Languages can supercharge NZ’s soft power

Suz Jessep: "In New Zealand, enrolment for language learning is sadly declining..."

In our increasingly interconnected and complex world, effective communication is a necessity.

Though we are enabled by fast and increasingly smart technology, it is our interpersonal skills, language competency, and cultural acumen that are often key to progressing critical relationships.

This holds true not only in our daily lives, but also for New Zealand’s international relations.

Language and cultural acumen help us to build bridges across countries and regions, and they are very often seen as a mark of respect; that we have taken the time to understand not only the mechanics of a language but also the people who use it.

Learning a language can also reveal surprising synergies, particularly for those who speak one of the many Austronesian languages. These are the languages spoken throughout Maritime Southeast Asia, parts of Mainland Southeast Asia, Madagascar, and the islands of the Pacific and Taiwan.  

Filipinos in New Zealand have remarked on how many words in Te Reo Māori are near identical to the Tagalog language spoken in the Philippines. Te Reo Māori speakers are often struck by the similarities with Bahasa in Indonesia.

Asia New Zealand Foundation research released in June shows that 55 percent of New Zealanders expect the cultures, languages and traditions of Asia to have a positive impact on New Zealand’s future and 77 percent think understanding the languages of Asia is at least somewhat important for our future workforce, with seven percent seeing it as very important.

Language skills are also an important part of our diplomatic tradecraft.

"Artificial intelligence apps will help us translate any language of our choosing in real time."

When seven of New Zealand’s top trading partners are in Asia, having language capability and cultural acumen is a notable advantage, particularly when we are conducting complex trade negotiations or resolving differences.

For decades we have seen Asian countries invest heavily in learning English language, so that their people are bilingual at a minimum and to ensure they are skilled to operate in English-speaking environments.

With any passing glance at global demographic trends, it is clear that the tables are turning.

Over 60 percent of the world’s population lives in Asia, with South and Southeast Asia home to young, fast-growing populations. With them, Asian languages will be on the rise too and it will be incumbent on us to adapt.   

Artificial intelligence apps will help us translate any language of our choosing in real time. They are, however, poor substitutes for human connection and being able to navigate cultural sensitivities, humour, colloquialisms, proverbs and idioms, and delicate matters where precision counts.  

Technology is becoming more sophisticated, but in-person human interaction and experience is still the gold standard for most of us. 

In fact, if anything, many of us are suffering from a kind of technology fatigue. We’re all a little bit over social media and the harm it’s doing to our young people. Mindless yet addictive scrolling chews up hours of our time. Anonymous keyboard warriors can have a corrosive effect on public discussion.  

Part of New Zealand’s soft power comes from our ability to be present and personable. In foreign policy speak, this means our ability to influence others through attraction rather than coercion.

Language proficiency, cultural acumen and knowledge help us to turbocharge this soft power. We go from being just friendly to highly skilled and valuable.

There’s also an important business component. Anna Aslanyan, in her 2021 book Dancing on Ropes, underscores how mistranslations and misinterpretations have altered the course of history.

"Te Reo Māori speakers are often struck by the similarities with Bahasa in Indonesia"

When Japan was given the ultimatum to surrender in World War II, Aslanyan recalls that the translators of Japan’s response needed to be circumspect and employed the verb mokusatsu, “to kill with silence”.

The Japanese minister’s intention was to say “no comment”, but instead American media translated mokusatsu as “to treat with silent contempt”.

“The fate of Hiroshima was sealed,” says Aslanyan.

Such errors are reminders of the critical need for linguistic and cultural fluency in anticipating and managing tensions, but also taking advantage of opportunities across the region in which New Zealand operates.

In some Asian cultures, there are clear norms around physical contact, eye contact, titles, seating, and how you approach a sensitive issue. Understanding these nuances is not always intuitive. It requires knowledge, confidence, and skill built over time.

In my organisation, the Asia New Zealand Foundation, demand for our internships in Asia is rising rapidly – a sign that young New Zealanders are keen to gain firsthand experience in Asia. On their return, they enter New Zealand’s workforce as a pipeline of highly Asia-capable and skilled employees.

The young Indian and Southeast Asian entrepreneurs we host in New Zealand are, without exception, multilingual. Their fluency means they can do business anywhere and it helps them find the right partners and scale quickly. 

In New Zealand, enrolment for language learning is sadly declining, and with it, our ability to quickly ‘plug and play’ in Asia.

I will be part of a New Zealand Language Forum in Auckland on July 17. If we are to take one thing from the discussion, I hope it is inspiration. No matter what metric we use, Asia is going to shape our future and being able to speak Asian languages ensures we have the tools needed to skilfully navigate this important, rising region.

• This article was first published on the newsroom website