23 replies to this topic

[Redblade]

As you guys might know, China is developing rapidly this few years. And in the future, some of us would inevitably be doing businesses with them. In lieu to this, a couple of my friends living in America has started learning Chinese Language as a way to communicate with them in the future and also for the ease of not getting tricked when signing contracts and etc.

Therefore i was thinking, any of you guys here are also interested in learning Chinese or are learning atm?

[Waser Lave]

No, make them all learn english instead.

That's the British way of doing it.

[Silk]

No way am I even attempting to learn Chinese. Wouldn't personally know...but English seems a lot easier. Make them learn it.

[Zakk]

If they can learn Chinese there at the age of.. what.. three? And then come to America and know English at 6, I'm sure we're capable of learning it.

[Nick]

Actually Zak, Cantonese is the most difficult wide-spoken language in the world, mandorin is second. It is said that after being taught a different first language, that it would take almost 2 years in china to be able to read a children's book or a newspaper.

[Eeyore]

I think people should make an effort. If the chinese sat there and did the same as us with the whole 'make them learn it' thing we'd get absolutely no where. If you end up in a situation when you know you'll have to be communicating with them you ought to at least try their language I think.

Then again, if we were all perfect translators would be out of a job.

[hoju]

In some Chinese TV Dramas I've seen this white guy speaking perfect cantonese.

[Justin]

My dads side of the family speaks Chinese. I can't remember which they speak though... Its funny to go to chinese restraunts and watch them talk to the waiters though

[hoju]

My dads side of the family speaks Chinese. I can't remember which they speak though... Its funny to go to chinese restraunts and watch them talk to the waiters though

What's your other half.

[Justin]

What's your other half.

My moms side, is half japanese and the other half is russian/german. Its not really russian though, I think its Latvian or something like that

[hoju]

And which of the languages do you speak?
Other than english

[Justin]

None I know how to say things like mom and good morning in german. I'm told I used to know more chinese when I was smaller. But I dunno, I don't really bother to learn to speak them. I'm really bad at learning languages. It really just isn't my thing.

[Redblade]

No, make them all learn english instead.

That's the British way of doing it.

No way am I even attempting to learn Chinese. Wouldn't personally know...but English seems a lot easier. Make them learn it.

I think people should make an effort. If the chinese sat there and did the same as us with the whole 'make them learn it' thing we'd get absolutely no where. If you end up in a situation when you know you'll have to be communicating with them you ought to at least try their language I think.

Thats what happen a few years ago. For China to develop , many chinese have attempted to learn English with much success. Thats one the reason why some of the top earners in other countries are Chinese. In my country, there are quite a number of Chinese migrating from China to get a more english and better education here. The irony is, they are also the ones that scored the A's during GCSE 'O' and 'A' level English language exams just after learning the language for 2-4 years, compared to us Singaporean, who mostly learn English and Chinese together at the age of 3-6.

The trend has obviously change, and now it is fast becoming the English peeps learning the Chinese language.


P.S I can speak both languages

[foogie]

japanese uses kanji (chinese characters) as well, so I guess you could say I'm learning a bit of chinese as well. XD

[hoju]

A little bit of digging but I'm very curious about this

Redblade, you're from Singapore are you not? (says so in your thing )
So if you are, then why do you not know chinese?
I thought Singapore was a chinese place.

[Redblade]

A little bit of digging but I'm very curious about this

Redblade, you're from Singapore are you not? (says so in your thing )
So if you are, then why do you not know chinese?
I thought Singapore was a chinese place.

when did i said i do not know about chinese?
Apparently chinese is my first language and yes, i aced it in my previous GCSE A level exams
English is my second language thou

Yep, Singapore was is a chinese place. Although there are a huge chinese population here, it is a multi racial society where the four main races are chinese, malay, indian and eurasian

[hoju]

Oops... I misread your first post
It says your friends are going to learn chinese
Not you

[Tetiel]

I actually more wish that I could speak Arabic. Countries like the U.A.E. are also becoming very big in business. I plan to be a psychologist so it probably won't matter much to me, but I think it would be nice to know a language that is from a country where not many speak fluent english. Same as I wish to learn Japanese and Russian. The thing about chinese that absolutely intimidates me is the alphabet. I have horrible handwriting in english as is so I worry about accidnentally saying something offensive in my writing xD

[Ilya]

At the rate they are growing english is a mandatory second language there, that everyone must take throughout the school.. like here we have to take spanish.. they have to take english...

As far as I know.. if we all start to learn chinese... and they already started learning english they would know 2 langueges while we know one and a half.. they will be more advanced then us...

[Redblade]

I actually more wish that I could speak Arabic. Countries like the U.A.E. are also becoming very big in business. I plan to be a psychologist so it probably won't matter much to me, but I think it would be nice to know a language that is from a country where not many speak fluent english. Same as I wish to learn Japanese and Russian. The thing about chinese that absolutely intimidates me is the alphabet. I have horrible handwriting in english as is so I worry about accidnentally saying something offensive in my writing xD

Theres no alphabet for chinese language
You wont accidentally write something offensive, but for some words, a stroke different would means two different things. Like cow and noon.

At the rate they are growing english is a mandatory second language there, that everyone must take throughout the school.. like here we have to take spanish.. they have to take english...

As far as I know.. if we all start to learn chinese... and they already started learning english they would know 2 langueges while we know one and a half.. they will be more advanced then us...

They will be.. Its only a matter of time

[towkay]

I know that in Shanghai, the chinese is very bad in English and if you try to speak chinese with them, they will start to speak their language "Shanghainese".

[Bryan]

As you guys might know, China is developing rapidly this few years. And in the future, some of us would inevitably be doing businesses with them. In lieu to this, a couple of my friends living in America has started learning Chinese Language as a way to communicate with them in the future and also for the ease of not getting tricked when signing contracts and etc.

Therefore i was thinking, any of you guys here are also interested in learning Chinese or are learning atm?

Nah, French is a business language =]

China is increasing rapidly because of it's high production in capital goods, it allows them to increase output over long amounts of time.

[Tetiel]

Theres no alphabet for chinese language
You wont accidentally write something offensive, but for some words, a stroke different would means two different things. Like cow and noon.

They will be.. Its only a matter of time

No, no. I mean characters. Same as an alphabet.. you know, the character system. I'm afraid of writing a wrong stroke in a character.

[Redblade]

No, no. I mean characters. Same as an alphabet.. you know, the character system. I'm afraid of writing a wrong stroke in a character.

Of course i know .. But errm the worst offending words i know that can be written is of 3 characters and the meaning of it is bastard. I dont know whether its good or not, but apparently theres no chinese characters that mean fuck or anything that is of the around the same 'level' of it