{"id":46748,"date":"2024-03-15T04:59:03","date_gmt":"2024-03-15T10:59:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/?p=46748"},"modified":"2025-05-28T20:14:51","modified_gmt":"2025-05-29T02:14:51","slug":"byu-is-1-in-the-nation-for-number-of-foreign-languages-taught-by-far","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/2024\/03\/byu-is-1-in-the-nation-for-number-of-foreign-languages-taught-by-far\/","title":{"rendered":"BYU is # 1 in the Nation for Number of Foreign Languages Offered–By Far"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Fellow blogger Jonathan and I were talking on the back-end about Modern Language Association statistics (as one does in the bloggernacle), and he drew my attention to a dataset kept by the MLA<\/a> that records the different foreign language classes taught in the US, so I ran some simple summary statistics to see where BYU ranked in terms of how many languages they offered in 2021 (see charts at the end).<\/p>\n

While I always knew that BYU was a foreign language powerhouse because of the missionary angle, I was still surprised by what I saw. BYU is not only one of the top universities for diversity of language offerings, it is the<\/em> top university. And not only is it the top university, but #2 (Harvard) is a quite distant #2. Heck, BYU offers classes in Kiribati<\/a>\u00a0a Pacific Island language with 120,000 speakers.<\/p>\n

As long as BYU is run by a more traditional religious organization it is probably never going to be the top place for the more ideologically loaded metrics and fields, but there are more objective, less ideologically loaded metrics that BYU can dominate in, and foreign language offerings is one of those.<\/p>\n

Number of Unique Languages Offered by University<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/colgroup>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
University<\/td>\n# Distinct Languages Offered<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
BRIGHAM\u00a0YOUNG\u00a0U\u00a0(UT)<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
96<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
HARVARD\u00a0U<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
78<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
U\u00a0OF\u00a0CALIFORNIA,\u00a0BERKELEY<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
59<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
CORNELL\u00a0U\u00a0(NY)<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
58<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
U\u00a0OF\u00a0WASHINGTON<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
58<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
INDIANA\u00a0U,\u00a0BLOOMINGTON<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
57<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
U\u00a0OF\u00a0PENNSYLVANIA<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
53<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
U\u00a0OF\u00a0GEORGIA<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
52<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
STANFORD\u00a0U<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
51<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
U\u00a0OF\u00a0CHICAGO<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
51<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
COLUMBIA\u00a0U\u00a0(NY)<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
50<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
U\u00a0OF\u00a0CALIFORNIA,\u00a0LOS\u00a0ANGELES<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
49<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
U\u00a0OF\u00a0MICHIGAN,\u00a0ANN\u00a0ARBOR<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
48<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
YALE\u00a0U<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
45<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
U\u00a0OF\u00a0WISCONSIN,\u00a0MADISON<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
44<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
NEW\u00a0YORK\u00a0U<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
41<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
U\u00a0OF\u00a0MINNESOTA,\u00a0TWIN\u00a0CITIES<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
41<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
U\u00a0OF\u00a0MASSACHUSETTS,\u00a0AMHERST<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
40<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
U\u00a0OF\u00a0TEXAS,\u00a0AUSTIN<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
38<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
U\u00a0OF\u00a0ILLINOIS,\u00a0URBANA-CHAMPAIGN<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
34<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
U\u00a0OF\u00a0PITTSBURGH<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
33<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
OHIO\u00a0SU,\u00a0COLUMBUS<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
31<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
BROWN\u00a0U<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
30<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
MICHIGAN\u00a0SU<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
29<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
U\u00a0OF\u00a0FLORIDA<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
29<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
U\u00a0OF\u00a0NORTH\u00a0CAROLINA,\u00a0CHAPEL\u00a0HILL<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
29<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
U\u00a0OF\u00a0KANSAS<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
28<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
U\u00a0OF\u00a0HAWAII,\u00a0MANOA<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
27<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
U\u00a0OF\u00a0VIRGINIA<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
27<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
BOSTON\u00a0U<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
26<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
PRINCETON\u00a0U<\/div>\n<\/td>\n
\n
26<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Languages Offered at BYU in 2021<\/p>\n\n\n<\/colgroup>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\u00a01 AFRIKAANS<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a02 AKAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a03 ALBANIAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a04 AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE (ASL)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a05 ARABIC<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a06 ARMENIAN, MODERN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a07 AYMARA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a08 BASQUE<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a09 BICOLANO<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10 BULGARIAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
11 BURMESE<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
12 CAMBODIAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
13 CANTONESE<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
14 CATALAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
15 CEBUANO<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
16 CHINESE<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
17 CHUUKESE\/TRUKESE<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
18 CREOLE, HAITIAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
19 CROATIAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
20 CZECH<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
21 CZECH\/SLOVAK<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
22 DANISH<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
23 DARI\/AFGHAN PERSIAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
24 DUTCH<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
25 ESTONIAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
26 FARSI\/PERSIAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
27 FIJIAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
28 FILIPINO\/PILIPINO\/TAGALOG<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
29 FINNISH<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
30 FRENCH<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
31 GA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
32 GEORGIAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
33 GERMAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
34 GREEK, ANCIENT<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
35 GUARANI<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
36 HAWAI’IAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
37 HEBREW, BIBLICAL<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
38 HEBREW, MODERN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
39 HILIGAYNON\/ILONGGO<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
40 HINDI<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
41 HMONG<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
42 HUNGARIAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
43 ICELANDIC<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
44 ILOCANO\/ILOKANO<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
45 ILONGOT<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
46 INDONESIAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
47 ITALIAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
48 JAPANESE<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
49 JAVANESE<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
50 KAZAKH\/QAZAQ<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
51 KIRIBATI\/GILBERTESE<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
52 KOREAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
53 LAOTIAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
54 LATIN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
55 LATVIAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
56 LITHUANIAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
57 MALAGASY<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
58 MALAY<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
59 MAORI<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
60 MARSHALLESE<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
61 MAYAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
62 MAYAN, KAQCHIKEL<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
63 MAYAN, QUICH\u00c9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
64 MONGOLIAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
65 NAVAJO<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
66 NIUEAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
67 NORWEGIAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
68 PASHTO<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
69 POLISH<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
70 PORTUGUESE<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
71 QUECHUA\/KICHWA LANGS<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
72 RAROTONGAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
73 ROMANIAN\/RUMANIAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
74 RUSSIAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
75 SAMOAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
76 SERBIAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
77 SLOVAK<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
78 SLOVENE\/SLOVENIAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
79 SPANISH<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
80 SWAHILI\/KISWAHILI<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
81 SWEDISH<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
82 TAHITIAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
83 TAIWANESE<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
84 TAMIL<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
85 THAI<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
86 TIBETAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
87 TONGAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
88 TURKISH<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
89 TWI<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
90 UKRAINIAN<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
91 URDU<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
92 VANUATU LANGS<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
93 VIETNAMESE<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
94 WARAY-WARAY<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
95 WELSH<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
96 XHOSA\/ISIXHOSA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fellow blogger Jonathan and I were talking on the back-end about Modern Language Association statistics (as one does in the bloggernacle), and he drew my attention to a dataset kept by the MLA that records the different foreign language classes taught in the US, so I ran some simple summary statistics to see where BYU ranked in terms of how many languages they offered in 2021 (see charts at the end). While I always knew that BYU was a foreign language powerhouse because of the missionary angle, I was still surprised by what I saw. BYU is not only one of the top universities for diversity of language offerings, it is the top university. And not only is it the top university, but #2 (Harvard) is a quite distant #2. Heck, BYU offers classes in Kiribati\u00a0a Pacific Island language with 120,000 speakers. As long as BYU is run by a more traditional religious organization it is probably never going to be the top place for the more ideologically loaded metrics and fields, but there are more objective, less ideologically loaded metrics that BYU can dominate in, and foreign language offerings is one of those. Number of Unique Languages Offered by […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10403,"featured_media":46754,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3024],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46748","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-byu"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/scranney_a_photo_of_a_crowd_of_students_speaking_different_lang_ad3b3301-cd63-4cdf-bf7d-c4f4a2035a02.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46748","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10403"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46748"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46748\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":50235,"href":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46748\/revisions\/50235"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46754"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46748"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46748"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timesandseasons.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46748"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}