The Original Article: English for Everyone
Source: Newsweek, Aug 20- Aug 27
My Response:
It seems ironic that Chinese teachers often reason that since 40 million non-native speakers learn Chinese, it follows that we should all place emphasis on Chinese. Because unbeknownst to our dear Chinese teachers, while 40 million learns Chinese globally, 175 million from China alone learn English. This gives credence to the critical importance of English in today’s world, and its preeminent position as a global language.
Perhaps the most telling evidence of the English phenomenon is the presence of “English villages” in South Korea—fictional villages with all communications in English so that it can be practiced upon. I must say this is a very novel idea as speech and everyday usages are exceedingly important for the mastery of a language. Although this shows the rigour and energy the Koreans are willing to expend, more importantly, this is really a microcosm of the global resolve for English learning.
That aside, some experts predict the fall of the importance of English, and its replacement by Chinese. I have reservations about this notion because English is already the preeminent language of science and technology etc. Moreover, the numbers of the Chinese learning English is on an exponential rise as the Chinese join the bandwagon for economic benefits. Trends in China, no doubt, start trends in other countries in a domino effect, such that more countries emulate China and emphasise on the English language. When most of the world’s population converts to English speakers, people can converse effectively among one another in a complete global community network. This ease in communication prevents the reverting back to the emphasis on native languages. Thus, the presence of a dominant global language, and the comfort of status quo, would greatly hinder the rise of the Chinese language.
While English is set to become the lingua franca of the world, however, I find the method English is being taught as a second language very worrying. According to the article, Chinese parents enroll their children into English cram schools at tender ages so as to increase their propensity of having an edge over their peers. While it is understandable for parents to give the best to their children (our parents do that too), they are inevitably destroying their child’s interest for the language by restricting them into a fixed mode of rote learning. Even if the child gains sufficient mastery, I believe that he would not be able to engage in self-driven learning by his own. Is this what the English language wants to produce? Is this in the full spirit of independent critical thought which English possess an emphasis towards?
Yes, the learning of the Chinese language focuses on rote learning because of the sheer number of permutations to dots and dashes that make up a single word. These words must necessarily be recognised and known. So, teaching Chinese requires a certain style. Using this style to teach English, however, is not feasible simply because of the alphabet system in English. I worry that the incommensurability of Chinese and English is not felt by those teaching or learning English, such that mastery is merely surface and not in the essence.
Thus, the rise of the English language is fraught with implications, many of which I don't understand. But comewhatmay, I feel very privileged to be born and bred in Singapore, which has trained me to straddle English and Chinese, both of which set to become prominent global languages sooner or later. With that, I would also be exposed to differing perspectives of the East and West, of Communism and Democracy, via cultural bias inherent in all languages, putting me (and my peers) at an advantage in the global arena. My advice to all: Learn your English, but don't forget Chinese... and master your English.
Perhaps the most telling evidence of the English phenomenon is the presence of “English villages” in South Korea—fictional villages with all communications in English so that it can be practiced upon. I must say this is a very novel idea as speech and everyday usages are exceedingly important for the mastery of a language. Although this shows the rigour and energy the Koreans are willing to expend, more importantly, this is really a microcosm of the global resolve for English learning.
That aside, some experts predict the fall of the importance of English, and its replacement by Chinese. I have reservations about this notion because English is already the preeminent language of science and technology etc. Moreover, the numbers of the Chinese learning English is on an exponential rise as the Chinese join the bandwagon for economic benefits. Trends in China, no doubt, start trends in other countries in a domino effect, such that more countries emulate China and emphasise on the English language. When most of the world’s population converts to English speakers, people can converse effectively among one another in a complete global community network. This ease in communication prevents the reverting back to the emphasis on native languages. Thus, the presence of a dominant global language, and the comfort of status quo, would greatly hinder the rise of the Chinese language.
While English is set to become the lingua franca of the world, however, I find the method English is being taught as a second language very worrying. According to the article, Chinese parents enroll their children into English cram schools at tender ages so as to increase their propensity of having an edge over their peers. While it is understandable for parents to give the best to their children (our parents do that too), they are inevitably destroying their child’s interest for the language by restricting them into a fixed mode of rote learning. Even if the child gains sufficient mastery, I believe that he would not be able to engage in self-driven learning by his own. Is this what the English language wants to produce? Is this in the full spirit of independent critical thought which English possess an emphasis towards?
Yes, the learning of the Chinese language focuses on rote learning because of the sheer number of permutations to dots and dashes that make up a single word. These words must necessarily be recognised and known. So, teaching Chinese requires a certain style. Using this style to teach English, however, is not feasible simply because of the alphabet system in English. I worry that the incommensurability of Chinese and English is not felt by those teaching or learning English, such that mastery is merely surface and not in the essence.
Thus, the rise of the English language is fraught with implications, many of which I don't understand. But comewhatmay, I feel very privileged to be born and bred in Singapore, which has trained me to straddle English and Chinese, both of which set to become prominent global languages sooner or later. With that, I would also be exposed to differing perspectives of the East and West, of Communism and Democracy, via cultural bias inherent in all languages, putting me (and my peers) at an advantage in the global arena. My advice to all: Learn your English, but don't forget Chinese... and master your English.
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