How many Chinese learners are there in the world?

[Guest rujier]

I am very curious.

Me being a Chinese learner from America, I would like to know the following:

How many Chinese learners exist from:

1) USA

2) Australia

3) Canada

4) Japan

5) Korea

6) Learning in China

7) Learning in Taiwan

It seems like lots of people are learning, but at the same time, lots of Chinese are learning English. So I am really interested in knowing how large the market really is.

Thanks,

Roger

[Zhende ma?]

The official statistic for worldwide Chinese learners by China's Ministry of Education is 25 million. To me that seems incredibly high. The only rationalizations I can think for it is that it is inflated or that they are counting those in China that do not speak Putonghua or a related dialects as a first language. Technically they are learning Chinese too even though they are PRC citizens. This would include a lot of linguistic minority groups.

The number of students learning Chinese in the US at the college level was almost 30,000 in 1998. This statistic is from a survey by the Modern Language Association. It is part of an interesting article here: http://www.classicalmodernlanglit.villanova.edu/chinese/.

Singapore mandates teaching of Chinese in its schools so that may be at least another million. I'm not sure the exact number.

An article I am linking below talks about almost a million learning in Japan

http://www.japantimes.com/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?ek20040129a1.htm

I hope this is helpful

[eric]

I find it hard to believe there are 30k in the USA. Maybe 28K of them are ABC? but my High school was probably the only one in NJ to teach Chinese, and most of the people in the classes there and in college where Chinese (no white kids in college chinese classes).

So as for totally non_chinese people learning Chinese in the states.. i'd probably guess the number to be < 5000? (i'm being generous, i really wanted to say 1000)

[Zhende ma?]

It would be interesting to see the number of people in the US who took the HSK in the last few years. I don't think most people who learn Chinese take it so depending on how high it is it could give you an estimate. I remember when I took it the test takers were about 70-80% ABC

[beijingbooty]

In New Zealand mandarin is taught at universities and technical institutes.

Like elsewhere, 90% of the class or even higher are of asian descent.

I estimate in New Zealand there are less than 100 europeans learing mandarin at tertiary level.

But the thing that always amuse me is that when I am talking to chinese people that live here and I ask them "have you ever come across europeans here that speak mandarin", without a doubt, they all know someone or have come across a Euro. on the street who was speaking fluent mandarin. That always freaks me out, because I know there are very few Euros. who speak mandarin in this country but every chinese immigrant here seems to have met one of these few !!

Wacky stuff ! Never ceases to amaze me.

[Hammer]

I know in Australia Mandarin is taught in high schools, universities and technical colleges, however the drop out rate is high. Once most people pass high school stage very few go onto university.

I once sat in on a university class for mandarin in Adelaide and there would have been only 5-8 people in the class.

*shakes head* I must be a sucker for punishment Im still learning it after 4 years *laughs*

Although I do hear mention of this HSK test but have never come across it. Could someone please explain what it is and how one can sit the test or get the learning material for it.

Also can anyone recommend any good listening tapes or books? I prefer them to mainly be in characters as that is what I first started learning rather than pin yin

Thanking you all for your help in advance

Hammer

[Zhende ma?]

The HSK (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi or Chinese Proficiency Level Test) is the Chinese language comprehension test administered by the government of China. It has 11 levels divided between three different tests. Basic is levels 1-3, Intermediate is levels 4-7? and Advanced is levels 7?-11.

Pretty much taking this test you get recognition equivalent to what non native English speakers get when they take TOEFL. You can only take one of the three tests at each administration and if you do well enough to score at one of the levels you get a certificate. Note level 1, the lowest level is NOT automatic. You have to get a minimum score even to get level 1. Level 1 is indicative of knowledge of about 600 characters or so. Note the test is ENTIRELY in simplified characters (since it's from the PRC).

The test (at least the Basic one I took) has three parts: Listening comprehension, grammar, and critical reading and comprehension. I believe the advanced test also has an oral component as well.

I'm in the US, but looking on the web I see the test is offered at two locations in Australia: University of New South Wales (Sydney) and RMIT (Melbourne). It will be offered on October 23, 2004 (the same date in all countries I believe). Here is a link with information:

http://languages.arts.unsw.edu.au/chinese/chinesehsk/hskpromotion04.pdf

They test administrators will usually sell you study materials for a nominal charge. For about US$50 I got two study books, and audio tapes for several practice tests. The study materials are definitely worth it so you at least know the structure and format of the test. Let me know if you have any other questions.

[xuechengfeng]

i couldn't imagine it being too high in america.. i go to one of the largest universities in the US in Ohio State.. and there is about 5 different times for the introductory levels with 20 people a piece. for the majors, there are only 30 in the whole school i believe.

most are of asian descent as well.