What Is YOUR Motivation For Learning Chinese?

[John Jensen]

Hi everyone,

Im new on these forums, but I have been studying Chinese for the past few years. Allow me to introduce myself, Im currently enrolled in a US university studying economics, and study Chinese part time as I might want to relocate to China because of its wonderful and interesting culture and also to start a potential business (and family) there.

I know first hand that if you are not committed to learning a language, you will give up very easily (happens to all my previous friends)

Im just wondering what are all your motivations for learning this wonderful language?

Thank you and looking forward to all the answers!

[xuefang]

Interesting topic and I agree that without motivation one gives up learning Chinese pretty easily. And when you don't feel like studying you can remind yourself why you started learning in the first place.

I started learning Chinese because I've always been interested in China, it's culture, history, people, language and so on. After 1,5 years of studying I came to China and my new motivation was to survive in everyday life and speak with native people. Now I also need (well, can ;) )speak Chinese with my Chinese boyfriend all the time.

With motivation it's also necessary to have goals, small and big. My bigger goal is to be fluent after 4 years, at the time I will graduate (BA in Chinese language). My smaller goal is to pass HSK 3 level (old HSK) next month.

[Shelley]

Hello,

I think you said it all when you say " this wonderful language". I have been studing Chines for about 20 years now in the UK. I have had private lessons (small group), I have studied part time at the university here (stage 2a qualification) and lots of self study. I do it because I love it. My situation probably will stop me from ever going to China but I still study.

Motivation to me is simple, I don't know what I would do if I couldn't study anymore. I love the culture , the people, the beautiful land with its many vatied terrain; mountains,lakes, rivers, plants and animals, etc. I think learning Chinese helps bring me a bit closer to the counrty.

The fact that Chinese written thousands of years can still be read is on of its attractions.A huge unbroken history. The beauty of the characters and their meanings fasinate me. My motivation I think is wanting to keep discovering more. I am not so interested in achieving qualifications (although usefull for tracking progress)but just learning.

Good luck in your studies.

Shelley

[mr.demoman]

For most of the time, it's culture that attracts ppl to begin a language. And you really got it right that ppl give up easily. I just just try to make learning language as a habit. When it becomes part of your life, it's no longer easy to give up. hehe

Good luck

[zhouhaochen]

it was that one night in Kunming where I sat on a table with four Chinese guys plus a few bottles of baijiu, whom I had a great time with. Problem was the only common word was "cheers" and as we couldnt say anything else, we toasted each other until the first people started to literally fall of their chairs.

When I woke up the next morning feeling like somebody just built a high speed railway line through my brain, I decided I will either one day die of alcohol poisoning or I have to find an alternative way to communicate with these people.

10 years later, I still drink too much baijiu, but its incredibly useful to be able to verbally distract the others from initiating the next round of 干杯.

Chinese for a healthy life!

Besides, its also the most fun, challenging and rewarding thing I have done in my life.

[Mai]

I started studying Chinese out of necessity when I was working in China and it was something I needed to know. I have continued not only because of the benefits of learning another language but because it has broadened my horizons. It has helped me relate to Chinese people, even if my attempts at communication were toneless and pathetic, they always seemed to appreciate the fact that I tried to learn their language instead of relying on them to speak mine. It has helped me relate to none native English speakers in the states. And finally, it has helped me apply some some of the theories I learned in college to real life (I was a sociology major.)

[character]

It's pretty shallow, but I got tired of watching HK movies* and seeing Chinese characters all over the place and not understanding what they meant. Later on I learned about wuxia novels, having seen a number of adaptations, and am interested in eventually reading them.

* HK movie DVDs usually include a Mandarin track, and a lot of HK movies in the 60's-early 70's were originally in Mandarin.