This year marks
the 50 years anniversary of releasing Simplify the Chinese Character and
Popularise Mandarin by the State Council. The stipulation that after 2008
the United Nations Chinese version document is only in simplified Chinese
marks the 50-year effort of popularising mandarin. On Mar.22, the ministry
of education organizes a seminar of simplified Chinese and mandarin popularity
and many national famous language experts presented. Mr. Zhou Youguang,
over one hundred years old, also gave his presentation on the seminar.
Simplified Chinese for UN Chinese Version after 2008
It is revealed from Cheng Zhangtai-one of State Chinese Language Committee
members, that the UN will all use simplified Chinese as the official Chinese
only after 2008. The latest released World Languages Report 2005 shows that
Chinese language ranked top four and raised the second place in 2005 but
still behind English Language while ahead Germany. It shows that Chinese
language impacts on the world are expanding and upgrading.
The Simplified Chinese character will become the Chinese only standard not
to force it in Hong Kong
At present, Simplified Chinese Plan has been used in Singapore. Mr. Zhou
Youguang forecasted the simplified Chinese will be adopted little by little
in Hong Kong. With the increasing Chinese international influence, more
and more people across the world are learning Chinese and the simplified
Chinese character will become the Chinese only standard. That means people
from Hong Kong will like using the simplified Chinese character. Fu Yonghe
also from State Chinese Language Committee said that Hong Kong special administrative
region government will decide whether to adopt the simplified Chinese or
not because of its policy of “One nation, two policies”.
Need More Volunteers for Teaching Chinese Overseas
Prof. Lu Jianming who is from Chinese institute of Peking University, one
of State Chinese Language Committee members, the Chief of China-International
Chinese Language Teaching and Research Institute said that China had made
a plan to establish Confucius Institute across the world for populating
Chinese language internationally. So far, 40 Confucius Institutes have been
established all over the world.
China is dispatching volunteers to teach Chinese in abroad. Last year, around
500 volunteers Chinese teachers have been dispatched to other countries.
The Office of Chinese Language Council International has set a “Chinese
Program” for international Chinese language popularities
In the past, there was no Chinese language class in the United State schools,
but now the Chinese language has been listed as IP curriculums for entering
universities in 2007. Research shows that 2347 high schools in the United
States will have Chinese language class that is many more than 300 schools
expected by the University Committee of United States. French president
Chirac once said “The French youth must study Chinese in the near future
when “Chinese year”.
Mandarin Popularity, Dialects in Danger
In view of the popularity of mandarin, some regional dialects are disappearing
little by little and “Protecting dialect” is called for. Mr. Zhou Youguang
explains that with the fast development of cities in China, immigrants’
population grows fast while local people population grows slowly. In such
a city society, the general language for people from different place and
background communication is mandarin. This is the trend, not only in China
but also around the world.
Chen Zhangtai also thought that the popularity of mandarin is to overcome
language trouble and provide people with another language tool for better
communication. At the same time, Chinese government has set up a special
program for rescuing Chinese regional dialects. As a matter of fact, the
Chinese government holds that traditional culture and language should be
protected and carried from generation to generation. China is a big country
with a long history. Chinese language also holds a very long history but
it is not always divided into different languages and its figure is also
the fixed old type. Its figure result in it is the unique language in the
world.
