Better start learning Chinese my friends...

[Eug]

Pic of front page of the Globe and Mail

 

[homestarmy]

Those damn chinese, it's their fault that our gas prices are so high.

 

[Eug]

Originally posted by: homestarmy
Those damn chinese, it's their fault that our gas prices are so high.

I drive a Prius.

 

[RedPickle]

Originally posted by: homestarmy
Those damn chinese, it's their fault that our gas prices are so high.

Actually, its our own fault. Its not more expensive for anyone else in the world, just us.

 

[Eug]

Originally posted by: RedPickle

Originally posted by: homestarmy
Those damn chinese, it's their fault that our gas prices are so high.

Actually, its our own fault. Its not more expensive for anyone else in the world, just us.

It's more expensive for everyone. BTW, I'm sure the Iraq war doesn't help gas prices too much...

 

[glenn1]

The Globe and Mail doesn't know what it's talking about. Chinese isn't going to replace English as the global lingua franca anytime soon, although it might take the place of French as the world's "second" language. They're falling prey to the same tendency to extrapolate short term trends and think they'll go on forever that led people to believe back in the 1980s that Japan would replace the U.S. as the preeminent economic power of the world.

 

[Albis]

traditional chinese is easier to read

 

[Einz]

Originally posted by: Albis
traditional chinese is easier to read

What the heck are you smoking? There's a reason one is called traditional chinese and the other is called simplified.

 

[Eug]

Originally posted by: glenn1
The Globe and Mail doesn't know what it's talking about. Chinese isn't going to replace English as the global lingua franca anytime soon, although it might take the place of French as the world's "second" language. They're falling prey to the same tendency to extrapolate short term trends and think they'll go on forever that led people to believe back in the 1980s that Japan would replace the U.S. as the preeminent economic power of the world.

The Globe and Mail is pretty good paper. The cover is just a bold overstatement to sell copy.

However, the so-called short term trend will continue for quite some time IMO. The rate of growth will slow, but the amount it can grow is simply staggering. Furthermore, China seems much less xenophobic than Japan was in many ways, and China has much more land and resources (including of course human resources). I don't think the language will take over either, since it's so damn hard to learn to write it, but I do think China is the next superpower, something that Japan was never able to achieve (for various reasons).

Originally posted by: Einz

Originally posted by: Albis
traditional chinese is easier to read

What the heck are you smoking? There's a reason one is called traditional chinese and the other is called simplified.

Yup. The simplified is MUCH easier to read for a n00b. However, I can't really read either.

 

[glenn1]

However, the so-called short term trend will continue for quite some time IMO. The rate of growth will slow, but the amount it can grow is simply staggering. Furthermore, China seems much less xenophobic than Japan was in many ways, and China has much more land and resources (including of course human resources). I don't think the language will take over, since it's so damn hard to learn to write it, but I do thing China is the next superpower, super that Japan never really achieved.

Let's presume for sake of argument that you're correct. However, if China is destined to be a superpower, I don't see how India could not be a greater one. They have every advantage China has (population, a historical and cultural tradition that goes back millenia), and none of the disadvantages (mostly flat and agriculturally usable land, 50-years of democratic government vs. communist rule, and a highly western-style educated population and cultural awareness due to the British rule days).

 

[ElFenix]

why the fsck would we learn chinese when chinese schoolchildren are being taught english?

 

[Eug]

Unfortunately, India is much more of a mess at the moment, politically, socially, and economically. India is known as the world's biggest democracy, but in many ways the "communist" government of China is doing more to promote economic growth in China than India ever has for its own country.

You're also making the mistake that British cultural awareness by an elite few actually matters. Most people really couldn't care less. China deals with the US, with Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and everyone else. Even if you exclude the US and everyone else parts, the cultural commonalities between China and the established economic powerhouses of Japan, Korea, and Taiwan is much more beneficial.

 

[eelw]

Here's a link to the story for anyone interested.

 

[Atomicus]

It's great to be able to read and speak Chinese (Mandarin)

you guys need to catch up to me!!!

 

[Imdmn04]

Originally posted by: glenn1

However, the so-called short term trend will continue for quite some time IMO. The rate of growth will slow, but the amount it can grow is simply staggering. Furthermore, China seems much less xenophobic than Japan was in many ways, and China has much more land and resources (including of course human resources). I don't think the language will take over, since it's so damn hard to learn to write it, but I do thing China is the next superpower, super that Japan never really achieved.

Let's presume for sake of argument that you're correct. However, if China is destined to be a superpower, I don't see how India could not be a greater one. They have every advantage China has (population, a historical and cultural tradition that goes back millenia), and none of the disadvantages (mostly flat and agriculturally usable land, 50-years of democratic government vs. communist rule, and a highly western-style educated population and cultural awareness due to the British rule days).

Except a democracy in a poor 1 billion people country isnt really the best form of government that demands rapid economic growth. China arent really commies anymore, so your commie vs. democracy argument is invalid. They are pretty much a captalism country with a totalitarian state, which is alot more efficient in terms of controlling economical developments and politcal chaos that arises, which will certainly slow down growth.

In a democracy, you have to vote for everything, many times economical oppurtunities for growth are wasted because when you have 1 billion people, things are pretty hard to decide.

 

[Eug]

Originally posted by: eelw
Here's a link to the story for anyone interested.

Actually, half the paper today is about China. It's gonna take me forever to read it.

Originally posted by: Atomicus
It's great to be able to read and speak Chinese (Mandarin)

you guys need to catch up to me!!!

LOL.

 

[z0mb13]

I am going to shanghai just for the purposes of learning this language!

 

[johnjbruin]

damn it - i knew i should have learned chinese in college.

but it is so freaking hard.

 

[Eug]

Originally posted by: Eug

Originally posted by: eelw
Here's a link to the story for anyone interested.

Actually, half the paper today is about China. It's gonna take me forever to read it.

Hmmm... More like 80% of the paper is about China. Even the sports section, as well as fashion and entertainment, etc. Weird. And it's pretty thick paper.

 

[Mo0o]

ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO US

 

[StageLeft]

Chinese would be of even less use than that bloody french i was forced to learn. english is the language, period.

 

[Turkish]

Originally posted by: RedPickle

Originally posted by: homestarmy
Those damn chinese, it's their fault that our gas prices are so high.

Actually, its our own fault. Its not more expensive for anyone else in the world, just us.

ROFL. Funniest thing I've read this week.

Go to Europe or Asia for expensive gas prices. U.S. is one of the cheapest.

 

[Mucho]

My daughter a freshman at U of T is hoping to major in linguistics; Mandarin is one of her subjects.

 

[gunblade]

Originally posted by: Mucho
My daughter a freshman at U of T is hoping to major in linguistics; Mandarin is one of her subjects.

Oh really? Is it a requirement for all linguistics student?
I thought only the one specialises in Asian Language need to learn Mandarin and Japanese.

 

[Eug]

Originally posted by: gunblade

Originally posted by: Mucho
My daughter a freshman at U of T is hoping to major in linguistics; Mandarin is one of her subjects.

Oh really? Is it a requirement for all linguistics student?
I thought only the one specialises in Asian Language need to learn Mandarin and Japanese.

When you study linguistics, you choose your focus. You don't have to do Mandarin. It just sounds like Mucho's daughter just wants to take it.

P.S. Here's a good article on Chinese vs. English in the 21st century:

CHINA RISING: Will China join the culture club, or wield it?