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 affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts. Every man is tasked to make his life, even in its details, worthy of the contemplation of his most elevated and critical hour.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“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)