More American Students Learning Chinese as a Second Language

[Jonathan Randall]

More American Students Learning Chinese as a Second Language. Given that 1.3 Billion people speak Chinese, such proficiency is becoming an economic and political necessity:
CHINESE

Thoughts? Are any members planning on studying either Mandarin or Cantonese? Do you wish your children to do so? Do you think such competency will pay dividends in the future?


*** Note, please respect my wishes as the Original Poster and keep this particular thread on topic of Language and cultural issues, and open separate threads if you feel the need to discuss/critique the Chinese or American Governments or Political Systems. Thanks ***

 

[terryl965]

I also notice Japanese ans Mandalin as well as Korean. They seem to be the top three atleast here in Texas.
Terry

 

[Phoenix44]

My son just invested in China; he thinks that where it's at. He's fourteen.

 

[Kanoy919]

I learned Tagalog the Filipino language and my wife and I are teaching our daughter.

I think its great to learn a second language no matter what it is. It's good to know that a lot of people are learning a Chinese language. I think it's a language that can be used almost everywhere you go, especially here where I am (Bay Area, California)

 

[Jade Tigress]

I would love to learn to speak Chinese. I'm not sure if I should learn Mandarin or Cantonese. I should look into it more instead of letting it remain a dream.

 

[Jonathan Randall]

I would love to learn to speak Chinese. I'm not sure if I should learn Mandarin or Cantonese. I should look into it more instead of letting it remain a dream.

Let's see; Mandarin is used largely in the Mainland and Cantonese in Hong Kong and elsewher. Ratio is about 8 Mandarin to 5 cantonese. Mandarin is one hard language, I've heard. Still, considering its cultural, economic and security value, it's a great choice.

Let's us know if you decide to begin the journey.

 

[Jade Tigress]

Let's see; Mandarin is used largely in the Mainland and Cantonese in Hong Kong and elsewher. Ratio is about 8 Mandarin to 5 cantonese. Mandarin is one hard language, I've heard. Still, considering its cultural, economic and security value, it's a great choice.

Let's us know if you decide to begin the journey.

Thanks JR.

I've heard Cantonese is the harder of the two for English speaking people to learn...

I'll definitely keep you posted when I pursue it further. :asian:

 

[Xue Sheng]

I would love to learn to speak Chinese. I'm not sure if I should learn Mandarin or Cantonese. I should look into it more instead of letting it remain a dream.

Jade

Just about everyone you run into in this country whether they be Cantonese or Mandarin speakers speaks Mandarin.

Just abut everyone you run into, at least in our generation and younger in China including Hong Kong speaks Mandarin.

Also Mandarin has 4 tones where Cantonese has about 8 or 9 tones. This means that the word "Wu" as we write it in Pinyin has 4 different meanings in Mandarin and 8 or 9 in Cantonese.

I always suggest if you are going to learn "Chinese" choose Mandarin. Unless you have a good reason to learn Cantonese, like you are going to live in Hong Kong or Guangzhou

I know someone that studies Wing Chun and his teacher only speaks Cantonese so he learned Cantonese. I know another guy who is married to a woman from Hong Kong that speaks both Mandarin and Cantonese. But her parents only speak Cantonese so he is learning Cantonese.

There are many many different dialects in China that pretty much cannot speak to each other, Cantonese, Fujian, Shanghai, Beijing, but the majority know Mandarin no matter what area they are from, it is taught in schools throughout China

XS

 

[Xue Sheng]

More American Students Learning Chinese as a Second Language. Given that 1.3 Billion people speak Chinese, such proficiency is becoming an economic and political necessity:
CHINESE

Thoughts? Are any members planning on studying either Mandarin or Cantonese? Do you wish your children to do so? Do you think such competency will pay dividends in the future?


*** Note, please respect my wishes as the Original Poster and keep this particular thread on topic of Language and cultural issues, and open separate threads if you feel the need to discuss/critique the Chinese or American Governments or Political Systems. Thanks ***

I am leaning Mandarin now because that is all my Wife's family speaks and it makes going to Beijing much easier. And since she also teaches Mandarin is a local Community College, her Chinese Friends are beginning to wonder why her husband is not fluent. Also we want our kids to be bilingual.

And if China and the US keep going the way they are in business it would be a good thing to know.

As I posted before to Jade, I always suggest people learn Mandarin over Cantonese. It first a bit easier and second spoken by many more Chinese people throughout the world regardless of their native dialect. Mandarin is taught in schools (elementary through high school) throughout China.

Long before I meant my wife I was learning Mandarin, however before I had a grasp on Mandarin I also tried to learn Cantonese. Long story short I now basically speak neither they are way too different.

Example (Please forgive the Cantonese pinyin spelling)
Mandarin - Thank You – Xie xie
Cantonese – Thank You – Doh Jay

 

[Xue Sheng]

CORRECTION:

There are 6 tones in Cantonese, not 8 or 9 as I previously posted.

My apologies for the error. :asian:

 

[Jade Tigress]

Jade

Just about everyone you run into in this country whether they be Cantonese or Mandarin speakers speaks Mandarin.

Just abut everyone you run into, at least in our generation and younger in China including Hong Kong speaks Mandarin.

Also Mandarin has 4 tones where Cantonese has about 8 or 9 tones. This means that the word "Wu" as we write it in Pinyin has 4 different meanings in Mandarin and 8 or 9 in Cantonese.

I always suggest if you are going to learn "Chinese" choose Mandarin. Unless you have a good reason to learn Cantonese, like you are going to live in Hong Kong or Guangzhou

I know someone that studies Wing Chun and his teacher only speaks Cantonese so he learned Cantonese. I know another guy who is married to a woman from Hong Kong that speaks both Mandarin and Cantonese. But her parents only speak Cantonese so he is learning Cantonese.

There are many many different dialects in China that pretty much cannot speak to each other, Cantonese, Fujian, Shanghai, Beijing, but the majority know Mandarin no matter what area they are from, it is taught in schools throughout China

XS

Yes, that is what I have heard too and will end up studying Mandarin when the time comes. The only reason I even considered Cantonese is because I train southern CMA styles so the terms are Cantonese. But from a practical use standpoint I'd be better equipped knowing Mandarin. Thanks XS.

 

[mrhnau]

I took a semester of Mandarin during my undergrad. I wish I had done some more. I really enjoyed it. However, next on my list of learning is Romanian, since its the native language of my wife

 

[Flatlander]

More American Students Learning Chinese as a Second Language. Given that 1.3 Billion people speak Chinese, such proficiency is becoming an economic and political necessity:
CHINESE

Thoughts? Are any members planning on studying either Mandarin or Cantonese? Do you wish your children to do so? Do you think such competency will pay dividends in the future?

I think that, though fluency in Chinese may provide some additional opportunities, it will never be a necessesity. 4.7 Billion people do not speak Chinese.

I don't feel that understanding the language is imperative to doing business with the Chinese. They understand that in order to carry on trading and doing business with the rest of the world that they'll need to be able to communicate with others as well. Aside from that, there are always going to be people that would work as interpreters to facilitate that communication when there are barriers.

Finally, the premise that learning a Chinese language would be a future necessity assumes a primary role for the Chinese in the global economy. This is, at this point, still speculation. Some economists currently believe that India is on pace to become the world's largest economy around 2050ish. It has a rapidly growing workforce, while the Chinese birth rate has slowed significantly. However, most studies that I've read are in agreement that China will be the world's largest economy some time within the next 15 - 20 years. With that in mind, I see the learning of Mandarin or Cantonese as a good idea with regard to the presentation of wider opportunity, but by no means a requirement for success going forward. There are currently a number of very successful people globally that do not speak English.

 

[Grenadier]

Learning a foreign language of any kind is always helpful. It keeps the mind well-excercised, and if you can apply it in your trade, then more power to you. I took German throughout junior high, high school, and all four years of college, and it's already come in quite handy, since I can peruse many of the old BBA journals that were written in German only, and that I don't need an English manual when reading some of the Bruker manuals. For me, German was the best choice I could have made, especially because of the field of research.

If anything, I would strongly encourage people do this at an earlier age.

In America, we are probably missing out on a lot of quality learning, when we are not exposed to it as children, since those are often times the best years to start learning. Most kids don't even start until they are in junior high school, and then only seriously study foreign languages when they hit their high school years.

I'll agree with the others, that Mandarin Chinese would be simpler to learn than Cantonese, and that it is more "universal." With the sheer amount of business being conducted between China and the USA, it could very well give one a good opportunity to get into the thick of things with some proficiency in Chinese.

 

[Grenadier]

Just had a quick conversation with a friend in the lab, who is Chinese. He said that especially for conversational Chinese, you had better take Mandarin, if you want to be able to use it on a more universal basis.

 

[Makalakumu]

Knowing a second language is never a bad thing. The cultural awareness it brings is priceless.