Planning a trip to China can be an exciting experience! Traveling overseas is a great way to experience different cultures and learn different ways of life. You may be having anxiety, however about communicating once you are there. You don’t want to put yourself in a situation where a language barrier will at the least put a damper on your fun, or at the worst, make you vulnerable in an emergency situation.
The two main languages spoken in China are Mandarin and Cantonese. Which one should you learn? Well, let’s look at where each language is spoken.
Mandarin is the language used in most Chinese schools and is the official language in Taiwan and Mainland China. Television and radio shows are in Mandarin, as well as the movies. Within the United Nations, Mandarin is one of the five official languages.
Cantonese is predominately spoken in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces. Most of the Chinese communities overseas such as North America, Australia and Europe speak Cantonese. However, many of these communities are starting to see an increase in Mandarin speaking residents. People from Northern China and Taiwan are beginning to migrate overseas.
An interesting fact is that people who can only understand one or the other, Mandarin or Cantonese, can communicate by writing. With very few exceptions, both the Mandarin and Cantonese written language share the same characters. However, because the Cantonese use unique expressions in their oral speaking, it is sometimes difficult for Mandarin speaking people to understand Cantonese writing.
While the characters are the same, the pronunciations of the characters are different. The Cantonese can have up to nine meanings for the same sound. The Mandarin language has four. Each language’s consonants and vowels differ as well.
As you may have determined, Mandarin appears to be the wiser choice to learn before visiting China. Not only is Mandarin easier to learn, you will find that you will encounter more Mandarin speaking people than Cantonese speaking. With television and radio broadcasts in Mandarin, you will allow yourself to stay better informed. Karaoke is extremely popular as well, so you should brush up on your singing skills through karaoke online sites, it’s a great way to mingle and make friends in the bars.
Overcoming a language barrier should be a concern for anyone traveling overseas. Not only will you ensure a safer trip, you also will be able to fully immerse yourself into the culture. Even if you don’t have the time or ability to learn the language fluently, at least learn enough to get by.
Important words to learn are help, police and bathroom. You shouldn’t worry about words you’ll rarely use like platypus and prasugrel. Learning a language has never been easier, as there are many teaching tools available. You can always check your local college for classes. There also are many programs you can buy for home use. CD ROMs, DVDs, cassette tapes, MP3 downloads; they are all out there.
So whether you choose Mandarin or Cantonese, learn enough to communicate effectively and have a nice trip!
{ 0 comments… add one now }