One of the biggest social and practical challenges that people living abroad face is the
language
barrier. I believe that
this
can lead to very serious social problems in many countries, but technology has made the practical issues less relevant over the
last
several decades.
The main reason that having to speak a foreign
language
can cause social problems are through the breakdown in understanding between people of different cultures. The most salient example of
this
is in the United States where there has been an influx of Hispanic immigrants, especially along the Southern border. These immigrants are typically able to integrate well if they learn English, but those that have not learned have provoked social problems and even violent reactions.
For instance
, many English speaking residents resent the immigrants' failure to integrate and
this
has resulted in discriminatory practices and widespread racism towards Hispanics.
This
in turn has caused many Hispanics to develop an antipathy towards other residents and segregate themselves in homogeneous neighbourhoods.
There are comparatively fewer practical problems caused by not knowing the
language
of the
country
where you live because of the development of technology in general and smartphones
in particular
. Computers have made it much easier to look up directions, find important information and get quick translations.
For example
, Smartphones have made
this
even easier. If someone doesn’t know the
language
of the
country
where they live, they can still find restaurants to their liking on Facebook and get simple directions through Google Maps. They can even order food online without having to use another
language
at all. If they need to communicate with someone who does not speak their
language
they can simply take out their phone and use Google translate to slowly, but effectively, convey a message. The problems that not knowing the
language
of the
country
where you live causes are
therefore
minimal and easily overcome.
In conclusion, I only partly agree with the statement in question. Not knowing a
language
when living abroad can cause social unrest, but pragmatic concerns have been mitigated by recent technology. In the future, it will become even less important to know the
language
of the
country
where you live,
although
there is great potential for increased social unrest and heightened tensions in many parts of the world.