Human mobility and language: towards new multilingual approaches with ai

Abstract

This study investigates the relationships between language and human mobility in terms of investment, accessibility and inclusion and how human-computer interactions, AI (Artificial Intelligence) speech translators might overcome language barrier in a multilingual perspective. After a brief analysis of population dynamics, demographic change and migration based on European Union publications, the aim of this paper is to highlight the strong nexus between language and mobility and how it plays a key role in citizenship, educational policies, employment and social services. The phenomenon of linguistic identity, together with the power relations of ELF (English as Lingua Franca), is observed by presenting poststructuralist perspectives on SLA (Second Language Acquisition). It emerges that the power relations can be equal and unequal and can influence both positively and negatively users’ identities, shape people interactions and, thus, place them in particular communities or statuses. This ‘communicative imperialism’ can be inferred by the English Proficiency Index that places European countries in a high position, while countries in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and some Asian countries in the lowest ones. Non-native speakers have differing levels of command of the language, meaning that, for them, crucial details and nuances, as well as cultural references, might often be lost. This study explores the real-time multilingual interpretation, with the new emerging technologies, as a means to reduce language discrimination, information loss, and increase the return on investment (ROI), enabling everyone to join in a conversation in their own language from anywhere around the world.