By Lindsey Galloway
5 October 2015
Learning a new language is often a core part of moving abroad – but in some linguistically diverse places, expats will need to learn two or three languages just to get by.
According to data from Ethnologue, a reference work documenting the world’s living languages, the countries with the largest number of spoken languages include Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Nigeria, India and the United States, all with more than 300 unique tongues spoken within their borders.
To understand how that language diversity impacts daily life, we sought out locals and expats in their most populous cities – where residents are most likely be exposed to a number of languages on a daily basis – and asked them what it’s like to live in a place where so many cultures and communities coincide everyday.
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Not only does Papua New Guinea (PNG) has the world’s highest number of spoken languages (more than 800), it also has the highest language diversity index in the world; it’s incredibly likely that two randomly selected people in PNG would have different native languages. The diversity springs from the country’s geography of deep valleys and tough-to-navigate terrain, which kept hundreds of customary societies and clans separate for centuries.
As the capital and largest city in PNG, Port Moresby has drawn people from many of these small villages to find work, while a recent mining boom has attracted a sizeable expat community, making the city an increasingly diverse place to live. Safety is a top concern here, however, and precautions like not driving alone must be taken to avoid gang violence and organised crime.
Still, that shouldn’t deter people from experiencing life in PNG, said expat Clara Raven, who moved from London nearly two years ago. “What you get exposed to here is life changing,” she said. “It’s such a unique place to be.” While the lifestyle may not include spontaneous drives within the city, it does allow for weekends away to some of the world’s most beautiful beaches and mountain hikes throughout the country’s 19 very different provinces.