Many in the audience might have thought Zhu had honed his language skills and extensive knowledge of finance through years of work abroad, possibly in the diplomatic service.

CNN: THE MAN WITH THE IRON FACE

"There is certainly more interest now and support for speaking Zapotec, " adding that the revival of the Zapatec language is happening in places where it had been thought lost.

BBC: Oaxaca festival in Mexico highlights indigenous pride

Beyond space, time and causality, patterns in language have been shown to shape many other domains of thought.

WSJ: Does Language Influence Culture?

The only contact with the foreign Trailmen is through trade conducted once a year in silence and by sign language, since the isolated tribes are thought to have no common language.

NPR: From New York State: Science, Fiction and Bar Yarns

One is a new, extra-speedy Javascript interpreter, found in the latest browsers from Google and Apple, that allows programs in the browser's standard language to zip along faster than ever thought possible.

FORBES: Microsoft versus the Big Three

Citizens of a free Georgia, Laura and I were in the neighborhood and we thought we'd swing by and say (foreign language spoken).

NPR: President Bush Praises Democracy in Georgia

If you speak more than one language or have thought about learning a second one, here are some industries and jobs where your skills will come in handy.

CNN: Eight industries needing bilingual workers

The research found 65% of those surveyed thought more should be done to promote Gaelic in Scotland and 81% felt it was important Gaelic language traditions were not lost.

BBC: TV 'raises awareness' of Gaelic government report says