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Linguistic certification

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16 messages over 2 pages: 1 2 
tarvos
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 Message 9 of 16
07 November 2013 at 5:33pm | IP Logged 
aspiringplyglot wrote:
Perhaps not losing the language but fluency in terms of how you
can produce the language without too many stumbles or pauses can deteriorate very
quickly, I believe. I've got a Spanish friend who passed the CAE and shortly after
returned to Spain for a month. When she came back it took her at least 3 or 4 days to get
back into the swing of things... and that was just a month without English. If that were
2 or 3 years for example, it could/would take longer than a couple of days to build that
back up.


That's not such a big deal anyways. A bit of time to "settle in" is normal.
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Ogrim
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 Message 10 of 16
07 November 2013 at 6:05pm | IP Logged 
I work in Human Resources for an international orgnaisation, so what I have to say may not be applicable generally, but basically when we recruit we don't pay much attention to whether candidates have a language certification or not. Obviously linguistic competencies are very important, we recruit from a large number of countries and everyone has to work in the official working languages, French and English. In the application form candidates have to make a self-assessment based on CEFR. Then they sit written tests which they will do in one or both official languages, and obviously their linguistic skills are tested at the interview.

On the other hand, we do encourage staff who are already working here to go for a language certification in English or French if they are interested, and we pay the fee for them. The reason for this is that it encourages people to work on improving their language skills, something which the organisation will benefit from as well.
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albysky
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 Message 11 of 16
08 November 2013 at 9:52am | IP Logged 
I come to the conclusion that much depends on the company and the recruiters . Fure certifications arent
harmful .
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Lorren
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 Message 12 of 16
08 November 2013 at 10:20am | IP Logged 
It probably depends on the job, and perhaps even the demand for the job. When I worked in the Navy, I did some hiring (this was for positions in Italy working with Americans). I would get a ton of applications for one position. I had to figure out a way to whittle down the amount of people that I interviewed. One of the criteria that I used was the ability to use the English language. If their resume had a lot of English mistakes, they wouldn't get an interview. If they had an English certification, they were more likely to get an interview.

I didn't know anything about CEFR levels at the time, so I can't exactly say that a CEFR certificate would make it more likely to get an interview. However, if you some sort of English qualification or education, it would help a person get the interview. I would get so many applications that I probably never interviewed anybody that didn't have something on their resume saying that they were proficient in English.

Edited by Lorren on 08 November 2013 at 10:20am
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Solfrid Cristin
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 Message 13 of 16
08 November 2013 at 1:45pm | IP Logged 
jeff_lindqvist wrote:
Considering the time and effort spent on the language to reach C2, and then to take
an exam and pass it, I think that person is unlikely to forget the language?


For once I must disagree with you. I have seen both Swedes and Norwegians being unable to speak their
mother tongue at a comprehensible level after a couple of decades in the US, so I am perfectly willing to
believe that you can lose your functionality in a language you once were at a C2 level at. Plus I have had the
personal experience of losing a language I was practically native in, and had a 4 year university education in
for 6 full months due to language interference, so anything is possible.

Edited by Solfrid Cristin on 08 November 2013 at 1:47pm
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nicozerpa
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 Message 14 of 16
08 November 2013 at 3:02pm | IP Logged 
aspiringplyglot wrote:
jeff_lindqvist wrote:


What does CAE equal in terms of CEFR?


I believe it's C1


As far as I know, it depends on your score. If you get an A, you'll be issued a C2
certificate, and C1 if you passed the exam with B or C grades.
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montmorency
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 Message 15 of 16
08 November 2013 at 6:05pm | IP Logged 
Solfrid Cristin wrote:
jeff_lindqvist wrote:
Considering the time and effort spent
on the language to reach C2, and then to take
an exam and pass it, I think that person is unlikely to forget the language?


For once I must disagree with you. I have seen both Swedes and Norwegians being unable
to speak their
mother tongue at a comprehensible level after a couple of decades in the US, so I am
perfectly willing to
believe that you can lose your functionality in a language you once were at a C2 level
at. Plus I have had the
personal experience of losing a language I was practically native in, and had a 4 year
university education in
for 6 full months due to language interference, so anything is possible.




But do people in that situation really lose it, or is it still there, waiting to be re-
activated under the right circumstances?

I ask semi-rhetorically.

It might make a nice research project.
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tastyonions
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 Message 16 of 16
08 November 2013 at 6:28pm | IP Logged 
I had the interesting experience of watching a native speaker's French "come back" after
fifteen years of more or less complete disuse (living in the U.S. and never traveling
back to France). More recently-displaced French people still remark that he has an
"American" or at least non-French accent, but he at least now speaks as fluently as the
other French people I know.

Edited by tastyonions on 08 November 2013 at 6:30pm


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