Business Communications: Use Your iPhone to Learn a Language
Employees who understand and speak more than one language can be an enormous asset in the current workplace. These individuals are highly sought, since they can communicate comfortably and efficiently in foreign markets, and assist a wider variety of customers.
According to research conducted by Korn/Ferry International, 31% of U.S. executives speak two languages. Business leaders around the world understand the value of being able to speak another language.
But attending classes and carrying a textbook can be costly and time consuming. Luckily, you can leverage your iPhone to help you master a new language.
Podcasts
If you’re an auditory learner, then Apple’s Podcast app offers a wealth of free audio to help you learn a foreign language. There are several tutorial podcasts for complete beginners, which help you tune your ear to the sound of a new language.
You might even find yourself repeating along with the instructors while you’re driving or taking public transit. The Podcast app has a helpful playback speed control feature, which gives you the power to slow down or speed up a podcast. This can be especially useful if you need to slow dialogue down to understand it.
Foreign language podcasts aren’t just for beginners, though. You can often find news podcasts and pop culture reviews in the language of your choice.
For example, the popular German news outlet, Deutsche Welle, uploads news and entertainment updates to the Podcast service for convenient listening. This makes the Podcast app a convenient learning resource for both beginners and seasoned speakers who want to brush up on a foreign language for business purposes.
Offline dictionary apps
Several companies offer dictionary apps with offline access. This is particularly useful during travel, when you may not have access to Wi-Fi or cellular data to look up definitions.
Some dictionary companies that include offline access include Ultralingua, dict.cc, Pocketglow, and Langenscheidt. These apps will take up extra space on your iPhone’s hard drive, so you can get access to word databases offline.
Since roaming fees can be costly during international travel, it’s wise to switch off your iPhone’s cellular data while you’re traveling. If you suddenly need to look up a word, these offline dictionary apps can help you translate without the hassle of roaming charges.
Google Translate
When you do have access to Wi-Fi or data, Google Translate can help you understand both text and audio that you don’t grasp. For example, if you don’t understand a word that someone has spoken, you can simply record the word with the mic tool and this app will quickly translate it.
The app can assist you in a conversation with another person, since you can both speak or type into the phone and have your text instantly converted.
International keyboards and language settings
It’s difficult to understand the full potential of your iPhone unless you’re practicing a new language. You can immerse yourself in another language by changing your default phone settings from English.
This shifts the entire iOS architecture into the language of your choosing, which will help you learn common tech terminology. Additionally, you can modify your international keyboard to let you cycle through dozens of language inputs, so you can type in Japanese kana, Russian Cyrillic, and many other alphabets.
Your iPhone can be an immense resource to help you master a new language. It can help you grasp the basics through podcasts, dictionaries, and keyboard input options.
In addition, you can use dictionary apps and Google Translate while abroad to get driving directions, order food, and conduct business. You’ll quickly find that your iPhone is indispensible when it comes to learning a new language!
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