To Dear Neil - On English Language Learning
Dear Neil,
I feel more discouraged on English learning after reading your reply. No wonder
Chinese students say that English is the course they spend the most of their time but gain the least. Chinese language is quite different. Usually, after six years in primary school, most students will have no difficulty to read or write something in daily life. When children complete their high school they would be almost invincible on reading and writing everything.
I remember I could read thick novels when I was only 10 years old, say nothing of newspapers. I could help my father keep accounts; write letters to our relatives; go to post office filling remittance forms … Really seldom I have come across unknown characters since I've grown into an adult, or rather, at least I don
't need to have a dictionary at hand when reading newspapers or books. Well, I
have to admit that ancient books are an exception because some of the characters are no longer used in modern society and are dying...
I guess Chinese language has an exceptional merit compared with English language
. Any single character can combine with other characters to form a new meaning.
For example, once I got a chance to teach a foreigner to learn Chinese. Within one month, he learned over 500 basic Chinese characters. With the basic 500 characters, he rapidly enlarged his vocabulary by the method of combining them with other characters. And very soon, he is able to talk to taxi drivers; to shop-assistants; to restaurants waiters…. He was greatly encouraged and felt freely going everywhere without a local guider.
Many characters we have already mastered will have new meanings as science and technology develop. We don't need to create new characters. So, the total amount
of Chinese characters is much less than the total amount of English vocabulary
which is still expanding. It is enough for anyone who mastered 3000 basic Chinese characters to talk to others, to deal with daily life problems and work problems …; but 3000 English words are far from adequate if someone want to talk freely in English.
Tell you something very interesting. The other day I turned on TV and happened to find a TV program about Beijingers learn English. As the 2008 Olympic Game is
approaching, lots of Beijingers, especially those retired men and women are enthusiastically throwing all of their energies into English learning, hoping to have the ability to talk to foreigners then. Some old ladies were also showing their ability of spoken English on TV. They recited in chorus: Hello! How are you? I
’m fine, and you? Is this your first time to Beijing? Glad to meet you! Bye-bye
! Good, good! Or "Cheaper! Cheaper!" – Well, this is what foreigners would hear
mostly from venders in famous tourist attractions. They all claim that they can
speak English. :)))
Jeannie
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轻松英语