Nov 24 2009
Should I Learn The Chinese Language Here Or In China?
I have heard that any class that one takes in America (Mandarin or Cantonese) will not be sufficient. “No Chinese person will understand what you’re saying no matter HOW big your vocabulary is!”
My school does a program in China where you learn the Chinese there by immersion and being taught be a teacher who is actually Chinese. It is pricey, but I want to learn how to speak correctly!
Is it a myth that any Chinese learned here will be insufficient, or should go to China with my school to get a better education on the subject?
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7 Responses to “Should I Learn The Chinese Language Here Or In China?”
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I think I benefited by having Chinese classes in the U.S. (taught by Chinese) before I lived in Taiwan because it gave me a basis for everything I learned there. There’s no question though that learning and living the language everyday is the best way to go. if you have the opportunity.
Before you pay the big bucks, do check out the program with students who have gone before, not just with faculty advisors. Some of these programs aren’t what you would hope they would be.
I’ll think that it’s better for you to go to China if you can!
It’s not about which has a better program, I’m sure your school’s one pretty good too, but being in a country where everything is in Chinese, will “force” you into more practice. And when it comes to language, this experience definitely help. What’s more, you can also pick up a few slangs or more conversational vocabulary from the natives during your day-to-day interaction that I think no school syllabus can provide.
All the best!
I’m in Taiwan to learn Mandarin right now, and although my classes haven’t started yet I’ve picked up alot in the last week I’ve been here. I’d definitely say go to China and learn there, you’ll get more bang for your buck in more ways than one…
First of all you will gain free but valuable experience with the language every day. Secondly, living expenses in Asia are super cheap, like you can eat a full meal for about $1.50
Of course ,being in China is the best way to learn Chinese,if you can.We can definitely say that the best way to learn all the foreign languages is to go to the country ,living with their people,speaking the language all the time.I’m Chinese and I’ve seen many foreigners here speak quite good Chinese after they live in China.
I suggest you visit Hello! Mandarin’ s Live Class, http://www.hellomandarin.com/, you will be able to learn Chinese face to face with Beijing teachers. You still can join online live class directly from Beijing and practice with volunteers. Online Course is much cheaper than classroom training if your budget is limited.
I hope this information is helpful to you.
Theres no way you can learn any foreign language here better than the place itself. you’ll pick it up way faster and have better pronunciation. Go to China if you have the chance too, if not then resort to the latter.
China. Familiarize yourself with the basics first, then go. I went to a month and taught ESL. You’ll be amazed how much you pick up when no one else speaks much English.