Why learn Mandarin as a second language?

4 Comments

1. Craftylass says:

   September 21, 2009 at 2:36 am

   Contrary to other opinions, Mandarin is the English name for the national language of China. China has many dialects . . . many more than just Cantonese or Taiwanese, etc. According to Ethnologue (recognized as one of the world leaders in language records, dictionary building, salvaging lost languages, etc.), the Chinese language family includes at least 15 major dialects, all of which *could* be called "Chinese," but are more commonly known by their dialect names.

   http://www.ethnologue.com/language_index.asp?letter=C

   Mandarin is spoken by 867,200,000 in mainland China (1999). 70% of the population, including 8,602,978 Hui (1990 census). Other estimates for Hui are 20,000,000 or more. 1,042,482,187 all Han in China (1990 census). Population total all countries: 873,014,298.

   Mandarin Region: Covers all of mainland China north of the Changjiang River, a belt south of the Changjiang from Qiujiang (Jiangxi) to Zhenjiang (Jiangsu), Hubei except the southeastern corner, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, the northwestern part of Guangxi, and the northwestern corner of Hunan. Also spoken in Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia (Java and Bali), Laos, Malaysia (Peninsular), Mauritius, Mongolia, Philippines, Russia (Asia), Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, USA, Viet Nam.

   http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=cmn

   Jobs for Mandarin speakers include: government service, foreign service, state department, defense attache, military, international business, education, customer service, market research, market development, anthropology, sociology, social service, translation, interpreters, law enforcement, court services, immigration services, telemarketing, education, multi-cultural/inter-cultural studies, research and development, computer software, etc. Almost any job in the world could probably use someone who can speak Mandarin due to globalization and due to the fact that Mandarin speakers now live throughout the world.

   Good luck!
2. Younha G says:

   September 21, 2009 at 2:36 am

   OMG Its amazing..

   Many jobs in all industries, the whole of china Mainland speaks mandarin
3. hypes11 says:

   September 21, 2009 at 2:36 am

   Pretty much any manafacturing company or buisness as everything is made in china.
4. Elena S says:

   September 21, 2009 at 2:36 am

   there is no Mandarin,
   it’s either Chinese or Cantonese or Taiwanese…

   why to learn it — coz you want… if you don’t want — don’t learn…
   job opportunities are determined by your skills and abilities…

   Chinese is the official language of China…
   TV anchors speak it in every province…

   as for should — you shouldn’t…
   there isn’t anyone with a whip forcing you, right?