http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/30/opinion/30kristof.html
A Sociedad Hispana blog follower has provided a link to an interesting OpEd on the importance of spanish even though it lacks the wow factor embraced by those in the US studying Chinese as a second language. We all remember when nihongo (Japanese) had the wow factor. I think Chinese is similar, in the sense that it is a language that has to really be lived over years-not just studied. How many students of Japanese in the 1980's and 1990's ever developed a proficiency to assist them in daily endeavors? As Kristof points out in the attached OpEd, spanish can easily become part of one's daily life in the US.
I have often argued that we should all be studying English, Chinese and Spanish. And even though Chinese has the large split between Cantonese and Mandarin (two languages that can be read with the same symbols but whose speakers do not understand one another), with those 3 languages one can speak with about 80% of the world. English has become the lingua franca of the modern era and Spanish is spoken in some 22 countries. Unfortunately, this country is greatly handicapping its population by not emphasizing foreign languages. Europe and Asia have us beat in this area as well.
ResponderBorrarChinese does not make sense to me because it is not practical. Years and years of study doesn't get one far enough to be useful. At least for most people. For the few that are successful, what do you do with it?
ResponderBorrar