College makes Chinese compulsory
BBC NEWS England Southern Counties College makes Chinese compulsory: “An independent college is becoming the first in Britain to make Mandarin Chinese a compulsory subject.
The move at Brighton College, in East Sussex, was said to reflect China’s position as the fastest-growing economy in the world. “
An interesting move, and probably very well considered. I’m sure there will be people deploring the decline of traditional subjects in schools, but Mandarin has the most native speakers in the world. (English has the most speakers, but most of them are not native). China’s economy is growing at an amazing rate as the economic landscape changes and will certainly become more nd more of a political heavyweight as time goes on.
However, most people won’t actually use it for much more than insulting their friends and ordering food as few schoolkids retain their school language unless they end up using it regularly.
Shiny!
I woulda much preferred to learn Chinese at school than say … Latin.
Ok. I never studied Latin either.
I opted for German, as alledgedly being more useful.
Not that I have really used it.
But then my French has atrophied as well.
And my Spanish was only barely a fledgling before it got cut down (in an unfortunate schmmmelt-tin axident).
But how long before Manadrin starts invading the ‘English’ language?
Rock on! I say!