricula, language learning could become "cool😎"

When I get time I will write a blog about the ways in which Language and Computer Science departments could collaborate.

Anecdote time😀 A few years ago I discovered one of my British project students had a Korean girlfriend. He did not have any idea how to write Korean on his mobile/computer. Actually, more importantly he had not thought about learning how to write Korean on his mobile/computer. So, of course, I taught him how to write a few simple Korean words and how to write his girlfriendʼs Korean name on his mobile. He thought it totally "cool😎" and easier than he was expecting.

André Schappo