Why should I learn a new language?

Language Learning

In order to learn a new language takes time and effort. Why do it?

There are many reasons to do it that are practical, emotional, educational as well as inspirational. Whatsoever may be your reason, it is important to know it clearly to be able to garner the energy to complete the task successfully.

Let us discuss some of the reasons that may justify that learning a new language is worth the effort.

  • Emigration Needs!

If you plan to move to a new country, then learning the local language will be of great help to communicate and easily integrate with the local community. It is so even if you move to a country where locals speak your language. Like if you are good in English and move to Netherland then there will be no problem as most of the people there can speak and understand English. But if you learn the local language, it will improve your chances to settle there easily as it will show your interest in their society.

If you plan to study in a foreign university or college, then knowing the local language will improve your chances to get admission in the desired college. It will also enable you to settle down faster and better.

  • To mingle well with friends

If your partner or friends speak a different language, then it will be worth learning a language to be able to understand them better.

  • To settle in your work

If your work demands interacting with foreign nationals, then it will help to know their language. It will help in making sales and selling the contracts. To learn a foreign language will help improve your chances to find a good job, to get promotions or to get overseas postings.

It is a misconception with many English speaking people that they do not need to learn other languages as English the universally spoken and understood in most countries. But even for such people it helps to know the local languages to understand the meaning of personal talks among clients during meetings. It also helps to interact closely with clients after meetings when they like to talk more in their mother tongue.

  • In studies abroad

If you are doing research that demands reading and understanding material in different languages, then knowing the language helps you to get access to such information. It will also help you to interact successfully with other students and fellow researchers better than before.

  • During travel

If you are travel buff and like to go to different places, to tread the unexplored, then you cannot do it nicely by knowing only English. It is ok till the time you are going to popular tourist spots where you will easily find an English speaking gentry. If you want to go to unexplored places or want to mingle with locals and to understand them better, it helps to know their local language. It will also help you to understand local signs, menus, etc.

A basic knowledge of the local language will enable you to do the basic activities like ordering in restaurants, finding a way, to buy tickets and memorabilia, etc. To have close interaction with locals, you will need better knowledge of the local language. You can be sure that doing so will add an altogether new dimension to your fun during holidays.

The above are some reasons that may provoke you to learn other languages. There can be hundreds of other reasons to do so, and you can have your own, but one thing is there for sure, “learning a foreign language it as a visa for your entry to that place on earth.”

Challenges to Learn Mandarin Yourself

Language Learning

In the recent past, there is an explosive growth in the number of US students that are learning Mandarin. It is estimated that almost 100 million people will be learning Mandarin by 2015. As per US education department targets, they want almost 5% of students to be able to speak and understand mandarin by 2015. It is a promising target and forces us to evaluate the challenges that students normally face while learning Mandarin.

By this article, we want to help all those who are either learning Mandarin or planning to jump into the ring. We want to tell them that it may be easy to think of learning mandarin but taming the language and to become a fluent speaker is altogether a different ball game. Very few hard working men and women, from non-Chinese speaking areas of the world, are able to master Mandarin in its true sense.

It takes lots of hard work and dedication to get hold of Mandarin. Some may be able to master Mandarin in one or two years, but most take many years to become fluent in reading, speaking and understanding the language. To reach the success, you have to be able to conquer the headaches, frustrations and temptation to leave it in between as it is not easy as it seems.

challenge

Why learning Mandarin is so difficult? Let us discuss some of the practical problems that the native English speakers normally face in their efforts to learn Mandarin.

  • You need to stay in some Chinese-speaking area of the world like Taiwan or China itself for at least 6 month to one year to get a real hold on the language.
  • To become a master in Mandarin, it must be your only love in life. It should be like a mission to do so. Normally people are not able to muster such a kind of dedication and so leave the course in between.
  • The Chinese people are finicky about their language and culture. Even if you somehow you get good hold of the language, if you try to talk to a Chinese person in Chinese he will correct you in public for the mistakes. He may even laugh at you. Tough they may not intend any disrespect to you, but being mocked at and get corrected in public is not an easy thing to digest for anybody.
  • It is very difficult for non-native person to become good in writing Chinese, and you may to use the phonemic alphabet named Bo-Po-Mo-Fo so as to be able to type the language. But after all your efforts your style may still remain to be somewhat foreign.

My idea of writing an article is not to discourage you from learning Mandarin. My idea is just to inform you of the reality of the thing that you are getting into. If you think that you will join a Chinese learning class today and will become an expert in 6 month to one year, then my Dear you must be dreaming.

To be really successful in Mandarin you have to have a burning desire in you to stick to the effort whatsoever may happen. If you do not have it in you, better do not learn Mandarin and instead attend a class in Chinese history.

 

How Christopher Made Mandarin Course Work at Yi Mandarin

Success Stories

My friend Christopher has come of Singapore three years from England. He started learning Mandarin for last 2.5 years at Yi Mandarin and today he has learnt to talk in the new language in extremely good fashion. As many like him are trying to learn Mandarin so for their benefit, I have listed Christopher’s experiences with mandarin in 5 stages.

  • No Study Stage

In this stage, on hearing Mandarin most of the native English speakers feel that the language is ridiculous. It happens mainly for the fact that they do not have close interaction with the Chinese culture. Many who start to learn Mandarin get stuck at his stage only and leave the effort. If you are serious about learning Mandarin then, you must find the determination to pass through this stage. It is possible when you have burning desire in you to master Mandarin.

  • The beginner’s Stage

In this a native English speaker starts acknowledging Mandarin as a real language that can be learnt. He becomes the “learner.” A student can take up few basic phrases and words and can do the simple communication in the normal day to day situations. Normally in this stage the pronunciation is not good, and if you are studying in a western country then, it can take years to go to the next stage. If you are in a Chinese speaking part of the word, you will get better chances to practice the language and improve the pronunciation by use.

  • The Intermediate Stage

By hard work and careful practice one can reach up to this 3rd stage. In this stage, the learner gets a better hold on pronunciation and its tones of pinyin’s consonants. The learner at this stage can still commit some errors in speaking, but he is considered to be well on the right path.

In this stage, the student can easily do the basic communication. His comprehension of Mandarin is also quite decent.

Few foreign students reach up to this stage. The greatest risk at this stage is that the student starts thinks that he has become an expert. It is right because at this stage, the lacunas in language can only be explained in Chinese, and it is difficult to find such good teachers in the western world. This stage lasts for long. Slowly the student improves on his pronunciation and reduces errors; improve vocabulary and fluency in speaking.

To go to nest stage one needs close criticism and good exposure to Chinese language. Simple everyday exposure is not enough.

  • The Advanced Stage

By this stage, the learner has acquired excellent communication abilities. He or she can easily speak or write in Mandarin. At this stage, one has to read Mandarin literature extensively to improve upon the advanced grammar and vocabulary. To work on this stage, you need lots of Chinese friends. By this stage, they will also take you as normal Chinese speaking person as you will be able to speak and understand almost everything in Mandarin language.

At this stage, one has to work on advanced vocabulary, the Mandarin expressions of most abstract situations, Chinese literature and poems. To go to next levels requires not only obsession, but expert coaching. By this stage, one gets mastery of tones and pronunciation with need to have more and more of practice to make the language use perfectly normal.

  • The Native Stage

By this stage, which only few foreigners can reach, you are better in Mandarin than half of China. If you want to reach this stage, then you must be living in China with Chinese spouse and must be planning to spend the rest of your life there only.

You can read the success story we shared here previously.