There are certain foreign languages in some countries that are considered to be critical from the security point of view. The classification and listing of critical languages is different from country to country depending, besides Language and National Security, upon several factors.
Some critical languages include Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin dialect), Persian, Hindi, Korean, Japanese, Russian, Swahili, and Yoruba.
Famous quotes containing the words critical and/or languages:
“To take pride in a library kills it. Then, its motive power shifts over to the critical if admiring visitor, and apologies are necessary and acceptable and the fat is in the fire.”
—Carolyn Wells (1862–1942)
“People in places many of us never heard of, whose names we can’t pronounce or even spell, are speaking up for themselves. They speak in languages we once classified as “exotic” but whose mastery is now essential for our diplomats and businessmen. But what they say is very much the same the world over. They want a decent standard of living. They want human dignity and a voice in their own futures. They want their children to grow up strong and healthy and free.”
—Hubert H. Humphrey (1911–1978)