That’s the answer for Shashi Godbole (played by famous Bollywood actress Sridevi) who decides that she needs to learn to speak English in order to fully participate in her life and that of her family. “English Vinglish” is a romantic comedy that also highlights the importance of learning English, especially for people who have moved to an English-speaking country or who want to get ahead in global business. The movie’s just been released this week in India, Singapore, and the UK, after making its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival in Canada last month.

While it’s true that there are more people on this planet who speak Mandarin as their native language than there are native English speakers, it’s also true that English is for the moment our planet’s lingua franca – the one most people default to when conducting business in another country, or even chatting on the internet. In many countries, children are taught English as part of their primary and secondary class schedules, though in some cases there’s more emphasis on written English than on the spoken language. Because of widespread British colonialism that started in 1584 and only ended in 1997 with the transfer of Hong Kong back to China, millions of people around the world have grown up speaking both English and the language(s) of their country.

Unfortunately, a good grasp of English really depends on having a good education in that language, and/or family and friends who speak it fluently. As illustrated in “English Vinglish,” there’s often a difference between the educational level and language skills between children and parents when the family relocates to a new country. When children pick up a new language faster than their parents, they’re often called upon to translate for their parents, and that’s sometimes hard for both the children and the adults.

English-language classes are a good way for people of any age to learn the language, and with all of the software, books, and even television programs available that focus on vocabulary improvement, the learning never has to end.

Are you someone who’s learning English as a second language? What prompted you to begin your studies?