Past Blog Posts

Language and Thought

Conventional wisdom dictates that learning the language of the country you're travelling in will enhance your experience no end. This is obvious: you can talk to the locals, read public signs, get involved in local news and events, and things will generally go smoother.

But there's a deeper side to the situation, one that is occasionally overlooked. And for people interested in the culture of the place they're travelling to, it's potentially incredibly rewarding. Basically, the language of a society or culture is a unique window in its collective thought processes, attitudes, politics and world perception. So, if you understand even a bit of the language, it will give you an appreciation of cultural and social subtleties that wouldn't otherwise be accessible.

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Communication Breakdown: or, Why You Should Learn A Few Words Before Going Abroad

After a cramped but enjoyable overnight train journey from Hong Kong, my friend and I exited the train and found ourselves in the centre of the Centre Kingdom: Beijing. We were on the first leg of our Chinese adventure, and our spirits couldn't have been higher.

First things first, we needed to book a ticket for the next leg of our journey, from Beijing to Guilin. The ticket booking system in China is wonderfully arcane, and requires a significant amount of pre-planning to navigate successfully. But we were prepared. The friends we stayed with in Hong Kong had given us a cheat sheet scrawled with Mandarin, informing any reader that Sorry, We Don't Speak Chinese, But Could We Possibly Have A Train Ticket To Guilin, Please?

But... where's the ticket office? The signs were unhelpful. We see a passing policeman, and ask him.

Blank stare. We gesture to our tickets. He frowns, and points us in the direction of the exit. Outside, things didn't go much better. The si... Read More »

Bilinguals: 2 languages = 2 personalities?

Learning a second language both builds on the first language and consolidates it but there is a Czech proverb that says "Learn a new language and get a new soul"

Bilinguals have often reported they feel and act differently when they speak in another language. Realistically, bilinguals don't have a second personality but adopt a shift in attitudes and behaviours, depending on the context and/or situation in which they are using the language.

Think of the following situation. The way you speak and act when talking to your best friend will be very different from the way you would speak to your boss or a complete stranger! Certainly your behaviour and attitude will differ, even though the language is the same. The same concept applies to bilinguals - they adapt to the culture, context and situation they are interacting with.

It is also very common for bilingual people to alternate their languages during a conversation because expressing their tho... Read More »

Why learn Chinese?

Mandarin is the national language of China and Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world. By learning Mandarin you will be able to speak with more people than any other language- including English.

Mandarin is comparatively spoken by fewer non-Chinese than most European languages spoken by non-natives of their respective countries. That means there is a greater demand for Chinese since fewer Westerners are able to speak it.

China is rapidly becoming a world economic power as it opens its doors to foreign investment expands its infrastructure. Those who know Chinese will be valuable to business. The Chinese population is rapidly expanding its online presence. It will become increasingly useful for online communication. Nearly a quarter of the world population speak Chinese. More than a billion people not only in China but in other south eastern count... Read More »