Being bilingual is a huge advantage....

NutBucket

Lifer
Aug 30, 2000
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They say you get ahead in the workplace and what not. So far knowing Chinese has gotten me nowhere. Sure I could hit on girls when I was in China but that's more like a fringe benefit.
Yesterday my gf's gramma was talking to her sister (gf's great aunt) and apparently I became the topic of conversation. First thing he gramma says about me is that I speak Chinese pretty well. I was a bit surprised as I don't think I speak it that well but I guess in the grand scheme of things I'm pretty decent.
So this is officially the first time being bilingual has truly helped me. Hmmm, but is it a true advantage or more like a fringe benefit? Eh, no matter. Just thought I'd share. And yes, I'm half Chinese.
 

Spoooon

Lifer
Mar 3, 2000
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It depends on your job. Being able to speak Chinese while working at KFC isn't going to get you anywhere.
 

Red Dawn

Elite Member
Jun 4, 2001
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Originally posted by: NutBucket
They say you get ahead in the workplace and what not. So far knowing Chinese has gotten me nowhere. Sure I could hit on girls when I was in China but that's more like a fringe benefit.
Yesterday my gf's gramma was talking to her sister (gf's great aunt) and apparently I became the topic of conversation. First thing he gramma says about me is that I speak Chinese pretty well. I was a bit surprised as I don't think I speak it that well but I guess in the grand scheme of things I'm pretty decent.
So this is officially the first time being bilingual has truly helped me. Hmmm, but is it a true advantage or more like a fringe benefit? Eh, no matter. Just thought I'd share. And yes, I'm half Chinese.
What's your other half?
 

NutBucket

Lifer
Aug 30, 2000
27,177
647
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Originally posted by: Spoooon
It depends on your job. Being able to speak Chinese while working at KFC isn't going to get you anywhere.

I work in the Defense Industry as a technitian while I'm in school for my BSEE. Hardly KFC
rolleye.gif
 

Spoooon

Lifer
Mar 3, 2000
11,563
203
106
Originally posted by: NutBucket
Originally posted by: Spoooon
It depends on your job. Being able to speak Chinese while working at KFC isn't going to get you anywhere.

I work in the Defense Industry as a technitian while I'm in school for my BSEE. Hardly KFC
rolleye.gif

My point was that Chinese can help or not make a difference at all.
rolleye.gif
 

ssmithBH

Member
Jun 4, 2002
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People in the US (and elsewhere) are made up more and more of interesting combinations like half Swiss/half Chinese. Eventually (I hope!) we all become multinational, multiethnic, multireligious mutts ? maybe some of the hatred in the world will go away as we literally become more alike (or at least less different).
 

Red Dawn

Elite Member
Jun 4, 2001
57,529
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Originally posted by: ssmithBH
People in the US (and elsewhere) are made up more and more of interesting combinations like half Swiss/half Chinese. Eventually (I hope!) we all become multinational, multiethnic, multireligious mutts ? maybe some of the hatred in the world will go away as we literally become more alike (or at least less different).

Ku Klux Klan Slogan "Keep America White, marry your sister!":D
 

FeathersMcGraw

Diamond Member
Oct 17, 2001
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When the tech company my father worked for started farming their engineering work out to Taiwanese firms, knowing several Chinese dialects became a huge advantage, as he became the key liaison for the development effort (he also had to make regular annual trips there over the course of several projects, which may or may not be a benefit depending on your willingness to travel).

But I don't see how knowing any language will provide a tangible workplace benefit unless your job forces you to interact with people who speak foreign languages natively on a regular basis.
 

Vette73

Lifer
Jul 5, 2000
21,503
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Originally posted by: ssmithBH
People in the US (and elsewhere) are made up more and more of interesting combinations like half Swiss/half Chinese. Eventually (I hope!) we all become multinational, multiethnic, multireligious mutts ? maybe some of the hatred in the world will go away as we literally become more alike (or at least less different).


Yea right. Black peopel in HS would make fun of other blacks as they were darker. And most people can't tell the diff. between a koren, chinese, or jap. But i bet if you put one of each in a room they would kill each other. etc.....

People are always going to think THEIR race or people are slightly better than ______(insert other race/people)________

 

jpbushido99

Senior member
Nov 14, 2002
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Originally posted by: Marlin1975
[


Yea right. Black peopel in HS would make fun of other blacks as they were darker. And most people can't tell the diff. between a koren, chinese, or jap. But i bet if you put one of each in a room they would kill each other. etc.....

People are always going to think THEIR race or people are slightly better than ______(insert other race/people)________

Not if you breed it out of them, people are only that way because their parents raise them to be that way and their friends or associates perpetuate it, but it is something that can be eliminated if we really tried to stop separating ourselves just because were different.
 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
40,730
670
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Everybody wants you when you're bi
Looking at the girls and eyeing all the guys
Everybody loves you when you're bi
But the tension and the passion's double amplified

My lover told me, well, that she's bi
I wanted to scream, there were tears in my eyes
She said baby, baby, don't you cry
'Cause the one I am with, you've been seeing on the side

Everybody wants you when you're bi
Eating with the girls and laughing with the guys
Everybody loves you when you're bi
But the tension and the passion's double amplified

Everybody wants you when you're bi
Feeling all the girls and touching all the guys
Well, everybody loves you when you're bi

-- Living Colour, "Bi" (from Stain)
 

LordSnailz

Diamond Member
Nov 2, 1999
4,821
0
0
I agree being bilingual helps ... was talking to a sr. engr. here and he's saying how impt. is to brush up on my chinese since a lot of the jobs will be opening up there esp. since we work for a big semiconductor company ...
 

sygyzy

Lifer
Oct 21, 2000
14,001
4
76
Originally posted by: NutBucket
They say you get ahead in the workplace and what not. So far knowing Chinese has gotten me nowhere. Sure I could hit on girls when I was in China but that's more like a fringe benefit.
Yesterday my gf's gramma was talking to her sister (gf's great aunt) and apparently I became the topic of conversation. First thing he gramma says about me is that I speak Chinese pretty well. I was a bit surprised as I don't think I speak it that well but I guess in the grand scheme of things I'm pretty decent.
So this is officially the first time being bilingual has truly helped me. Hmmm, but is it a true advantage or more like a fringe benefit? Eh, no matter. Just thought I'd share. And yes, I'm half Chinese.

I haven't read anywhere in your post that resemblesd anything of a "huge advantage". Was the huge advantage that your girlfriend's parent's mother's sister thinks you speak Chinese well? How is this a huge advantage? To make you look better? I guess, but you could also look better with your job, looks, actions, etc.

Also, you do not know the definition of fringe benefit.
 

NutBucket

Lifer
Aug 30, 2000
27,177
647
126
Originally posted by: sygyzy
Originally posted by: NutBucket
They say you get ahead in the workplace and what not. So far knowing Chinese has gotten me nowhere. Sure I could hit on girls when I was in China but that's more like a fringe benefit.
Yesterday my gf's gramma was talking to her sister (gf's great aunt) and apparently I became the topic of conversation. First thing he gramma says about me is that I speak Chinese pretty well. I was a bit surprised as I don't think I speak it that well but I guess in the grand scheme of things I'm pretty decent.
So this is officially the first time being bilingual has truly helped me. Hmmm, but is it a true advantage or more like a fringe benefit? Eh, no matter. Just thought I'd share. And yes, I'm half Chinese.

I haven't read anywhere in your post that resemblesd anything of a "huge advantage". Was the huge advantage that your girlfriend's parent's mother's sister thinks you speak Chinese well? How is this a huge advantage? To make you look better? I guess, but you could also look better with your job, looks, actions, etc.

Also, you do not know the definition of fringe benefit.

The title was meant to be somewhat sarcastic. The only useful benefit so far has been that my gf's family has been much more accepting of me because of it (which says a lot but I won't go into the gort details).