Why Do You Learn Chinese?(ple help me with the survey)

[Haoqide]

1. I've always been really interested in Asian cultures, and I was leaning towards Japanese for a while. But then I went to Chinatown in NYC and totally fell in love with the sound of the language. The more I investigated the culture and people, the more I fell in love with it. I decided that I wanted to learn it, and I've been loving it ever since!

2. I'm not an expatriate, and I've never been to China. I'm just learning the language because I think it's a beautiful language, and I feel a sort of special connection to Chinese people, for some reason. As was brought out earlier, it's also really useful!

Best language in the world, hands down!

[gougou]

1) The first time I had contact with "real" Chinese people was the first day of my studies (in the Netherlands). I was immediately fascinated, and soon after started studying the language to learn more about this culture.

After a rather slow start, I picked up speed and enthusiasm, and spend pretty much all of my free time (plus a considerable amount of school time...) on studying Chinese. It's addictive, isn't it?

2) Business student. Also, expat-who-has-to-survive-in-China-to-be, finally found an internship!

[Haoqide]

It's addictive, isn't it?

It's like a disease...a disease that I love having!!!

[englishboy]

I started visiting China a couple of years ago for my business and was emabarrased not to be able to converse in anything other than English.

Once you start learning you're hooked! Now it's a great way to appreciate the Chinese culture further and chat (very simply) with ordinary Chinese people

[Ken]

Intellectual CHALLENGE!

Tallest mountain I could think of to climb was mandarin.

I'm still a few feet from the base though. However, I am the tenacious crawler.

[woliveri]

Went to China in 1985 with my Kung Fu group. Previous to that started studying with the Gymnastics teacher at the school. Unfortunately that was in Florda who's backward education system did not favor Asia, especially China and still doesn't, pretty sad.

When I moved to the West Coast I was able to attend the university/community college system out here and restarted my learning. Had a 20 year gap there but now picking it up. I'm in my 4th year of part time study.

The reasons:

1. To communicate with my Taiji, Qi gong teachers and my TCM friends.

2. To again visit China and then use my language skills.

3. To attend a university in Beijing to continue my studies.

4. Perhaps to do some business.

5. Perhaps teach Chinese in the future.

I'm 45 now.

I was a Pastry Chef for 20 years and then changed careers to Computer Programming.

[asharpe]

My wife is Chinese (Sichuan-ren), and I have always been interested in Asian culture (philosophy and music, mostly).

We went to China in 1999, and couldn't speak a word of Mandarin. We went back last July, and I stumbled along well enough to get myself across Hangzhou to a little place that makes flutes, got a tour of the place, and bought one of their flutes. I also was able to finally speak to my father-in-law; something I wanted to do for a long time. It wasn't much, but I think he appreciated the effort.

My Chinese is pretty bad, but I was able to make myself understood (pantomime helps a lot, too), and that was the most important part. And I try to speak Beijing Putonghua, so most areas understand my accent, even if I can't understand theirs.

I'm 47, living about 20 miles south of San Francisco.

Andrew

[owen]

1. I am drawn to learn the language through an interest in the culture. The source from which that interest is drawn pendulums between two wells: one of respect and one of utter revulsion. Both sources lead just as surely to engrossement.

2. I am a 27 year old dude who just came back to taiwan after travelling in china for 3 months (i had lived in taiwan for almost a year before going to china). I knew nothing of chinese language or culture before coming and didnt really start learning any language seriously until about a year ago. So i'm still pretty inept.

[Lu]

Started studying Chinese language & culture because I was interested in the culture, the language came with that and as I am quite good at learning languages that was no problem.

After two years of studying in Holland, I went on an exchange to Beijing, and fell in love with China (had never been there before). So the reason of me studying Chinese changed to that.

Now I'm not sure if I am still studying Chinese, I'm not learning any vocabulary or grammar or anything, mostly practicing. I can say now that I know Chinese, I can have conversations about all kinds of topics, and even read Chinese novels in Chinese, and the newspaper.

Background: 23 years old now, grew up in small town in Holland, baba shi yisheng, mama dui Zhongguo hen gan xingqu.

[aeon]

My wife is Chinese, and although I promised her I'd learn when we got married I didn't put a great deal of effort into it. Then she taught our son to speak putonghua and of course he can talk rings round me aged only 4 , so I decided to make a concerted effort and come to China and learn properly.

[Jo-Ann]

I had been teaching Chinese cooking (since the mid-70s) and wanted to be able to read a Chinese menu. First classes were just pin yin, in NYC, but then I started classes, for credit, at a university and exhausted all their courses. Also spent 2 intensive 3-week study courses in Beijing. I'll never be fluent, but in all my trips to China, I am understood.

And --- yes, I can now read a menu!

Since I became involved with the internet, my study has dropped, but I resolve to pick it up again, if only 1/2 a page of grammar/translation/writing a day.

My problem is 'etymology'. It has me completely fascinated. The analysis of the Chinese character slows down my studying, but I absolutely love it!

Another problem is the chance to practice. Restaurants, yes ---- but my proficiency with the aural part of it is limited. I keep asking people to slow down. Man! Man yi dianr!

I'm now in my 70s, still teach the cooking and the study of the language will continue forever. I even carry a dictionary in my pocketbook for those down times in a waiting room or on a line. Always something to learn!

I only found this forum recently. Maybe it will give me a kick to get going again.

[johnmck]

Jo-Ann, try the web site: http://www.polyglot-learn-language.com/ it will allows to find a pen-pal who speaks Chinese and wants to learn English (or any other language you can speak). Using the internet and MSN chat (it accepts chinese characters) I regularly have conference calls with a man in China. He helps me with my pronunciation and he gets to practise his English.

PS. I started learing Chinese after I once went there for work, within one hour of getting off the aeroplane I was fascinated by the language.

[Ultimate_Phil]

I started learning Chinese in 2003 because I thought about studying Chinese at university. After more experiences with language, culture and people, I am now quite sure that I'm goint to study Chinese at university. In my opinion, Chinese is one of the most beautiful languages in the world, the sound and the diversity of metaphors is amazing. But it is also difficult to learn because of the complexity of its signs. After two years learning Chinese, I love this language more than ever before. So I keep on learning and enjoying.

[ExpatObserver]

59 yeard old, just curious if I could hack it (same as gouguo) lzuo zai jianada. Perhasp it will be useful to me commercially one day. Mostly to see the look of sheer amazement on the faces of chinese that I meet here. One guy even said to me where I learned mu Ni hao thinking that is all I speak. I flattened him with "Ni shuo zhonwen de man, wo tindadong ni".

There has to be inverse correlation between learning han yu and Alzheimer's. Wo xianzai zai xue zhonweng.

[paul62tiger]

1) Started with an interest in the food followed by business. Started doing shows for the local chinese group and decided i needed to be able to speak a few words. Oh, and met a girl.

2) 42 years old. Met a lot of chinese friends from HK, mainland and malaysia. Did intend to visit china this year but will end up in malaysia for a while. Been very lucky and met a lot of good people - and done some good business.

Being able to speak a little chinese has had a few unexpected moments.

I have supprised a couple of people with amusing results and found a few very good friends - and had some very good meals including discovering dim sum.

[robert]

last year I was in China and felt terrible for not being able to communicate properly. I speak several languages and thought I should try to pick up one more.

My partner is Chinese but we speak English.

I started only 2 months ago. I like it. It is fun. ( hate that word)

I am Dutch,live in canada, 55 yrs. Retired. I think it will take about 5 yrs. studying.

[Yuedan]

1) I'm a History major, planning to go to graduate school and specializing in Chinese history. For that, I need to be able to read the written language proficiently.

Yeah...I systematically fail every attempt I've ever made to learn a foreign language, so I chose a degree plan that requires me to learn Mandarin Chinese. Wo hen cong ming.

2) I am a member of the select ranks of fat Cajun guys from the South that knows Chinese. Well, I don't know it, but I'm learning it.

[iMm0rTaLBoi]

1) I learned Mandarin Chinese when i was like 4 or something because my grandparents from my dad's side came here to USA. I only spoke Cantonese at the time (i don't know why and how my dad learned cantonese from my mom). Therefore, the only way to communicate with my grandparents was through Mandarin. They speak Shanghainese also but unfortunately, nobody taught me how.

2) I am a freshman in high school (14 years old). I am an ABC (and no magores its not offensive). I speak Cantonese at home. My first language was Cantonese.

[nubix]

Quote:

It's addictive, isn't it?

It's like a disease...a disease that I love having!!!

Quote:

Intellectual CHALLENGE!

Tallest mountain I could think of to climb was mandarin.

I'm still a few feet from the base though. However, I am the tenacious crawler.

Its all of the above for me. Additionally, I now appreciate so much more of Chinese culture and Chinese people.

I have not been to China, hopefully one day I may go. There is no reason for me to learn Mandarin although I once had a notion it would help me explore my TaiJi more-deeply. For now I just enjoy the learning whilst hoping that one day I might truly be able to communicate in Chinese effectively: after 1.5 years of learning I still feel like a novice (albeit with a good vocabulary LOL)

[in_lab]

An intellectual challenge? I don't think of it that way. Challenging, yes, but how intellectual is is studying Chinese compared to, say, reading a novel? Studying language is interesting, but I don't feel very intellectually stimulated by it.