Which language in Asia is important:Japanese or French?

Tania   Fri Nov 28, 2008 3:08 am GMT
SOmeone says French is important.

But I must say it's not

Japanese is more important than French in Asia now!
Chinese   Fri Nov 28, 2008 3:33 am GMT
Of course,Japanese is indubitably of more importance in Asia。
Slobodan Milosevic   Fri Nov 28, 2008 3:35 am GMT
Japanese is also more important than French in the USA, Australia and New Zealand.
Korean   Fri Nov 28, 2008 3:37 am GMT
Yes,Japanese is definitely important!
Chinese   Fri Nov 28, 2008 3:46 am GMT
On the whole, in East and South Asia, except for English, the most useful Asian language is Japanese, and the most useful European language is German, but I don't know clearly what the status is in US, Europe, Australia, and Middle East.
Filipino   Fri Nov 28, 2008 6:29 am GMT
"Chinese Fri Nov 28, 2008 3:46 am GMT
On the whole, in East and South Asia, except for English, the most useful Asian language is Japanese, and the most useful European language is German, but I don't know clearly what the status is in US, Europe, Australia, and Middle East. "


German? Are u kidding?

German is useless in Asia!

In Asia, it will be English,Chinese and Japanese.
No more other language!
Sino   Fri Nov 28, 2008 6:58 am GMT
Of course, French is indubitably of more importance in Asia。
Chinese   Fri Nov 28, 2008 7:02 am GMT
(Filipino: German is useless in Asia!)

When it comes to the topic of multinational companies, apart from those famous ones of US, UK, Japan, there're actually some remarkable companies of Germany, Switzerland and Austria, moreover, the quantity and quality are both better than those of France, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden or some other countries......If you want to get a good job there, you can't opinionatedly only speak English, instead of native languages of the owner's class.
Chinese   Fri Nov 28, 2008 7:06 am GMT
(Sino: Of course, French is indubitably of more importance in Asia。)

Why did you tell everybody a lie? Remember we're not living in Africa.

Maybe you're not Chinese, or you hate Japan? or you're a French fanatic.
J.C.   Fri Nov 28, 2008 7:25 am GMT
I haven't travelled much in Asia but when I was in Taiwan, China or Korea
I met many more people who spoke Japanese than English. But to be honest most of time I had to use my broken Chinese and Korean...
I'm not sure about numbers but Portuguese could have more speakers than French when one looks at East Timor (Older people still speak Portuguese), Goa, Diu, Damâo and parts of Malaysia where the Portuguese were in the past.

Cheers!!
Guest   Fri Nov 28, 2008 9:39 am GMT
In my opinion neither Japanese nor French are important in ALL Asia.

Only English is useful in all Asian countries, at least in touristic places. After English, perhaps, Chinese is the second most useful language (China, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, etc.)

The third one, if you consider the countries where is spoken, is Arabic (Jordan, Israel, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Irak, Kuwait, etc). Besides, it is studied by muslims in Islamic schools in Indonesia, Central Asia, Iran, Pakistan, etc.

So, according to my point of view, there are 3 international languages in Asia: English, Chinese and Arabic.

Finally, Hindi-Urdu, Japanese and Malay-Indonesian (it doesn't matter the order) are also important regional languages, but not in all Asia.


German, French and Spanish are not important in Asia, but as World languages are studied in Asia too. Only Asian people that work in Export departments or as translators should consider important these languages.
from Paris   Fri Nov 28, 2008 1:28 pm GMT
French is more important than Japanese in Asia. French is the language of dimplomacy, art, culture, science, torusim, religion, and everything you can think of. It's the language with most glorious past and the only one that is truly global because elites around the world speak it very well.
Chinese   Sat Nov 29, 2008 4:22 am GMT
(So, according to my point of view, there are 3 international languages in Asia: English, Chinese and Arabic.)

Re: Yes, I quite agree with what you said.


(Finally, Hindi-Urdu, Japanese and Malay-Indonesian (it doesn't matter the order) are also important regional languages, but not in all Asia.)

Re: No, Japanese is certainly the winner, because the places, where Hindi (Urdu) or Indonesian (Malay) are spoken widely, are almost the back slums (I don't think INDIA or INDONESIA is a good country), While Japan is one of the most developed and civilized country in the world.
French reality check   Sat Nov 29, 2008 8:50 am GMT
<< French is more important than Japanese in Asia. French is the language of dimplomacy, art, culture, science, torusim, religion, and everything you can think of. It's the language with most glorious past and the only one that is truly global because elites around the world speak it very well. >>

If you are sarcastic then that's funny. But if you are serious, then...wow! Talk about arrogance and ethnocentrism. English is the international language of diplomacy, science, tourism and everything that is practical, useful and important. Today the elites of the world speak English.
Slobodan Milosevic   Sat Nov 29, 2008 9:55 pm GMT
He's not joking, in fact what he says is quite true (though not entirely). However it should be noted that quite frequently French people forget to add the adjective "French" when they talk, it's not his fault, just a quirk in the French character. Here's what he meant to say:


<< French is more important than Japanese in Asia. French is the language of FRENCH dimplomacy, FRENCH art, FRENCH culture, FRENCH science, FRENCH torusim, FRENCH religion, and everything FRENCH you can think of. It's the language with most glorious FRENCH past and the only FRENCH one that is truly global because FRENCH elites around the world speak it very well. >>

It makes much more sense now doesn't it? Although that first sentence is still questionable...