爲什麼外語好的人薪水更高、升職更快？

Do money and language go hand in hand? You might be surprised at the powerful effects bilingualism has on income and employment.
語言能力和薪水多少有關係嗎？雙語能力對收入和就業的重大影響力，也許會讓你感到吃驚。

Everyone’s got their own ideas about how to make a little extra dough, but few people today realize the economic benefits of speaking two languages.
對於怎麼賺外快，每個人多少都會有點自己的想法，不過很少有人會意識到雙語能力給自己帶來的經濟效益。

Skeptical? Let’s look at the figures.
你不信？讓我們看一下數據。

Some number crunchers at The Economist have determined that workers with more than one language can earn an extra $67,000 over their lifetime.
《經濟學人》的數據表明：懂超過一門語言的職場人一生可以多賺67000美元。

And that’s on the low side; according to estimates on the high end, bilinguals can make an extra $128,000 due to their language proficiency.
而且這只是一個保守數據；按較高水平估計，擁有雙語能力的人可以因爲他們卓越的語言能力多獲得128000美元。

That means monolinguals (that’s people who speak just one language) could be missing out on the equivalent of a new home or luxury car. Ouch.
這意味着單語者（只說一種語言的人）可能會錯過相當於一個新房子或豪華車的錢。哇喔。

Let’s check out some more intriguing statistics. According to language expert and CEO Ryan McMunn, learning a second language boosts your salary anywhere from 10-15%. How’s that for a raise?
讓我們來看看一些更有趣的數據吧。根據語言學家和首席執行官瑞·恩克的說法，會兩門語言不論在什麼地方都能讓你的薪水漲10%到15%。你覺得這個漲薪水平怎麼樣呢？
In fact, 9 out of 10 European recruiters consider bilingualism critical to hiring new employees.
事實上，十分之九的歐洲招聘官將雙語能力作爲招聘人員的一個重要標準。
Similarly, a survey of North American job recruiters found 66% agreed that bilingualism will steadily gain importance in the next 10 years.
相似地，一份關於北美招聘官的調查表明，66%的招聘官覺得雙語能力在未來十年的重要性會穩步上升。

But how does knowing a second language really help you earn more?
不過，會兩門語言到底是怎樣使你賺到更多的呢？
In addition to jobs like interpreters and translators (two professions, incidentally, which the Bureau of Labor predicts to grow 28.7% over the next 10 years), there are many ways learning a second language immediately boosts a worker’s chances at earning more.
除了口譯或者翻譯這種工作以外（順便說一句，根據勞動局預測，這兩種職業的需求量在接下來十年會增長28.7%），第二門語言還能以很多方式增加一個職場人的收入。

For job seekers looking to stand out from the crowd, hiring managers notice the increased cultural sensitivity and intelligence that come with being able to speak a foreign language.
對於想要脫穎而出的求職者來說，招聘經理會注意到那些有外語能力的人，往往在文化敏感度和理解力方面也更突出。

Similarly, service industry workers see an increased chance at promotion merely by showing that they’re in the process of learning a new language.
相似地，服務業的工作人員如果表現出自己正在學一門外語，則更有機會得到升職。

Large or small, companies always need employees to travel to and communicate with foreign markets.
不管是大公司還是小公司，他們總是需要員工能夠出國溝通並開拓國外市場。

Just being able to “meet and greet” gives you an immense leg up.
即使你僅僅能夠“見面問好”，這就足以給你一個巨大的幫助了。

For those who run a small business, a second language can prove critical in connecting with your customers and community.
對於做小生意的人來說，會一門外語是聯繫客戶和社會的必不可少的紐帶。

The list of financial benefits to bilingualism is endless. So don’t miss out — do yourself a favor and pick up a new language today.
雙語者所能得到的經濟利益根本寫不完。所以，不要錯過它——爲了你自己，從今天開始學一門新的語言吧。