Mar 24, 2023
Joshua Dominick, Translator
Language is a tool. People learn language to expand their scope of knowledge, to do business, understand other peoples and cultures, or just to talk to their friends and family. Successful learners of foreign languages all have two things in common – a strong impetus and an environment in which they can use their acquired language skills.
The Chinese language is a key foundation for many East Asian languages and dialects as well as a source of cultural identity for not only the Chinese people, but Japanese, Koreans and even Vietnamese through their adoption of Chinese characters. This has created a synergy between various Asian cultures.
China’s economic miracle and the economic drive it has created has made it necessary and even attractive for people to learn the Chinese language, and where there is demand there will ultimately be supply. Educational institutions around the world, including universities, high schools and even primary schools, have started offering courses in Mandarin, while China itself has been working to promote cultural and linguistic programs through the Confucius Institutes and other partnership programs.
While progress has been made in this area, there are still barriers to the further promotion and presence of place of the Chinese language in many countries around the world, especially developed nations.
Why we study language
In today’s global village, despite advances in artificial intelligence and communication technologies, a mastery of language is required to truly engage with and be effective in the larger global community. In Europe, India and many African countries, where multiple languages abound, this has been a fact of life for people for centuries. Languages like Latin, French and later English, served as common tongues throughout various periods in history due to imperial and colonial expansion, while languages like Classical Chinese and Sanskrit served as official languages to facilitate communication across time and geographies.
Despite the varied linguistic traditions and needs of various peoples and nations around the world, the ultimate reason that humans study a language other than there native tongue is singular: communication. The content of that communication could be diplomatic, economic, philosophical, religious or anything in between. It could also be spoken or written.
In the past, systems of education throughout the world used a common language to pass on knowledge of the past to later generations. In Europe, Latin was taught to provide young people with a knowledge of the classics that formed the foundation for philosophical and social values that originated in ancient Rome and Greece; today this has become less common. Similarly, Classical Chinese, used nearly exclusively in its written form for many centuries, served a similar purpose as Latin, but it also ensured that information could be shared across China’s massive territory and be understood by people in regions that spoke entirely unintelligible dialects of spoken Chinese. In more recent times, China has worked to unify its spoken and written language to further unite the country.
Today, language education and the motivations for young people to learn a foreign language has changed. Less of a tool to pass on the wisdom of the past, many now learn foreign languages for work or broader cultural understanding, but very often learners simply treat it like just another course. This is particularly true in the linguistically monotone United States, where for the most part there is little opportunity or need to use a foreign language, and in China, where most students of English learn by wrote and have littler practical use for the language beyond course requirements.
Chinese as a global language
While “China” maybe quickly becoming a household word and a focus for much of the world with more and more people from around the world learning Chinese to live and work there, the Chinese language faces a number of barriers in terms of becoming a global language. These include the presence of tones, which most of the world’s major languages lack, and the use of non-phonetic Chinese characters.
The fact that Chinese is becoming increasingly popular in universities, secondary schools, and even primary education around the world is a credit to China’s growing influence. The wild differences in Chinese compared with other languages makes the initial investment by students greater than many other languages. Of the four categories of languages outlined by the Foreign Service Institute of the US State Department, Category IV contains only five of the 70 languages taught by the Institute. These are considered “super-hard languages” for English speakers and include Arabic, Chinese-Cantonese, Chinese-Mandarin, Japanese and Korean. While this is only one measure of the difficulty of Chinese, it is one that highlights the dramatic differences between Chinese and other world languages, which is a barrier to it becoming spoken by a wider global population outside of China.
One advantage Chinese does have is its status as an official language in the United Nations and its practical use by many governments and communities that contain a substantial Chinese-speaking population. The presence of an increasing number of Chinese immigrants in various countries around the world will bring with them their language, and in a world where there is an increased awareness of the need for cultural diversity and respect of cultural traditions, it is possible that those communities will provide increased context and drive the need for Chinese language learning.
Chinese education and learning around the world
The teaching and learning of Mandarin Chinese has grown considerably in recent years and remains in high demand despite the decline in travel to and from China due to Covid-19 restrictions. The main reason for this is China’s continued influence in both economics and politics, which will continue to attract students to learn the language.
By 2021, over 70 countries around the world had added Mandarin Chinese to their national curriculum with over 4,000 universities offering programs in the language and an estimated 25 million people around the world learning Chinese as a second language. Growth was especially strong pre-pandemic with programs like the One Million Strong initiative that had been initiated by Presidents Barack Obama and Xi Jinping, which worked to increase the number of Mandarin learners in the United States, which is currently estimated to have more than 250,000 people learning the language. Other programs that support language and cultural education include those initiated by the Chinese government like Confucius Institutes and other programs.
While the number of people learning Chinese as a foreign language is growing around the world, it is growing especially quickly in Southeast Asia and developing countries. This is not surprising due to the geographic proximity of Southeast Asia with China, existing Chinese diaspora communities in these countries as well as China’s accession to RCEP and other trade agreements that fuel trade and economic exchanges. Another source of Chinese learners also include students from developing countries in Central Asia and Africa, many of which come to China for higher education and career development. Many also choose to live and work in China.
Future trends
While it is unlikely that Mandarin Chinese will replace English as the lingua franca of academics, politics and trade any time soon, the demand for Chinese language education as well as the scope and scale of its use is on the rise.
Considering the existing interest and investment in Chinese language education in many countries around the world, it is very possible that as China continues to open up as the world emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic, programs in and demand for programs in Mandarin Chinese around the world will increase.
Beyond practical applications in academics and business, hope that increased interest in and exposure to the Chinese language will serve to make Chinese culture and history more accessible, empowering more people around the world to explore for themselves this ancient and fascinating civilization.
The post Chinese Language Education in World Trying to Reconnect appeared first on TheChinaBox.
The younger O’Neal is a multi-hyphenate who made his runway debut with Dolce & Gabbana before landing a Coach campaign and appearing on Basketball Wives; now he’s making music with his stepdad
The MomToker faced backlash in 2022 for a video of her dancing in hospital with her sick infant son; she’s now expecting her third child with husband Conner, who admitted to using Tinder while married.
Last month the former teen heartthrob and The Fosters alum walked his mother down the aisle on Italy’s Amalfi Coast – but what do we know about his biggest supporter over the years?
Expectations of a rate cut next month increase as pay growth slows to its lowest rate for more than two years.
We support you and your zero checked bags EVER agenda. View Entire Post ›
Kim Tae-ri stars as talented young singer Yoon Jeong-nyeon whose mother (Moon So-ri) tries to stop her singing, in this Disney+ period drama.
The bullishness on Wall Street is largely based on confidence that the Federal Reserve will tame inflation, the economy will remain solid and corporate earnings will continue to grow.
She made her name leading glossy magazines. Now she’s joining the newsletter flock.
After the popular publication was folded into GQ, a group of them is striking out on its own. One of the first orders of business: doing away with album scores.
Sir Keir Starmer says this month's Budget was "going to be tough" but would "focus on rebuilding our country".
Some of these places deserve wayyyyyy more attention. Others, I definitely could have passed on. View Entire Post ›
Stroll around Austria’s fourth largest city and take in the places where Mozart was born, lived, and composed and conducted music.
As common as acne is, experts say there are some popular misconceptions about its causes. Research suggests diet and poor hygiene are not the clear culprits, but rather a multitude of factors are at play, including genetics, hormonal changes — and stress.
For Stephanie Craig and Mike Murphy, trying to grow their family has been difficult. Craig had a miscarriage in 2018 at 24 weeks and they tried IVF. Since then, the Guelph, Ont., couple have been looking for a surrogate, including now through social media.
Trip.com Group, a leading global travel service provider, reveals that while sustainability awareness is rising among travellers, there remains a gap between awareness and action. This is one of the key insights from the Sustainable Travel Consumer Report 2024 that the Group released today.
Global luxury hospitality leader Four Seasons and Lucid Group, Inc., maker of the world’s most advanced electric vehicles, announce a new partnership grounded in a shared vision of an exceptional, sustainable lifestyle. The collaboration underscores both companies’ commitment to environmental stewardship and responds to a growing guest desire for added flexibility and unique, eco-friendly experiences during their stay.
From 4th -8th November , 2024, the Southeastern Anatolian city of Şanlıurfa, home to the globally significant Neolithic sites of Göbeklitepe and Karahantepe, will host the World Neolithic Congress, the first of its kind. Organised under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), this pioneering event will bring together approximately 1,000 scholars from 64 countries and 487 institutions to advance research and understanding of Neolithic cultures worldwide.
As autumn takes hold across Europe, Chia Laguna Resort, Sardinia welcomes guests seeking warm temperatures and activity filled days. Following an outstanding season marked by double-digit growth in occupancy rates, the resort welcomes all types of traveller to three distinct properties - Conrad Chia Laguna Sardinia, Baia di Chia Resort Sardinia - Curio Collection by Hilton, and Hotel Village
A far cry from the traditional African safari and catching sight of the ‘Big Five’ – Austria’s ‘Capital of the Alps’ offers instead five unique experiences for winter wanderers. From skiing under the stars or travelling through time at a Victorian Christmas market, to a magnificent carnival event that is only held every five years, the Innsbruck region is a hidden jewel, just waiting to be discovered.
The Gambia Experience celebrated its first flight of the season departing from Gatwick to Banjul on Friday, (11th Oct) marking over 35 years of winter sun holidays to The Gambia. Upon arrival at Banjul International Airport, passengers were warmly welcomed by The Gambia Experience resort team and British High Commissioner to The Gambia, Harriet King before being treated to a vibrant and welcoming reception from a local dance troupe, The Jola Cultural Group. Their energetic drumbeats and colourful costumes set the tone for a memorable holiday, providing an authentic, immersive experience, and first taste of the rich cultural traditions that make the destination so special.
The vote of confidence comes from Jeremy Chan, head chef at restaurant Ikoyi in London and who's created the new first-class menu for Eurostar.
Stay22, the travel tech company that offers affiliate revenue generation opportunities for travel content creators, has announced the integration of Booking.com’s wide range of products. This partnership will offer Stay 22’s network of over 2,700 global content creators the opportunity to generate revenue from every element of the travel experience in one place, including accommodations, flights, car rentals, and attractions, within their platforms.
Genius packing hacks, like a shirt that can be worn six ways, solid shampoo bars, and more. View Entire Post ›
Octopuses are intelligent, solitary creatures, and governments must stop funding ‘cruel and unsustainable’ octopus farms, reformers say.
The tech giant says it will use energy from small reactors to power its use of artificial intelligence.
For US$490 you can eat an authentic 18th century feast served by a butler at the British monarch’s table in Dumfries House, Scotland.
Four-month event featured music, dance, Chinese opera, multi-arts programmes, films, exhibitions, lectures, artist talks and masterclasses.
The poet-turned-rapper tells Style about seeing Flo Rida perform in high school, and how All Eggs in the Basket is not just the name of her upcoming release but a mantra for life.
CNBlue hit the big time in 2010 after their song Loner became a huge hit, and 14 years on, they talk about their career and new mini album X.
The Southern California mind (me) cannot comprehend the concept of a Vermont autumn... View Entire Post ›
Plaintiffs in antitrust case over Hermès limiting ability to buy coveted bags to customers who purchase other items amend their complaint.
A Chanel ambassador since 2018, Robbie succeeds the likes of Nicole Kidman, Catherine Deneuve and Marion Cotillard as the face of the iconic fragrance.
Kamala Harris’s campaign is pushing a version of the credit intended to fight child poverty, while Donald J. Trump sees the program primarily as a tax cut for people higher up the income scale.
I went on a quest to find worthwhile fall rituals. Here's what I found.
What could happen if Donald Trump drastically increases tariffs as he has promised to do?
This year’s programme includes a drama ripped from Hong Kong headlines, a social satire in a near-future Japan and a modern romantic drama.
Falling launch costs have given African nations a chance to send their own satellites into orbit.
Alabama woman's case led to law, signed by Barack Obama, that gave Americans more rights to sue for pay discrimination.
The youngest Pelosi’s 2022 documentary, Pelosi in the House, includes recordings she made of the January 2021 US Capitol attack – footage that was later used during an investigation into the riots
Angry at what they view as China’s state-led xenophobia, taught in schools and prevalent online, some people are taking action, even at personal risk.
YOUR NEWS, OUR NETWORK.
Do you have Great News you want to tell the world?
Be it updates about your business or your community, you can make sure that it’s heard by submitting your story to our network reaching hundreds of news sites across 6 verticals.