I found this article browsing through Japan Today. It talks about the language situation in China; Mandarin is the officially taught and spoken standard enforced by the central government. But what about in the far off provinces from Beijing ? From the Pacific coasts ? Not in the schools ?
How many langauges does an average Chinese citizen speak at the market place ? What does the widespread bilingualism in China mean for the future of Mandarin ?
Other questions raised regarding this topic:
1. Exactly how many Chinese langauges are there ? Are they to be considered all "dialects" of one great Chinese language ?
2. Or are they simply independent languages of a common origin like French, German, Russian, and Greek ? How far back does the split go back in time ?
3. What are some good sources to ready up on the Chinese languages (whether dialectal or independent) ?
4. Why aren't Mandarin and Cantonese mentioned as the two major "dialects" of Chinese; and from which to explain all the other "dialects" ?
5. What about the minority languages of China ? How are they treated by the governments and schools ?
6. Re: the teaching of, and cultural activities in,the minority languages; are they encouraged or discouraged ?
Uniting China to Speak Mandarin, the One Official Language: Easier Said Than Done
by HOWARD W. FRENCH, July 10, 2005, The New York Times
Copyright The New York Times
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks