Comments on: Learning Chinese ! http://wannderer.wordpress.com/2006/10/25/learning-chinese/ Banjaara, a compulsive wanderer! Wandered in Iran, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore..currently wandering in Malaysia. While I wander I think...while I am bored I blog Tue, 08 Dec 2009 08:12:31 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: mianmianxiyu http://wannderer.wordpress.com/2006/10/25/learning-chinese/#comment-37 mianmianxiyu Fri, 27 Oct 2006 05:57:47 +0000 http://wannderer.wordpress.com/2006/10/25/learning-chinese/#comment-37 Yes, I agree that there's a common worldview emerging... I'm not clear how much it is bound to English and how much it is bound to economics or just due to media (and (maybe this is your point) can these three be separated?). As a fluent speaker of English from a non-American country, you are probably better positioned than I to gauge this. p.s. I'm sure we're both fervent Bush supporters. :-) Yes, I agree that there’s a common worldview emerging… I’m not clear how much it is bound to English and how much it is bound to economics or just due to media (and (maybe this is your point) can these three be separated?). As a fluent speaker of English from a non-American country, you are probably better positioned than I to gauge this.

p.s. I’m sure we’re both fervent Bush supporters. :-)

]]> By: insomnya05 http://wannderer.wordpress.com/2006/10/25/learning-chinese/#comment-35 insomnya05 Wed, 25 Oct 2006 07:23:08 +0000 http://wannderer.wordpress.com/2006/10/25/learning-chinese/#comment-35 Sure, I saw your reference to Geography of Thought. I will surely pick it up next time I am in Eslite. Indian-English, American-English etc.. are different but dont you see a common thinking emerging in the 'English speaking world' . English is becoming synonymous for the common culture of globalisation that is emerging! The differences are superficial. I am Indian, born and brought up in India. Within a few minutes of chatting, you will probably realise that we both have done similar things - (seen) the same movies, (read) the same books etc. Probably have the same opinion on Bush :-) Sure, I saw your reference to Geography of Thought. I will surely pick it up next time I am in Eslite.

Indian-English, American-English etc.. are different but dont you see a common thinking emerging in the ‘English speaking world’ . English is becoming synonymous for the common culture of globalisation that is emerging! The differences are superficial.

I am Indian, born and brought up in India. Within a few minutes of chatting, you will probably realise that we both have done similar things – (seen) the same movies, (read) the same books etc. Probably have the same opinion on Bush :-)

]]> By: mianmianxiyu http://wannderer.wordpress.com/2006/10/25/learning-chinese/#comment-33 mianmianxiyu Wed, 25 Oct 2006 05:36:45 +0000 http://wannderer.wordpress.com/2006/10/25/learning-chinese/#comment-33 Hello Wanderer. >Learning language is learning a culture; I hadnt enrolled >into a Mandarin course but ‘Chinese Culture course’ . I wonder about the "language as culture" thing some. English is spoken now by a lot of the world. Indian English is not American English. Nor is it British English (though, clearly it is closer to the latter). I wonder how much of the differences are cultural and how much are not. And I wonder how much, as an Indian, you must change the "active" culture in your head when switching languages, or when "code switching" (changing languages mid-sentence). > it is important to learn Chinese in the unstructured > manner - cumbersome yet appropriate. Else, while reading / > listening chinese, one would end up understanding the syntax > and not the semantics. My vote is still out on this. I'll be able to comment better in the future when I know more Chinese. > I disagree on the abstractions thing. Western thought may > be logical but I dont think it is any more abstract than the > Chinese. Touché. Poor choice of words on my part. Different kinds of abstraction. I'd recommend the book Geography of Thought. It makes an interesting analysis of these things. Hello Wanderer.

>Learning language is learning a culture; I hadnt enrolled
>into a Mandarin course but ‘Chinese Culture course’ .

I wonder about the “language as culture” thing some. English is spoken now by a lot of the world. Indian English is not American English. Nor is it British English (though, clearly it is closer to the latter). I wonder how much of the differences are cultural and how much are not. And I wonder how much, as an Indian, you must change the “active” culture in your head when switching languages, or when “code switching” (changing languages mid-sentence).

> it is important to learn Chinese in the unstructured
> manner – cumbersome yet appropriate. Else, while reading /
> listening chinese, one would end up understanding the syntax
> and not the semantics.

My vote is still out on this. I’ll be able to comment better in the future when I know more Chinese.

> I disagree on the abstractions thing. Western thought may
> be logical but I dont think it is any more abstract than the
> Chinese.

Touché. Poor choice of words on my part. Different kinds of abstraction. I’d recommend the book Geography of Thought. It makes an interesting analysis of these things.

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