Tell you a joke.Sensei(Teacher in Japanese) asks: a person knowing three languages is called trilingual, a person knowing two languages is called bilingual, what about a personknowing only one language?
The answer: American!
Huh? Does my Joke lose you again here?Buddies, I would like to ask you sit back and give that some deep thought what Iwrote. We Chinese English-learners can never be real bilinguals and why should BE? Chinese English-learners are much more capable than most Americans and many other native English speakers in terms of language competence. At lease we are willing to know another language and know different people from many different countries. English is but a tool for all of us. It is difficult for us to learn as we live in an environment of all Chinese. Even if we study harder and smarter than any native English speakers in the world, we can never be real bilingual. We cannot understand Shakerspeare’s sonnets. But, but why do we have to know them? Does our identity as English learner give us the obligation to know any line in English? We are learning English to facilitate our life and win a new future, not to be English expert. If our English enables us to be understood well, it is good enough. If you cannot understand a joke in English, no problem. Try if an American can understand Mr. Bean. But why do some Chinese feel uneasy in this situation? Coz there is a saying that we Chinese should try our best to get better chance abroad that results in the anxiety to speak as real Americans/many native English speakers. This is a misunderstanding of our present situation. Do you think Americans will treat you as their peers when you can laugh at the same joke? Or Englishmen won’t look down on you when you can really appreciate Mr. Bean? No Way! To win their respect by your excellent performance! Our value lie in our professional knowledge plus Chinese and English. Why should we compete with our drawback? America is not the only and last place where is money. Think why the U.S. is so strong when most of its citizens are monolinguals.
You wouldn’t say someone is ignorant when he doesn’t know Zeus coz maybe you don’t even know who the Chairman Mao is. Just try if you can express yourself well in Chinese. Knowledge of English does not equal to English Proficiency. I like Chinese stories and Chinese writers and Chinese talkshow(Xiangsheng) and Chinese prose and Chinese movies and Chinese songs. Our English will naturally improve when using it daily or just frequently. Just relax and appreciate our beautiful English and other non-mother-tongue languages. If you feel ashamed when you cannot understand an English poem or joke, don’t worry. I tell you a shortcut to stun those English speakers. Want to know it?(？？？？) :--))) HahAaHA!!!! See who is more civilized and educated! Folks, my posting seems a little bit deviate from the what you want to know the you can’t understand what FuddyDuddy was talking about. And buddy, I don’t read many English stories and I am not higher-educated. But as a Pure Chinese, I quite enjoy works of “Luxun”, “Zhouguoping”, “Yuqiuyu” and “Linyutang”, the last, not least, “Qianzhongshu”. And I feel pity some of my ideas can only be effectively expressed in Chinese so that I cannot post them here. And the reason why I don’t post in Chinese is that I cannot type Chinese fast and this is an English study website.( I don’t know how to use “Wubi”) It is too painful to type Chinese Characters one by one!!!!!
So, John, Can I post “Pinyin” here with tone indication? Qing3 Kao3 Lv4 Yi1 Xia4! Bai4 Tuo1!
:---)))))
