Many reports are describing that the Americans are enthusiastic about learning Chinese language, making a big shortage of Chinese Teachers. One article comments that English as an international language can be both advantage and disadvantage for the American people. The good part is that they can be convenient and easy to travel around the world because most people around the world try to learn English. However, the bad part is that people around the world can understand every aspects of the U. S., while the American people can hardly understand what other countries are thinking of. The language is the key.
I have to agree with this point of view. Today, I watched some CNN breaking news about the radio host, Don Imus, who got fired by NBC because of his discriminative comments about some African-American young female athletes. I found it interesting that a racial issue is so sensitive in American society, a phenomenon that seldom to happen in Taiwan or in China. While I was observing the progress of the event occurring in the United States, I started to wonder if any American people know what the critical issues are in China, Taiwan, or other countries. I become to get a little idea why most of my European friends express their disparagement to the Americans unconsciously. One of them once told me that the Americans only know about themselves and most of them are just selfish. At that moment, I just think it is a bias and an attitude of imbalance derived from the status quo that the U.S. is the supper power country in the world, compared with the European countries.
Admittedly, many Americans learn their secondary languages, such as French, Spanish, and Japanese. Nonetheless, the portion of population mastering foreign languages is much lower than most other countries. For example, in China, billions of citizens are learning English using out-of-date textbooks and materials. Contrast to this, only about 50 thousand Americans are interested in learning Chinese and they even encounter a big problem of no suitable textbooks, according the article I read.
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2 comments:
I am an American currently living in the USA, however I have traveled, lived, and worked in several locations other than America so I am of the opinion that I can speak on this with some knowledge.
First a few statements on America
The country is large in area, so most Americans do not travel outside of it nor do they come in contact with other languages
Currently, about 25% of American citizens have passports, however the recent law change, that requires passports to be used to enter from Canada, the Caribbean, and Mexico will cause this to increase
The belief that everything that they (American citizens) need/want is here why go or be concerned about elsewhere
The American population is visibly composed of individuals from different locales, basically the American population is not from America, we are all immigrants
Americans feel since they are citizens of the only super power in the world, why should they be inconvenienced
All Americans do not feel or have the opinions that are expressed in the American media, American politicians, or American businesspeople
I believe that language is only one of the keys in 'really' understanding a people. Everybody has basically the same things to get done, but because of upbringing or the physical environ, they will do these things in a different way. It is not wrong it is just different. The important thing is to understand & appreciate why this was done differently, this will aid in the knowledge gained about the culture.
My only response to your second paragraph is that we are all not from America and the racial, religious, and national mix is high and we are only 200 years old and we have not had the time that others have had to sort things out. Our families left where they came from, they were probably not happy what was going on where they came from and they did not care what happened there. This is not an excuse, just my opinion on why Americans seem to only care about themselves and display racial bias.
In regards to the learning of secondary languages. Since the country is physically so large the chances of coming across a speaker of another language are minimal, most Americans do not learn a second language. A secondary language is learned by Americans because
job requirement
multiple languages in the household
on rare occasions - because want to be able to use another language
Hopefully, this was helpful.
Hi, Dan,
Thanks for your comments. For sure, it is very helpful for me to understand more about the Americans. I indeed appreciate for your words.
I agree with some of your points, such as the language is only one of the keys in really understanding a people. However, I still think the language could play an important role to enhance mutual understandings among peoples. For instance, if a foreigner can speak in Japanese, then he or she probably understands Japanese culture and its ethnic traits much deeper than the others who can not speak in Japanese, because Japanese language uses a lot of different lengths of sentence, selection of words, and even tones to express exactly the same idea, a very unique way – different form both English and Chinese - to imply hierarchical social relationship between the conversationists. It has no doubt that foreigners can understand this part of Japanese culture by reading some studies, or by making Japanese friends – using English to communicate with Japanese. However, it is very possible that the depth of understanding between the former and the latter is different. In addtion, depending translation to understand another culture sometimes can become a very limited means, because the process of translation inevitably causes the original meanings twisted or misinterpreted.
I am not saying if one wants to understand another people, he or she then must learn its language. There is certainly a variety of ways to exchange culture. My point is that, with understanding another language, one can better understand another culture or country, and that Americans become much difficult to understand people in other countries because of they don't learn a secondary language. In contrast, for people in other countries, most of them can speak English so that they can better get an idea about Americans’ culture, politics, social issues, and the logic of thinking. Whether people of a country learn a second language makes the difference of ease.
As for other parts you mentioned, I would say that whether it is necessary to understand more about the world for American people would be another issue involved different value system. It is only a problem of choice.
My opinion might be immature in some way. But I am very glad to have the opportunity to exchange with you. Thanks.
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