Building Confidence: 81% Of Telugu Speakers Find English Proficiency Boosts Self-Assurance, Duolingo Survey Reveals

* Duolingo's recent survey in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana uncovers how Telugu speakers view the importance of English for career growth and self-confidence, the challenges in improving English proficiency, and the impact of Tollywood in their learning journey

Duolingo's fresh-off-the-press survey delves into how Telugu speakers perceive the significance of learning English for career growth. Focused on Telugu speakers in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the survey uncovers a unanimous recognition of English proficiency as a critical factor for comprehensive development.

The survey highlights the crucial role of English in the career development of the people of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Nearly all the surveyed Telugu speakers have either learned or plan to learn English in the future. Interestingly, 75% of respondents cited enhancing career opportunities and facilitating cross-regional communication as their primary motivations for learning English.

When asked about the significance of English for career growth, 9 out of 10 Telugu speakers highlighted its critical role. They emphasized that English proficiency not only significantly enhances career prospects but also grants access to better educational resources, thereby fundamentally shaping their professional journeys.

Beyond its career-enhancing potential, English proficiency has an impactful role in boosting self-confidence among Telugu speakers. An impressive 81% of respondents noted that fluency in English contributes significantly to their self-assurance. This stems from active participation in English-speaking communities, the sense of accomplishment derived from language acquisition, and more seamless social interactions with English speakers.

While acknowledging the confidence-boosting aspect of English, challenges persist for Telugu speakers. Roughly 65% highlighted the scarcity of quality English learning resources in Telugu coupled with the fear of linguistic mistakes as significant barriers to their progress. 

Karandeep Singh Kapany, Duolingo India's Country Marketing Manager said “English proficiency opens doors of opportunity for Telugu speakers, a community that enriches the global talent pool. This study highlights the vital role of English in their journey, propelling us, a leading language learning platform, to leverage technology and provide empowering resources that bridge gaps and contribute to the global success of language learners across India.”

The survey also unveiled that 67% of Telugu speakers turn to language learning apps or immerse themselves in English-language videos and movies to hone their English skills. Additionally, the influence of Tollywood icons like Ram Charan, Mahesh Babu, and NTR holds significant sway, motivating Telugu speakers to embark on their English learning journey. Almost 90% of respondents believe that observing these stars confidently communicate in English inspires fans to a certain extent to improve their language abilities, subsequently driving personal and professional growth.

About the research by YouGov: The survey was conducted with 614 respondents from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana who are Telugu speakers. The age range taken into consideration for the study was 18-50.

About Duolingo: Duolingo is the most popular language-learning platform and the most downloaded education app worldwide. The app makes learning new languages fun with bite-sized lessons that feel like playing a game. The company's mission is to develop the best education in the world and make it universally available. Duolingo offers over 100 total courses across 40 distinct languages, from Spanish, French, German, and Japanese, to Klingon. www.duolingo.com