Chinese Language

In Singapore, long gone are the days where it is actually cool to speak in mandarin. Despite the government's effort to advocate the importance of the Chinese language in today's economy, people are still adamant about it.


Let me tell you guys what happened. At my work place for instance, people start to speak in English and then somehow, they would always go back to the topic on how their Chinese suck big time!


They will pronounce some Chinese words in an awkward fashion and laugh away later at themselves for being not able to speak proper Chinese. Then they will go about showing off how they did not speak their language for 2-3 years. Honestly, I don't think it's something worth bragging at all.


The most exaggerating one thus far is when this guy was telling us about how his mother told him that it is time to eat rice in Chinese. He said he could not even comprehend what his mother was saying for a few minutes, until he really sit down and figure it out, then could he break the arcane language.


Is it the degradation culture adapted from the West or is it our naivety that has gotten the better of us?


Why are we so embarassed of the language? And worst still, why are we so proud that we can't speak Chinese properly? Is it really necessary to go around bragging about how your Chinese sucks so badly that you can't even understand what the adults are talking about?


Sorry if you are one of them but I have you say this. It is not just shameless, it is humuliating.


Being not able to speak Chinese is appaling to me as a Chinese. Why must we be subservient to the Western culture and criticize our own? The essence of Asia is lost if you can't even speak in Chinese.


Yes, no doubt the China people are picking up the English language but do you realise that these people are professionals when it comes to the Chinese language?


One day when they are so adroit in the English language, they are going to trash us flat. It is then important for us to keep the lead by brushing up on our Chinese. In fact, it is of paramount importance for us to speak Chinese fluently and I'm not even exaggerating here.


Look at China now, they are great at almost everything from Mergers and Acquisitions to investments to being the biggest exporter in the world. They control the corporate world today and even the United States has to take a back seat on this one. By not being able to speak proper Chinese, you are just going to be taunted by the Chinese and they will definitely lose their respect for you!


I have a friend who is going to read Law in Oxford. His Chinese sucks real bad and he can't even speak properly but that's not the main point. The point is, he is actually taking up Chinese lessons and he is also planning to take an official Chinese exam in China later this year.


Looking at how determined he is to brush up his Chinese, I am definitely impressed.


If an Oxford lawyer is making the effort to master Chinese, then I don't understand why these people out there are degrading the Chinese language incessantly.


Or could it be the fact that they lack the foresight and intelligence?


No offence.