Correction: "although it suggests English will is likely to keep its role of lingua franca there, too" should be: "although it suggests that English is likely to keep its role of lingua franca there as well".
Second language
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There is an increasing level of interest in learning Madarin Chinese in the UK and there are signs that among young people it will soon take over from Continental European Languages as a prime second Language. This is due mainly to the perception here that China will eventually become the world's largest economic power....sooner rather than later and in spite of current political issues there.
"Madarin Chinese" I'd like to know why do you say "Mandarin Chinese" all the time! Are there other types of Chinese? Thanks
One more question, Ben wrote: "WTO" what does it mean?
Thanks in advance
One more question, Ben wrote: "WTO" what does it mean?
Thanks in advance
WTO = World Trade Organisation
<<There is an increasing level of interest in learning Madarin Chinese in the UK and there are signs that among young people it will soon take over from Continental European Languages as a prime second Language.>>
I agree with the first part, but how is it possible that Mandarin will 'soon' take over from French, German and Spanish? Where are all the Mandarin teachers going to come from? I also think Mandarin will be an important language of the future, but logistically I don't see how it's feasible that it's going to overtake European languages any time soon.
<<There is an increasing level of interest in learning Madarin Chinese in the UK and there are signs that among young people it will soon take over from Continental European Languages as a prime second Language.>>
I agree with the first part, but how is it possible that Mandarin will 'soon' take over from French, German and Spanish? Where are all the Mandarin teachers going to come from? I also think Mandarin will be an important language of the future, but logistically I don't see how it's feasible that it's going to overtake European languages any time soon.
Larissa: >>"Mandarin Chinese" I'd like to know why do you say "Mandarin Chinese" all the time! Are there other types of Chinese? Thanks<<
"Chinese" is not a name of just one language only, but it stands for a group of related languages spoken principally in mainland China and Taiwan, but also in other places with a native Chinese population, most notably in South-East Asia. The two largest of these are Mandarin (based on the dialect spoken in North China, including Beijing, this is the official language of the People's Republic of China), and Cantonese, spoken in South China, mostly in Guangzhou Province, but in Hong Kong and Singapore as well, and among Chinese expatriates coming from South China or South-East Asia. Other languages spoken in China include Wu, Min (of which Taiwanese is a variant) and Hakka. As I know, speakers of one language find it rather difficult to understand speakers of another one, so this is why Mandarin is used as a lingua franca within China, including Taiwan (which is officially also called Republic of China).
This subject has been discussed more than one time at antimoon, and you could find more about various Chinese languages at a current thread:
http.//www.antimoon.com/forum/t1254/htm.
"Chinese" is not a name of just one language only, but it stands for a group of related languages spoken principally in mainland China and Taiwan, but also in other places with a native Chinese population, most notably in South-East Asia. The two largest of these are Mandarin (based on the dialect spoken in North China, including Beijing, this is the official language of the People's Republic of China), and Cantonese, spoken in South China, mostly in Guangzhou Province, but in Hong Kong and Singapore as well, and among Chinese expatriates coming from South China or South-East Asia. Other languages spoken in China include Wu, Min (of which Taiwanese is a variant) and Hakka. As I know, speakers of one language find it rather difficult to understand speakers of another one, so this is why Mandarin is used as a lingua franca within China, including Taiwan (which is officially also called Republic of China).
This subject has been discussed more than one time at antimoon, and you could find more about various Chinese languages at a current thread:
http.//www.antimoon.com/forum/t1254/htm.
Sorry, my mistake:
http://www.antimoon.com/forum/t1254.htm
http://www.antimoon.com/forum/t1254.htm
i think engish is the second language around the world because English is known as the international language, wether your american or korean or even spanish once you spoke english we can understand it easily.
Typo...in my post I skipped the n in Mandarin by mistake....I have a lazy n on my keyboard. It's Mandarin...like the fruit.
***how is it possible that Mandarin will 'soon' take over from French, German and Spanish? Where are all the Mandarin teachers going to come from?***
Those questions are best addressed to the reporter responsible for the article in the British daily newspaper last week.....I think it was The London Telegraph but I will have to trawl through my posts to confirm that. The gist of the article was just as I say above.....ie....(1) China is increasing in importance on the world economic stage. (2) British schools/colleges are recognising this fact as are students. (3) As a result interest in the Chinese Language (Mandarin acording to the article) is increasing appreciably.
(4) This is the bit you query: Students are now tending to quit learning Continental European Languages in favour of Chinese. More or less as quoted in the article as I remember.
How that will be possible or where are all the teachers going to come from? ....the journalist concerned surely has his/her sources to provide satisfactory answers to these questions. I'll try and dig out the relative article when I have time.
Anyway, English just happens to be the important world Language it is for two manin reasons I reckon......the spread of the British Empire in the past, and the former British colony called America eventually became the superpower it is today which may well be the prime reason for the status of English today. Correct me if I'm wrong...I don't think I am.
As I've said before, nobody but nobody forces English learning on anybody...it's a matter of free choice whether you want to learn it or not. If you don't, and have no interest in the Language, then there's no point in coming into this section of this Forum at all, is there?
Those questions are best addressed to the reporter responsible for the article in the British daily newspaper last week.....I think it was The London Telegraph but I will have to trawl through my posts to confirm that. The gist of the article was just as I say above.....ie....(1) China is increasing in importance on the world economic stage. (2) British schools/colleges are recognising this fact as are students. (3) As a result interest in the Chinese Language (Mandarin acording to the article) is increasing appreciably.
(4) This is the bit you query: Students are now tending to quit learning Continental European Languages in favour of Chinese. More or less as quoted in the article as I remember.
How that will be possible or where are all the teachers going to come from? ....the journalist concerned surely has his/her sources to provide satisfactory answers to these questions. I'll try and dig out the relative article when I have time.
Anyway, English just happens to be the important world Language it is for two manin reasons I reckon......the spread of the British Empire in the past, and the former British colony called America eventually became the superpower it is today which may well be the prime reason for the status of English today. Correct me if I'm wrong...I don't think I am.
As I've said before, nobody but nobody forces English learning on anybody...it's a matter of free choice whether you want to learn it or not. If you don't, and have no interest in the Language, then there's no point in coming into this section of this Forum at all, is there?
On the one hand, I don't think that Mandarin will replace European languages in the West as the most studied foreign language any time soon. For one thing, there's the institutional inertia (Spanish, French, German, and Italian still rule the roost in the States). Secondly, the language is not as easily acquired by Westerners. The grammar is incredibly straightforward, but there are virtually no cognates, a phonology that includes tones, and a writing system that takes most learners years to master.
On the other hand, do expect to see the study of Mandarin growing. Not only is it being offered by more and more high schools and even elementary schools, it is a language one can hear on the streets in many places, at least in the States, which means many learners can actually hear and practice what they've studied without leaving the country. Spanish, of course, is number one in this respect in the States. But the Chinese population is growing rapidly here, and most of the recent newcomers are Mandarin speakers. (It used to be Cantonese and other dialects, but then the Taiwanese started arriving, and now the Mainland has became a huge source of immigration.)
By the way, the fastest growing language studied in US high schools is not Chinese (or Japanese or Arabic)--it's American Sign Language!
On the other hand, do expect to see the study of Mandarin growing. Not only is it being offered by more and more high schools and even elementary schools, it is a language one can hear on the streets in many places, at least in the States, which means many learners can actually hear and practice what they've studied without leaving the country. Spanish, of course, is number one in this respect in the States. But the Chinese population is growing rapidly here, and most of the recent newcomers are Mandarin speakers. (It used to be Cantonese and other dialects, but then the Taiwanese started arriving, and now the Mainland has became a huge source of immigration.)
By the way, the fastest growing language studied in US high schools is not Chinese (or Japanese or Arabic)--it's American Sign Language!
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