What's all this nonsense about learning Chinese?

**IR35 Avoider** · 21 November 2005, 08:13

I recently heard Spanish being nominated as the second most useful language, after English, with Arabic third. (In fact ever since I can remember Spanish has been advised as more useful than French.)

I'm very surprised to see French above Spanish in that list - I could name far more Spanish speaking countries than French ones. Maybe the Spanish ones are more important?

**Not So Wise** · 21 November 2005, 08:54

The french "upped" their numbers with African colonies, take them out and the french speaking countrys drop dramaticlly

I would rank in order of desirability them as follows

English
Spanish or Chinese

Why same ranking for spanish and chinese? More countrys might speak spanish but most of them are still 2nd and 3rd world countrys and this is unlikely to change anytime soon. Chinese might be only spoken in 1 or two countrys but China is highly likely to be the economic giant of the world within the next 20 years. If i had a kid the class i would be putting him in would be Chinese.

The last class i would even think of putting him in would be French

**Rebecca Loos** · 21 November 2005, 10:11

the 2nd more useful language after english is the "speak english louder" language - seems most Brits and Yanks do that when confronted by someone who doesn't understand english

**Hiram King Of Tyre** · 21 November 2005, 10:13

I thought C++ was useful?

**wendigo100** · 21 November 2005, 10:30

Originally posted by Not So Wise

I would rank in order of desirability them as follows

English
Spanish or Chinese

We are talking about schoolkids. When they are at school, unless they particularly want to learn Chinese, they are better off learning Spanish, French or even Arabic because it gives them broader options. Chinese doesn't.

If they need Chinese later on, they can learn it then. How many UK people need Japanese, Korean, Taiwan Chinese, Malay or Hindustani today, given that they were some of the previous eastern powerhouses to emerge?

**Not So Wise** · 21 November 2005, 11:03

Originally posted by wendigo100

We are talking about schoolkids. When they are at school, unless they particularly want to learn Chinese, they are better off learning Spanish, French or even Arabic because it gives them broader options. Chinese doesn't.

If they need Chinese later on, they can learn it then. How many UK people need Japanese, Korean, Taiwan Chinese, Malay or Hindustani today, given that they were some of the previous eastern powerhouses to emerge?

Options has little to do with it, it's matter of paying attention to the main country that speaks the language.

Take arabic, can you think of a single arabic country that will remain a major player politically and economiclly when the oil runs out? I cannot, hell even now when they have the world by the balls due to oil none are major political or economic players unless they unite.

French? Most important country that speaks it? France, all the rest are small fry or 3rd world. What "options" do they provide?

You run a comparison of China to Taiwan,Japan,Korea and all the rest....well unless China brings about it's own downfall in the transfer process from communism to capitalim, China will be bigger than all those combined. Like to give you just a small taster...did you know there is a worldwide shortage of concrete? Know why? Look to china. The biggest single market in the world is there, sure they are dirt poor right now, but they are not uneducated like say the Indians, they can be put into high level employment and once they are they will have money to spend.

Westerners who spoke Japanese in the 80's made their fortunes, westeners who speak chinese over the next 20 odd years will make theirs, while those who speak French will be just trying to impress the girls are french resturants.

**AtW** · 21 November 2005, 15:14

Originally posted by wendigo100

Should we teach Chinese or Urdu instead of French in UK schools? No.

English - 54 countries

Almost like coalition of the willing - English certainly is international language knowledge of which is a must, but since its effectively required it means having it gives no special advantages, however knowing English and Chinese would help you a lot because this would allow you to be interpreter communicating with your Mandarin peasants-prison guards in that labour camp we all gonna be in after 2nd rise of the Chinese Empire.

**PerlOfWisdom** · 21 November 2005, 15:45

How can there be a worldwide shortage of concrete? It's made of clay and limestone. It's like saying theres a shortage of seawater.

**FrankScribe** · 21 November 2005, 16:07

Originally posted by PerlOfWisdom

How can there be a worldwide shortage of concrete? It's made of clay and limestone. It's like saying theres a shortage of seawater.

It's not the raw material supply that is the problem, but the limitations in processing capacity coupled with the fact that cement (not concrete!) has a limited shelf life.

Oh, and producing cement requires a lot of energy

What's all this nonsense about learning Chinese?