Is Mandarin really going to be the most useful language in internation business? What about Japan?

4 Comments

1. Elena S says:

   October 16, 2009 at 12:08 pm

   Japan has already reached its maximum while China has just recently entered the "open policy" project and initiated real development (few decades ago actually)…

   it’s easy to imagine the prospect for each of these two countries
   
2. Adam B says:

   October 16, 2009 at 12:08 pm

   The Chinese written language is a mess. It’s excessively hard to learn even for Chinese people, never mind non-Chinese. Unless Chinese ditches character writing, I don’t see Chinese displacing English as the language of international business any time soon.
3. wbroseiii says:

   October 16, 2009 at 12:08 pm

   The truth of the matter is English is the most useful language in International business today!
4. Melvin C says:

   October 16, 2009 at 12:08 pm

   Hi hi,

   Chinese writting is unique, and do not need any new words for the last 5000 years. For example, Computer is written as 电脑dian nao, meaning, electirc brain. spaceship is 太空船 tai kong chuan. Meaning, beyond the sky ship.

   So, why will I not think that Chinese will be the international business language?

   Chinese language is too complex, and a single word has mutiple meaning. It is not easy to be specific, and thus not suitable for drafting contract.

   Moreover, the one two three (I can’t even find it in this computer) in business writting is different from normal number use in daily life 一二三. Making it very hard for lay person to understand. But it is there to avoid fraud.

   Personally, as a Chinese, I believe English is and will still be the international business language.