Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP8994
Authors: Jacques Melitz; Farid Toubal
Abstract: We construct new series for common native language and common spoken language for 195 countries, which we use together with series for common official language and linguistic proximity in order to draw inferences about (1) the aggregate impact of all linguistic factors on bilateral trade, (2) whether the linguistic influences come from ethnicity and trust or ease of communication, and (3) in so far they come from ease of communication, to what extent translation and interpreters play a role. The results show that the impact of linguistic factors, all together, is at least twice as great as the usual dummy variable for common language, resting on official language, would say. In addition, ease of communication is far more important than ethnicity and trust. Further, so far as ease of communication is at work, translation and interpreters are extremely important. Finally, ethnicity and trust come into play largely because of immigrants and their influence is otherwise difficult to detect.
Keywords: bilateral trade; gravity models; language
JEL Codes: F10; F40
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| linguistic factors (Z13) | bilateral trade (F10) |
| ease of communication (L96) | linguistic influence on trade (F10) |
| translation and interpreters (L86) | ease of communication (L96) |
| ethnicity (J15) | bilateral trade (F10) |
| cross-migrants (F22) | ethnicity (J15) |