Monday, June 15, 2009

Why Is It Important To Learn Chinese?

By Ryan Edward

As almost everyone knows, China is one of the largest economies in the world and as the eight fastest growing economy, it becomes a more important economic player each year. This has led to an explosion in the use of the Chinese language for business, with a corresponding increase in the demand for Chinese language instruction. The number of Chinese language classes and instructional materials has tripled on the last five years alone!

It is increasingly common for primary and secondary schools to offer Chinese classes and in the next few decades, many believe that the popularity of these courses will exceed that of Spanish classes. China is the world's most widely spoken language and is spoken by 1.3 billion people, with one in four people in Asia being Chinese speakers.

Why learn Chinese? The figures given above demonstrate that it is something which is reapidly becoming a necessity for international business. Chinese culture has made an entry into Western popular culture which has also increased interest on the part of Westerners in learning the language. Chinese cinema, cuisine and literature have been making an impact on Western culture.

Great inspirations have come out of the eastern ways of life, and in a hungry way to consume them, and learn all about them, the need to learn Chinese has surfaced. The Chinese culture itself, represents a solidarity in balance, peacefulness, and serenity.

In the western world, the fast paced, time pressed crunches have taken their toll, and now we actively seek solace from other cultures, who we think, hold the key. It is through understanding, learning and appreciation of other cultures in which we often find what we seek.

To learn Chinese... whether it be the arts, the words, the ways, is often found tools to enrich our own daily lives and restore balance. Once again, by doing so, we are merging another culture's layers and sewn them in as our own. The influence of the Chinese culture is undeniable.

Why learn Chinese? Because you truly want to. You have the focus and goal to integrate the cultural know how for goals of your own. Perhaps for an upcoming trip to China, or a hobby, or maybe just for simple understanding of a new friend, whatever the reason behind the spark, know it will be more than beneficial for you to acquire this knowledge and skill.

Chinese is one of the more difficult languages for Westerners to come to grips with; it's a tonal language using a pictographic rather than an alphabetic writing system. While learning Chinese is a challenge, there is an incredible feeling of accomplishment which comes with mastering the language.

You may learn Chinese in the interests of cultural enrichment. You might need to learn Chinese to keep ahead of the trends in business communication. Perhaps you'd like to learn Chinese to truly understand Chinese literature and philosophy. There is any number of reasons to learn Chinese, all of them offering many rewards.

So learn Chinese! Learn Chinese for travel. Learn Chinese to get ahead in your career. Learn Chinese because you've always wanted to learn the language. It's a language with a rich history and deep ties to the culture of China; and when you learn Chinese, you'll gain a new way of seeing the world - and really, you couldn't ask for a better reason than that!

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