Word: utah
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...builders of the legendary Tower of Babel had hired a work crew from Utah, the massive structure might actually have been completed instead of collapsing in the confusion of the workers' diverse languages. The linguistically savvy Utahans could have worked like bees in a hive. Or at least that is the boast among modern-day locals, who are using their language skills to build the economy of their home state...
Sparsely populated, landlocked and laced with the deserts, mountains and rugged wilderness regions typical of the American West, Utah is an unlikely place to find people who collectively speak 90% of the world's written languages. "I can make one phone call and get a foreign-language speaker in 30 minutes. That's pretty impressive for a state of 2 million," says Fred Ball, head of the local Chamber of Commerce, who frequently is host to foreign executives. Per capita, Utah is the most linguistically diverse region of the U.S. -- a feature the state is exploiting to attract foreign businesses...
...Utah's linguistic richness has prompted several international companies to open divisions in the state. Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines, which recently expanded service to 35 cities in Europe and Asia, has set up an international reservations center in Salt Lake City. Agents can take bookings in 13 foreign languages, including Hindi and Swedish. Several years ago, American Express decided to situate its worldwide traveler's check service center in Salt Lake City. On the outside, the four-story glass-and-concrete structure looks like , any other modern office building, but inside the atmosphere is more like the Disneyland ride...
Officials from the state's Economic Development Corporation, which has branches from Brussels to Tokyo, like to point out that 60% of all public high school students in Utah study a foreign language. And the state has done well by vigorously pushing its language skills as an attraction to potential foreign-transplant factories and offices...
Tsongas' victories in Utah, Maryland and Washington demonstrated that he could prosper outside New England. Clinton's big win in Georgia was his first victory of the year, but the nominating process puts him in a strong position for this week's Super Tuesday contests. His treasury is the plumpest of all, his organization the most robust -- and with seven of the 11 contests in Southern and Border states, he has the home-field advantage...