Language is crucial to a business that intends to have wide spread success. Two hundred years ago, a business could flourish even if it's commercial services extended no further than a very contained area. This, of course, is no longer possible. With the technology provided today, businesses and corporations everywhere have the opportunity to advertise for their products or services all over the world. A business or corporation, no matter how successful it is in America, is destined to fail unless it can compete in the overseas markets. Should an employee be fluent in several languages and succeed in difficult overseas assignments, then they become a prized possession of their company, and in return their company will continue to grow. Second languages become useful when trying to sell a product overseas. Even though English does seem to be the language of business markets around the world, it's easier to sell something to someone if you speak his or her own language. A salesman who is articulate in the native language of the person they're speaking to is more likely to make a sale. The same is true for the opposite perspective. Forcing a