Chinese, a waste of time

Student   Fri Oct 16, 2009 8:40 am GMT
I explain my post. Chinese is a very difficult language. You need some 8-10 years to study this language. The tones, the grammar and the writing system are very difficult for Westerners.

So, when an International company, an Export Department, etc need a person that speak Chinese, they prefer a Chinese that speak one or two European languages, than the opposite.

In my opinion, to study Chinese, Arabic, Japanese or any other Asiatic language is a waste of time because we will never be able to speak well an Asiatic language, even if we make an incredible effort. With the same effort we can study 2 European languages perfectly.

For example, an American can study Chinese 10 years and he can speak it with a medium level (not enough to work in an Export department or other jobs). This American can study in the same time Spanish and French perfectly (enough to have a job in an Export Department).

What do you think about?
Mohmmed   Fri Oct 16, 2009 8:48 am GMT
Oh, you're too stupid to learn any languages.

It's a waste of time for you to learn anything.
Student   Fri Oct 16, 2009 8:58 am GMT
How many Westerners speak Chinese or Arabic perfectly, asshole?
a demotivator   Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:01 am GMT
Thank you! I share your opinion entirely. Chinese is an utter waste of time. Especially if you have goals beyond just learning Chinese.
Even if you are successful it's not so rosy a picture. Yes there are some rare Westerners out there who learn Chinese fluently, but who are they? They are obsessive maniacs whose entire life revolves around learning Chinese.
Do you want to be one of these one horse wonders? Can learning a foreign language fluently even be considered a very great achievement? It depends on your values, but it's not really special. All that work to be able to do something that 1.3 billion people can already do, and better than you at that.
On the other hand, many many Chinese learn English without the 'one horse wonder' syndrome. They get the learning of English out of the way quickly and can then move on to become successful professionals. For them English is just a quick note in parentheses in their resume. For an English speaker Chinese becomes the main point in their resume. It's pathetic.
Why bother when facing such overwhelming odds weighted against you. Why not just say NO? It's a nice idealistic dream to imagine yourself speaking Chinese fluently but so is winning the lotto. It's better just to resign yourself to a more realistic goal, like a European language.
That said, even that is beyond most people. It's an even better idea just to do nothing. Just get a comfortable, easy job which requires no brain and work there for your whole life and I can guarantee you will be happier than some monomaniac Chinese fanatic. Well, you won't be happy but at least you will be resigned to your fate and devoid of aspirations, which are the root of all that is untoward in mankind.
So, don't bother. Say no to the temptation to try, because in the end we'll all be dead. Don't bother. Let go of all hope.
Mohmmed   Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:11 am GMT
It's a big waste of time for you assholes to create such a fucking post!
Mohmmed   Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:21 am GMT
Just keep away from Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and other Asian languages, if you fools always get frustrated with them.
Xie   Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:23 am GMT
>>I explain my post. Chinese is a very difficult language. You need some 8-10 years to study this language. The tones, the grammar and the writing system are very difficult for Westerners.<<

It's really mindboggling why everybody claims Chinese grammar is easy. No, not at all, and you're right, but could you elaborate?
A.M.   Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:31 am GMT
Well, I think the same. If you are Westerner, you should study one or two of these languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian or Portuguese.

All other languages are too much difficult.
simplisticus   Fri Oct 16, 2009 2:07 pm GMT
<<Just keep away from Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and other Asian languages, if you fools always get frustrated with them. >>

Actually, if English is your native language, it's almost impossibe to learn any another language. The overall simplicity of English means that we get turned off as language learners when we first run up against the appalling difficulties found in all other languages. About the only thing that doesn't scare us off is difficult spelling found in certain languages (like French).

On the other hand, English is remarkably easy to learn, as long as you don't sweat the small stuff, and don't try for native-like perfection. How long does it take to learn enough English to put together sentences that are semi-understandable in to native speakers? Vocabulary is probably the limiting factor here, since English grammar is so trivial.
Baldewin   Fri Oct 16, 2009 2:12 pm GMT
The reason you're a complete failure in all of these languages is because the likelihood of you getting exposed to them is too small. This is the ONLY reason why they're 'hard' to learn.
English in itself will become a worthless pidgin tongue of worthless cave dwelling monoglots when the empire crumbles to mere bits.
trepid   Fri Oct 16, 2009 4:50 pm GMT
<<This is the ONLY reason why they're 'hard' to learn.>>

Does this mean that it's fairly easy to learn the Chinese writing system, tones, and complex grammar?
Baldewin   Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:24 pm GMT
Of course with the exception with those details.
Baldewin   Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:25 pm GMT
of those details.

Me is retarded! dur dur dur! huh!
pinche   Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:28 pm GMT
<<The reason you're a complete failure in all of these languages is because the likelihood of you getting exposed to them is too small. This is the ONLY reason why they're 'hard' to learn. >>


Well, getting exposure is part of the process. So if it's hard to get exposure then it's a hard language. I mean, who the hell wants to go to Saudi Arabia and risk execution to learn some crappy dialect of Arabic? And what if you don't like hanging around the local mosque?
Little Tadpole   Sat Oct 17, 2009 1:46 pm GMT
I tend to agree that for international jobs, it's better to use local people. I remember CNN sent some big head to cover news from Taiwan, presidential election or something like that. The guy was fluent in Mandarin Chinese, so they thought they've got things covered. Big mistake. At the beginning, the speech was in Mandarin Chinese, and the CNN guy could explain what was being said, then half way through the live broadcast, everything switched to dialect, and the reporter couldn't understand a word and was silent. It was embarrassing.

Nowadays CNN has learnt the lesson and is relying much more on local people, everywhere.