Post "Love The Language, But..." on blog China Speed about learning Mandarin:
...Unfortunately, sometimes I get the impression that students beginning to study Chinese think of it as a silver bullet of a different kind, that somehow their roads will be paved with gold if they know Chinese. They hear of the riches to be made in the world’s biggest market, and so they begin to study Chinese, thinking that it will guarantee success in their careers. But I worry that it is a little naive to expect knowledge of language to carry them into professional success.
I am hesitant to be wet blanket on language studies. I truly believe that the study of Chinese, as with any other language, is intrinsically valuable. And I enjoy my time studying Chinese. It is a fascinating, frustrating language. My countless hours creating flashcards and fumbling with the tones was the closest I ever came to learning to play a musical instrument. My first successful conversation with a fruit vendor in Shanghai yielded confidence as well as bananas. Additionally, beyond its intrinsic value, Chinese provides the ability to delve far deeper into Chinese culture, society, and history. But if it is not coupled with a skill set, it is unlikely to provide much professional success.
The problem with this thinking simple: With the exception of English teachers abroad, all careers require a knowledge and skill base beyond that of language (and I think many English teachers abroad could use some additional training as well). My knowledge of English does not qualify me to do much of anything in America. It is naive to expect that knowledge of Chinese will qualify you in China.
The second problem is that the Chinese have been studying English for far longer than Americans have been studying Chinese. A native speaker will always speak better Chinese than someone who picks it up later in life. If their English is better than your Chinese, and all else is equal, than your added value to a company is nominal (especially considering that they can pay a Chinese person far less than an American).
This is not to say that Chinese will not be highly useful in one’s career. But it must be paired with another skill. Knowledge of business, law, shipping, logistics, or just about anything else will benefit from knowledge of Chinese. Knowledge of Chinese is a great foundation. But professional training, education, and ability are the marketable skills one brings to the world’s biggest market, and will ultimately dictate success or failure...
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