Language of the year

Guest · Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2005 5:54 pm Post subject: Language of the year

Do you know in US, 2005 as the year of language (resource from Home page for the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages), as a Mandarin Chinese teacher for adults, I am wondering whether learning Mandarin Chinese would be the time to come in the UK. I believe that to open the Chinese culture to the outside world is to encourage more and more English-speakers to learn the language. Language is part of the culture, the more Chinese-speakers, the more communications....

paul · Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2005 6:35 pm Post subject:

Hi Eva,
I am English and learning to speak Mandarin chinese. I am sorry to say it is not common for the English to have an interest in other languages (or cultures).
Most English see chinese as handy for a curry and thats about that. There is little malaice or ill intent but just as little interest.
The only way to improve this sorry situation is to give massive exposure to Chinese culture, but to do that you need a lot of cash or the media on your side.
I have delt with Chinese shows as part of local events and find that it is easy to get a large crowd to see a lion dance or kung fu demo. You can get many people to listen to a Chinese singer (only when she is young and pretty) but you have no chance of much more. I have many chinese friends from mainland, hong kong and malaysia and am starting to understand what makes them tick but this is unusual in this country so don't get too excited.
Most English retain the old colonial stance that the world speaks english (or at least the bits we want to talk to)
Sorry this is not better news, but that's the English for you.

OceanLee · Joined: 27 Feb 2003 Posts: 85

Hi,
As Paul mentions, teaching Mandarin to the English is probably going to be a hard job, considering there's plenty enough resistance to learning a European language! But don't forget, there are also plenty of Cantonese Chinese over here (this being a BBC website and all!) who wouldn't mind learning Mandarin as well I'm sure. Me for one, although I need to find some free time and buy some books first, generally pull my finger out.

Oh, and well done Paul. I was always curious to know what an Englishman speaking Mandarin would sound like. I was of the secret opinion that as a race the British were gentically restricted in speaking Asian languages, until I heard the husband of one of my mum's friends speaking Mandarin. It seems it is possible after all, which gives me small hope...

paul · Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2005 12:09 am Post subject:

"I was always curious to know what an Englishman speaking Mandarin would sound like"

The answer is pretty bad but I am working on getting better. As for why i chose Mandarin, most of the local cantonese speakers are quite good at English and the
Mandarin speakers less so.

I have a bunch of friends from mainland china and malaysia around here and they help me a lot. Also started to do some business with the local chinese community and it's proving handy to know a little Mandarin.
I install PA systems for a living and a chinese friend and I are doing a little corporate hospitality work and providing entertainment for chinese events.
Oh well, back to work.

chiwai · Joined: 25 Oct 2005 Posts: 14

i disagree i think there are plenty of brits learning mandarin

i was on a summer mandarin course at beijing language and culture uni last year and there was a relatively good number of brits there in comparison to the numbers of americans/other europeans.

and im not just counting bbc's converting from cantonese to mandarin

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