Learning Chinese...???

[Paladin2000]

Of all the dialects I speak hokkien (probably the crudest) only and some canto. Of the other dialects Hainanese is probably the most alien, totally can't understand it.

I am Teo Chew, but we only speak Hokkien in the family. I learnt Cantonese from Hong Kong movies and also from some of my Hong Kong friends. Some of my school mates are Hainan and they often speaks Hainan in the class.

Therefore... I speak Mandarin (of course), Hokkien and Cantonese. But I understand quite a lot of Teo Chew (because my grandma only speaks Teo Chew) and some Hainan. Plus, a few bad words in Hakka.

[mistral4543]

Picking up yet another language, Larry? Maybe you ought consider a career in diplomacy

[/)eathKiller]

Kanji was tough enough thanks... [img]tongue.gif[/img] I can't even begin to comprehend Chineese... It really boggles my mind... Now Korean, I've Heard, is a fun and easy language to learn; Just 15 letters in the alphabet [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[Kakero]

Originally posted by /)eathKiller: Kanji was tough enough thanks... [img]tongue.gif[/img] I can't even begin to comprehend Chineese... It really boggles my mind... Now Korean, I've Heard, is a fun and easy language to learn; Just 15 letters in the alphabet [img]tongue.gif[/img]

yes, kanji is tough to learn, since I learn chinese first. it's hard to say those kanjis in japanese pronounciation. this word " 我 " is pronounce as "wo" in chinese but is pronounce as " watashi " in japanese.

Korean? I know how speak korean. but I don't dare to speak it out here for fear of being laugh at / ridicule.

[wellard]

Originally posted by Larry_OHF: Thanks! I guess she did not think it mattered to me that there is a difference in Cantonese and Mandarin. My father in law knows Mandarin really well... I would like to impress him but I guess I have a long way to go. I speak Spanish and understand Portuguese...but would like to take up French or Italian next. He says that Mandarin is the most important to learn, as more people speak it than any other language in the world.

Is that really the case?. I was under the impression English was by far the most used language?

[Melusine]

Originally posted by wellard: Is that really the case?. I was under the impression English was by far the most used language?

If you look purely at the number of people speaking the language, then Mandarin is the world's number one language, yes. Of course English is the first global language, meaning it's the most wide-spread and you have the most chance of someone speaking English wherever you go. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[wellard]

Originally posted by Melusine: Quote: Originally posted by wellard: Is that really the case?. I was under the impression English was by far the most used language?

If you look purely at the number of people speaking the language, then Mandarin is the world's number one language, yes. Of course English is the first global language, meaning it's the most wide-spread and you have the most chance of someone speaking English wherever you go. [img]smile.gif[/img] [/QUOTE]"Mandarin is the world's number one language" ok so "English is the first global language, meaning it's the most wide-spread" I'm confused now! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

If India is the most populus country. And Hindu is more widely spoken than Mandarin IIRC, with most educated Indians speaking passable English. Also IIRC is not Spanish more widely spoken than Mandarin, with French coming in a respectable fifth place.

Maybe some one out there has a link. Asking the Chinese (Cantonese speaking) and Indian-Pakistani-Bangladeshi people at work *in English cough* they are of the opinion that English is way ahead of Mandarin as the most widely spoken language.