To Mandarin or not to.

Hi, I ran across this story yesterday when I was on the net. i thought it was making an interesting:

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What do you guys think? I am not sure if it is true and if it would pertain to us.

Danny

It is really up to the individual if they want to learn chinese or not. They, at least are starting to learn English.

I have seen in my recent trip more and more advertisements encouraging people to learn English because it means a higher salary and consideratioin for getting hired.

In my opinion, if you are going to travel back and forth frquently, as I do, on business or to visit your SO and her family. Then, you should take the time to learn Chinese so that you can communicate with those you will be dealing with on a regular basis. If your SO is taking the time to learn English, then you should do the same, not be macho about it and tell her she has to learn. Her family does not have to learn English. You should be learning Chinese because you are the one that went to China to meet your SO, marry her and take her away from her homeland and family.

The CNN article does point out, when Japan was becoming a super economic power, we were being encouraged to learn Japanese, though that did not go far. They learned English.

I choose to learn because it is important to me for the sake of my wife and her family, my work and the many friends I have established, and for my survival.

Snyder

I was learning Chinese before I met my Lao Po. I enjoyed the language. I am far from fluent, learning more as I go. For someone who is going to be involved with someone who is a Chinese speaker, I think it would go a long way to improve the relationship, regardless of what it is, to show the interest. I always revert back to English when something really important is needed to be discussed and always dig out the translator or the computer as needed.

Speaking Mandarin has totally been a blessing to me. Knowing that my brainiac of a Lao Po speaks 5 dialects doesn't help the situation. I found this out by mistake. One of our neighbors was at the house and I didn't understand a word they were saying. If it was Mand. or Cant. I would have known. After she left I asked... she explained it was from ??? and it was their dialect. So I asked... she answered. 5 with parts of a couple of others. Holy freetos.

Clif