In general, learning new languages has many benefits and advantages; on the mental level, it helps develop memorization skills. On the social level, it helps in easily getting to know new cultures and getting to know people around the world, and it also increases the chances of getting a good job opportunity .
One of the most important languages that is preferred to learn when thinking about learning a new language is learning the Chinese language for several reasons that we will explain in this article .
This article discusses the following:
- Why learn Chinese specifically?
- Information about the Chinese language
- When learning Chinese, is it better to learn Mandarin or Cantonese?
- Why is learning Mandarin Chinese important?
- In general, how many languages are there in China?
- Learn Chinese in the Emirates
Why learn Chinese specifically?
The Chinese language is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, with more than a billion speakers. This has several implications and is closely linked to it, namely :
Learning Chinese is an amazing cultural gateway:
Learning Chinese opens the door to a deeper understanding of 5,000 years of Chinese history and culture. Whether you want to explore ancient classics or learn about ancient religious doctrines such as Taoism, or you are a fan of Chinese martial arts, or even if you love Chinese food and want to learn more about it.
Learning Chinese creates endless economic opportunities:
Recently, the Chinese economy has developed greatly over the past 40 years to become the largest in the world by purchasing power parity, which has now led to countless career opportunities - and increasingly - for those interested in working in China. Hence, learning Chinese puts you several steps ahead of the rest of the workforce. Economic reasons are among the reasons that led to the need to learn Chinese in the Emirates; as learning Chinese is often required for those who want to work in China or with Chinese clients.
Moreover, international companies prefer to hire people who speak more than one language; therefore, learning and mastering Chinese gives you a huge advantage when competing for an important position as China will play a major role in world affairs in the future.
Mastering the Chinese language allows you to travel easily to the Middle Kingdom (China):
Traveling in China without speaking the language can be very difficult. Unlike major international cities like Shanghai, speaking Chinese is an essential part of daily life as many locals do not speak English. So whenever you want to travel to China, it is best to learn Chinese.
Language acquisition develops brain functions:
Multiple studies show the cognitive benefits of learning a new language, so learning Chinese is one of the best ways to reap these benefits from studying Chinese. It’s a language that’s completely different from anything you’ve ever studied before. Imagine communicating in a language that doesn’t use inflections or plurals, all in a written form that’s made up of deep meanings derived from nothing but diagrams and symbols.
Book now for online Chinese language courses
Information about the Chinese language:
Whenever you decide to start learning Chinese, it is important to know that:
There is a difference between Mandarin and Cantonese:
At first glance, Cantonese (粤语 Yuèyǔ ) and Mandarin (普通话 Pǔtōnghuà ) may seem almost identical. But the truth is that they are both languages of ancient Chinese. They are essentially two very different dialects with many important differences.
Also, Mandarin and Cantonese each have a unique number of tones, use a different romanization system, and differ greatly in the total number of speakers. So you should be careful when learning Chinese which language you choose to learn from.
Number of Mandarin and Cantonese speakers:
You should also know that approximately 920 million people speak Mandarin Chinese as their first language, and another 200 million speak Mandarin Chinese as their second language. On the other hand, there are approximately 84 million native speakers of Cantonese and approximately 400,000 who speak it as a second language.
While you may be interested to know that most Cantonese speakers live in and around Hong Kong, it is important to note that mainland China also has a large number of Cantonese speakers, especially in Guangdong Province. This is why Cantonese is sometimes referred to as Guangdong (广东话) (Guǎngdōnghuà in mainland China).
When learning Chinese, is it better to learn Mandarin or Cantonese?
If you decide to start learning Chinese, you may be wondering whether to learn Mandarin or Cantonese? Ultimately, which language you decide to learn will be a personal choice based on your goals, current circumstances, and motivations for learning the language.
But please note that Mandarin is easier because:
- Mandarin does not only have a formal romanization system.
- Mandarin also has lower tones.
- There are very few differences between colloquial and formal Mandarin.
Why is learning Mandarin Chinese important?
- If you intend to live in Hong Kong, Macau, or even rural Guangdong Province, or you want to communicate with Cantonese speakers abroad, choosing Cantonese when learning Chinese is the most logical choice.
- However, if we are talking about usefulness in a broader, more comprehensive sense, Mandarin Chinese objectively wins.
- Cantonese generally only appears in specific locations and among members of certain demographics, and is thus a somewhat specialized language.
- Mandarin, on the other hand, is the official language of mainland China, Taiwan and Singapore, and has over a billion speakers worldwide.
- Furthermore, Mandarin is a common language within China and to some extent in East Asia. Especially in the retail and tourism sectors and in situations where English is not a viable option. For example, in South Korea, you will come across many customer service staff who speak a decent level of Mandarin Chinese but not English.
- The Chinese government has made great efforts to promote the learning of Mandarin as a second language. These efforts are beginning to bear fruit, and Mandarin is gaining increasing influence in countries such as Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and Thailand.
- Mandarin is taught in public schools around the world, and there are many opportunities for students to study abroad in China through Chinese government scholarships.
- The dominance of Mandarin is evident even among Cantonese speakers, who (if not fully bilingual) generally speak at least some level of Mandarin.
In general, how many languages are there in China?
Officially, there are 302 living languages in China. Depending on the definition of both language and dialect, this number can vary somewhat.
However, the number of speakers of many of China's minority languages and dialects has declined in recent years, and some are now considered extinct. Nevertheless, China remains a land of impressive linguistic diversity.
But in general, the languages of China can be divided into two different categories:
Mandarin and other Chinese languages:
The first category includes Mandarin Chinese, a language that belongs to the Sino-Tibetan language family and is the most widely spoken language in China.
In addition, it also includes languages that are derivatives of Chinese, such as Cantonese. These are often referred to as dialects, although they are often not mutually intelligible.
Officially, there are ten different types of Chinese, although some sources classify them as eight because two of them are spoken by less than 1% of the population. These derivatives of Chinese are written using Chinese characters and do not have their own written form that distinguishes them from other languages and they are among the minority languages.
The second category of minority languages belongs to completely different language families, as in the case of Bai and many Tibetan languages, which belong to a different branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. Minority languages are generally spoken by members of China's ethnic minorities. Many of these languages have their own written forms that are not based on Chinese characters.
Learn Chinese in the Emirates:
The need to learn Chinese in the Emirates has recently increased, especially Mandarin Chinese, because:
- The United Arab Emirates continues to work on development mechanisms in all aspects, the most important of which are the economic and educational aspects. Since China is the world's largest economy, the need to exchange relations with it with the help of Chinese speakers is very important.
- The Chinese language has the largest number of speakers in the world, which indicates the necessity of learning it, especially with the global cultural openness, because the Chinese population is a very large global segment.
- China is a land of cultures and civilizations, rich in natural, cultural, and linguistic diversity, both ancient and modern, and there is much to learn from it.
- Recently, the country has been experiencing tremendous growth, which means that the economy is expanding, and China's popularity is booming; not only does China have one of the most important economies in the world, but interest in the language and culture is growing.
- With the growth of China's economy comes the drive to learn the language as companies and individuals need professionals who understand Mandarin Chinese.
At the end of this article, we strongly recommend that you learn Mandarin Chinese if you decide to learn Chinese, which we also recommend. Join us now to help you on your exciting Chinese learning journey that will open up new horizons for you.
Madrasa.com offers online Chinese language courses.
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