TheaterJon42 t1_ixhzbcr wrote on November 23, 2022 at 4:13 PM

There were ambassadors between countries whose main job was this very thing.

herewego199209 OP t1_ixi0pa8 wrote on November 23, 2022 at 4:23 PM

I guess I must be discounting how easy it was to learn these things. I figure it's easier now because you have the internet to research the customs, languages, etc of the country and go from there.

aaronupright t1_ixlbpom wrote on November 24, 2022 at 8:15 AM

My office manager in Pakistan has a 10th grade education. His earlier profession was as a guy incharge of deliveries for logistics company so he travelled a lot. He speaks 6 languages.

Only in the US,UK, Australia etc is multilingualism a sign of education. In most places it's standard.

Zephrok t1_ixluhpo wrote on November 24, 2022 at 12:35 PM

Yep, because english is all you need in the west. Learning anither language is extra work.

aaronupright t1_ixlwy68 wrote on November 24, 2022 at 1:02 PM

Don't know about "anither" language, but another language isn't particularly hard.

OldWierdo t1_ixj3m6v wrote on November 23, 2022 at 8:38 PM

It's not that it's easy, it's that it was necessary and you had some decent job opportunities. Hate backbreaking work of farming where you might break even? Learn a language from traveling salesmen and entertainers.Go tell a wealthy merchant you've got a language you think he could use, how much? Bam, you aren't a farmer anymore.