This Chinese language fad too, shall pass
Posted February 11, 2010 at 8:32 pm in Columns, Featured, Opinion
Prevailing wisdom states that proficiency in multiple languages is an invaluable tool for experiences like studying abroad or perhaps making a good impression; Americans admire those who have managed to become fluent in at least one language other than English. But to others, like our European counterparts, being fluent in at least two languages other than their native tongue is commonplace. So why is that notion so foreign to Americans?
President Theodore Roosevelt once said, “We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language.”
As absurd and provincial as it might sound, it still resonates with many Americans today. Though we might try to pride ourselves on our cultured outlook, well-traveled backgrounds or ideals, our mind-set regarding learning languages hasn’t shifted much from Roosevelt’s. We still operate under the assumption that English is the sole lingua franca.
The Center for Applied Linguistics recently conducted a survey revealing that many schools have dropped foreign language instruction because public elementary and middle schools have largely ceased such programs.
Fundamentally, the education system roughly demonstrates the idea that there is no need to consider foreign languages in our everyday interactions. In fact, only 9 percent of Americans speak a foreign language, compared to 44 percent of Europeans.
Our education system has generally relegated the learning of a foreign language to the privileged, the college-bound or the less science-inclined, which tacitly asserts that knowing a foreign language is not a priority. Rather, it’s a necessary activity only for those studying or working abroad.
Although most schools in the United States do offer foreign language instruction — mainly in French and Spanish — it often begins late in a student’s career, by which time the brain is significantly less adept at absorbing a new language.
Hye You | Daily Trojan
Interestingly enough, though most foreign language instruction in the United States is waning, interest in Chinese is on the rise. The proportion of elementary and high schools offering instruction in Chinese has increased four-fold within the past decade. In addition, the College Board reports that the Chinese Advanced Placement test is quickly surpassing German as the third most taken foreign language AP test.
Yet authors, linguists and educators are wary about the permanence of this sudden surge in learning Chinese in schools, especially kindergarten and elementary schools. It doesn’t take a genius to realize that Chinese is gaining popularity because China is quickly assuming a role as the United States’ greatest competitor. Students realize that having a working knowledge of Chinese will give them an advantage in the business world and for the myriad opportunities that are becoming increasingly available.
This is a case of déjà vu: Interest in learning Russian skyrocketed during the 1980s, before Japanese ran its course in the 1990s, and Arabic became popular after Sept. 11.
While American educators realize the benefits of learning a foreign language early in a child’s life, what about the rest of us? Will Americans really be convinced to learn Chinese and break the mind-set that English is the universal language?
At this point, it is unlikely Americans will make the necessary psychological shift to embrace knowing a foreign language as well as, say, basic algebra. As Susan Jacoby, author of The Age of American Unreason, said, “The fad for Chinese will pass — born, like the promotion of Russian studies during the Cold War, out of the idea that we must know the language of our chief competitor.”
Sadly enough, Jacoby’s prediction might be true, as our bias toward English and our complacence for genuinely embracing diversity have hindered us from becoming the true global citizens we emulate.
Nadine Tan is a sophomore majoring in business administration. Her column “World Rapport” runs Fridays.
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I think learning a second language is reasonable if one goes to a foregin country.
But lets get serious about learning things.
I was in Shiyan China in November of 2008. What is needed in this nation is that the old people should start doing physical exercies like the Chinese I saw. They were out there by the hundreds.
I saw some old guy getting off of a bus. I wanted to ask his age but I was told it would be impolite. I did not ask.
Terrence s. Kiolbassa
Chicago
Terrence, the old guy’s age was 68.
I agree with Teddy and Rich. Learning a language is fun, and has been very enriching to my life, but it is not a priority or a necessity. Interestingly, I spent several semesters learning French and Japanese in high school and as a college student, never to really use either of them, but gained semi-fluency in Chinese after graduating, while I worked in China. Looking back, I think that wasting time on languages in schools was kind of a status symbol, something I was able to do because I wasn’t studying a “hard” subject like medicine or engineering. Frankly I wish I’d spent more of my undergrad years acquiring practical knowledge instead of “finding myself”, which is really just another word for putting off responsibility.
Teddy Roosevelt was a racist, and ironically the U.S. is considered the current Roman Empire. But we’ll see how long that lasts. I am patriotic, but not nationalistic. English was almost overturned by German as the official language in the early part of U.S. history. English should be the official language throughout the U.S. The founding fathers of MY country were “dead old white men.” Were these dead old white men myopic then? Absolutely, however, some traditions should persist, like–the English language!
The only reason Chinese language is on an upswing is because China’s recent rise in economic prowess. But alas, it’ll burst a la the Japanese economy.
Enjoy your 15-minutes China, the world isn’t impressed by your shoddy, mass-produced merchandise.
america makes shoddy products too and at ten times the cost! American auto companies are certainly not competitive and electronics have had that same reputation for decades. maybe we make better financial products–on second thought those are shite too…hmmm at least we make better weapons of mass destruction!
Nadine, thanks for writing this article. It’s something more Americans need to hear, even though I agree that most of them probably will never see the value of learning a foreign language. You also could have included the statistic that less than a third of Americans even have passports and a great number have never even left their hometown. Not hard to see why they don’t think learning languages is important.
@ Rich, your comments are as ignorant as Teddy Roosevelt’s. Since when did speaking another language make you less American? Have you forgotten that this country is a land of immigrants? Do you think the 44% of Europeans who speak another language consider themselves less nationalistic because of it? English is the official language of the US. So what? French is the official language of France and you’ll find lots of people there who speak other languages.
What are “other countries standards”? Furthermore, what are “American standards”? One of the things that makes America great is that it embraces people from everywhere and our culture is a hodgepodge. People who immigrate to America and then choose to isolate themselves within their own culture without integrating is one thing, but diversity is GOOD for America and sets a positive example for the rest of the world.
Teddy Rosevelt also said that we have no room for 50/50 pct Americanism in this country…what he is saying is that we need to protect our culture so we dont get overran by other cultures ala the Roman empire. You are eitther 100% American, or you are not an American at all, period. I agree with his sentiments, and we are seeing today that letting people live here by their contries standards is not a good thing for America. There still isnt any room for 50/50 Americanism, and Englisg IS the official language here. That being said, we need some to learn foreign languages, but the need to live in America as a bilingual citizen is really not needed to be successful.