WHY SHOULD WE LEARN CHINESE?

INTRODUCTION

This topic discusses about the benefits and advantages of learning Chinese compare to other languages. Chinese is a very unique language in this world. It has long historical development background. Learning Chinese can help one to become cleverer, more productive and more efficient. It also enhances the relations and communications among humans.

OBJECTIVES

1)      To brief on the nature of Chinese.

2)      To describe the benefits of Chinese in reading, speaking, writing and thinking.

3)      To describe the advantages of Chinese in learning Mathematics.

4)      To describe the beauty of Chinese in communications.

5)   To conclude and recommend that the reasons we should learn Chinese.

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1.0        THE NATURE OF CHINESE

Chinese is a very unique and long historical language in this world. There are approximately 47,000 Chinese characters. However, a large number of these are rarely-used. Studies carried out in China have shown that full literacy requires the knowledge of between three and four thousand characters.

In Chinese, each character corresponds to a single syllable. A majority of words in all modern varieties of Chinese are polysyllabic and thus require two or more characters to write. Some characters might slightly different is shape, but totally different in pronunciation and meaning. Each character is a unique pictorial symbol with its meaning and pronunciation. In this world, Chinese is the only language appears that the characters or words are standalone.

In order to learn a single Chinese word, one must learn and memorize the shape, pronunciation and meaning of the word. It activates and stimulates the senses on sight, hearing and appreciation. In the process of learning Chinese, one is trained to have good pictorial and audible memories, imaginations, observations, judgments and understandings. It activates and stimulates most of the brain cells and fastens the growth of the brain cells.

Chinese is difficult to learn, but difficulties are the root of growth.

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2.0        READ, SPEAK, WRITE AND THINK IN CHINESE

In Chinese, each character corresponds to a single syllable. As compare to other languages such as English, where one needs to spell out and to joint up few alphabets to make a meaningful word. The process and time taken to read a word in Chinese is faster than English.

For example, the words water and mountain, it read as ‘水’ and ‘山’ in Chinese. One who knows Chinese when look at ‘水’ and ‘山’, instantly, he knows to read and the meaning of water and mountain. In English, one must joint up the alphabet first, ‘wa’-‘ter’ and ‘moun’-‘tain’, then only can understand the meaning of the word.

To represent one vowel or pronunciation as one bit, to read ‘wa’-‘ter’ requires two bits and to read ‘水’ requires one bit. For two persons who have the same capability and same speed of brain processing time, a Chinese can read twice faster than English. In reading and understanding a paragraph or article, to read in Chinese is faster than to read in English. A Chinese can capture the articles within a shorter time.

In another words, by giving the same time of reading, a Chinese can capture more articles and learn faster.

Similarly in speaking Chinese, one can transfer the messages faster and more work can be done within the same time given.

Sometimes, writing in Chinese may also faster than English. For example, consider one stroke is equivalent to one bit. For the word ‘水’, it only requires 4 strokes to complete the word. For the word ‘water’, it requires 6 strokes to complete, where the alphabet ‘t’ requires two strokes. Therefore, writing in Chinese may be faster than writing in English.

Sometimes, writing in Chinese may slow for the complicated Chinese words. Due to this reason, Chinese had invented the printing technology so that the same articles or printing can be reproduced in the fastest way and the knowledge can be transferred to others within the shortest of time frame.

The method and sequence of thinking is directly related to the reading and speaking habits of the person. It is very depending on the languages and the syllabus of the words. If the person reads and speaks in Chinese, consequently, more things can be processed within a shorter time and more things can be learnt within shorter period.

For two persons who have the same ability and the same speed of processing time, the one who learn in Chinese can capture the same thing in the faster way. Or within the same time frame, the one who learnt in Chinese can capture more things that others. Hence, due to the beauty of Chinese, it helps someone to become more clever, productive and efficient.

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3.0        LEARN MATHEMATICS IN CHINESE

Commonly, mathematic is dealing with numbers and the most basic arithmetics of mathematic are addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. It is common that most of the people learn mathematic by using numbers, which are 1, 2, 3 and so on. Although most of the people using the same number, each different language has different pronunciation on numbers.

The pronunciation is divided into the number of syllable. The table below shows the differences of the pronunciation of numbers between English and Chinese.

From the table above, it is shown that for any pronunciation of numbers, to read in Chinese is shorter than to read in English.

For example, for the number of 35,782, it is pronounced as “Thirty Five Thousands Seven Hundreds Eighty Two” (12 syllables). While in Chinese, it is pronounced as “三十五万七千八十二” (9 syllables). For the same number, it is 3 syllables shorter to speak in Chinese.

Another example on the number of 681,579, it is pronounced as “Six Hundreds Eighty One Thousands Five Hundreds Seventy Nine” (15 syllables). While in Chinese, it is pronounced as “六十八万一千五百七十九” (11 syllables). For the same number, it is 4 syllables shorter to speak in Chinese.

Consider one syllable is equivalent to one bit. For the same number, to learn mathematic in Chinese is faster than in English. Mathematic is a subject which requires practices. For the same time given, a Chinese is able to solve more problems than English.

Although both are using the same alphabet of numbers, the pronunciation has great impact in learning mathematic because the brain processes mathematic in pronunciation. For two brains having the same capability and the same speed of processing time, the one who processes in Chinese is faster than English. Hence, due to the beauty of Chinese, learning mathematic in Chinese is more productive and efficient.

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4.0        LEARNING THE ARITHMETIC

4.1        Addition

Arithmetic includes addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. These four functions are the most common arithmetic we deal with daily.

For simple mathematic problem such as below,

For more complicated addition such as below,

9,562 + 23,714 = 33,276

There are total of 6 additions involve to solve the above problem.

Let’s consider one syllable is equivalent to one bit and one bit is equivalent to one second. An English uses 84 seconds to solve the problem while a Chinese uses 68 seconds, which is around 20% less time to solve the same problem.

In another words, if an English spends 5 minutes to solve 5 problems; a Chinese spends 5 minutes to solve around 6 problems. Mathematic is a subject which requires more practices to avoid mistakes. Therefore, learning mathematic in Chinese is more productive and efficient.

4.2        Multiplication

Multiplication is another very common and useful arithmetic for a businessman. The difference in learning mathematic in Chinese and English is more obvious when dealing with multiplications.

Multiplication is more complicated compare to addition and subtraction, where multiplication requires memorizing the table of multiplication.

The table below shows the examples for few multiplications.

From the table above, it is shown that the time taken to solve a multiplication problem in Chinese takes almost half the time when using English.

When solving a more complicated problem such as below,

14 x 23 = ?

Below suggests the possible solution.

         14

x       23

         12

         30

         80

+     200

       322

The above problem consists of four multiplications and four additions as tabulated below.

Let us consider one syllable is equivalent to one bit and one bit is equivalent to one second. An English uses 74 seconds to solve the problem while a Chinese uses 51 seconds which is around 30% less time to solve the same problem.

In another words, if an English spends 5 minutes to solve 5 problems; a Chinese spends 5 minutes to solve around 7 problems. Mathematic is a subject which requires more practices to avoid mistakes. Therefore, learning mathematic in Chinese is more productive and efficient.

Learning mathematic is one way to activate and exercise your brain. One who good in mathematic is also good in analyzing skill and solving problems. For the same learning period, a Chinese can capture and practice more mathematic problems. This enhances the productivity and efficient of the person.

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5.0        THE SENTIMENTAL CHINESE

Chinese is one of the most friendly and sentimental languages. It consists of many additive characters to enhance and soften the sentences. All these additives have different effects when added into the sentences to show the feelings and emotions of the speakers. One additives can replace a thousand words.

When using the additives correctly, it has the effect to soften the sentences, to make the sentences friendly and to prevent quarrels. If using them incorrectly, it may result fight and misunderstandings.

For examples,

Each additive has different meaning. Although just simple character with special pronunciation, it shows the emotion of the speaker.

Sometimes, when you use it in different statement, it produces different feelings and answers. By speaking the additive without further explanation, the listener will understand the meaning of the speaker and react accordingly.

For example on the below conversations which corresponds to a negative respond,

In English,

Husband: The shape of the Earth is a cube.

Wife: Is it? Are you sure? I don’t think so.

From the above conversation, the reaction of the wife shows three times disagreements to her husband. The statements from the wife are strong and firm on the disagreement. The husband may feel challenge by his wife. The reaction may end up with quarrel between two persons.

In Chinese, the same answer with some additives, the reaction of the wife can be softened as follow,

Husband: The shape of the Earth is a cube.

Wife: 哦! 是么? 你肯定吗? 我不觉得罗!

(Rough translation with additives: 'O'! yes 'mei'? Are you sure 'ma'? I don’t think so 'lor'!)

The wife’s answer is softened to roughly 70% disagreement, 10% uncertainty, 10% may agree and 10% charming. The husband not only will not feel challenge, he will feel that the wife interested to know more, required more explanations and also reply in patient. Furthermore, it is a positive encouragement to the husband to find out more.

Another example below for conversation corresponds to positive respond,

In English,

Husband: The egg appeared before chicken because mutation on egg has higher possibility.

Wife: I see. It sounds great. You are so clever.

From the above conversation, the reaction of the wife shows agreement and compliment to her husband.

In Chinese, the same answer with some additives, the reaction of the wife can be enhanced as follow,

Husband: The egg appeared before chicken because mutation on egg has higher possibility.

Wife: 欸! 对呀! 说得好喔! 哇! 你真聪明啊! 

(Rough translation with additives: 'Eh', true 'ya'! It sounds great 'wo'! 'Wa'! You are so clever 'ah'!)

The wife’s answer shows agreement, surprises, encouragement, compliment and charming. The additives enhance the statement and show the emotions of the wife that she is surprise, happy and enthusiastic.

The additives are added to make the sentence more charming, attractive, soft, emotional and sensible when hearing. They not only reduce the misunderstanding and quarrels, they also improve the relations and enhance the communications among humans. One additive can replace a thousand words.

This is one of the beauties of the sentimental Chinese.

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6.0        OTHER ADVANTAGES OF CHINESE

Comparing Chinese to other languages, Chinese is more simple and straight forward in communicating. Chinese does not consist of past, present or future tense. It uses ‘已经’ (already) to indicate the past, ‘正在’ (at this moment) to indicate the present and ‘将’ (will) to indicate the future. With these simple and direct words, it is understood that the message to be conveyed is the past, present or future tense. Therefore, one can spend more time to learn other things in stead of spending years to learn the various types of past, present and future tenses.

There are still many advantages of Chinese which pending for your explorations.

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CONCLUSIONS

Chinese is a very unique and has long historical language. Each character corresponds to a single unique pictorial symbol, syllable and standalone.

One must visualize and memorize the shape, syllable and meaning of the word which the learning process activates and stimulates the senses on sight, hearing and appreciation. In return, the learner is trained to have good pictorial and audible memories, imaginations, observations, judgments and understandings. It activates and stimulates most and fastens the growth of the brain cells.

It is recommended to begin learning Chinese at the very young age when the brain cells are growing and building. The uniqueness of Chinese make the users read, speak and sometimes write faster than other languages. In return, it shortens the time for transferring messages, knowledge and also work can be completed within a shorter time.

Learning mathematic is one effective way to activate and exercise your brain. Learning Mathematics in Chinese enables the users to solve the arithmetic problems within a shorter time and allow one to practice more within the same time given. This enhances the analyzing skills, productivity and efficient of the person.

Chinese is difficult to learn, but difficulties are the root of growth. Learning Chinese can help one to become cleverer, more productive and more efficient.

Chinese is also a friendly and sentimental language which consists of many additive words. Each additive word corresponds to different syllable and has different effect to the listeners. The additives contain the feelings and emotions of the speaker when delivering the messages to the listeners. They soften and enhance the effectiveness of the statements.

The additives make the sentences more charming, attractive, soft, emotional and sensible when hearing. They improve the relations and enhance the communications among humans.

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RECOMMENDATION

Why should we learn Chinese? Learning one additional language improves your quality and capability. Learning Chinese enhances your intelligence, productivity, efficiency, personality and lifestyle. In the case eventhough China is not growing or expanding, we shall encourage to learn Chinese due to the uniqueness, benefits and the advantages.

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