Just Suck it up and Learn Chinese!

Update 30/07/11: Another reader sent me this link: daily news article in Chinese and English with highlighted terms for study.-----------------------One of the points I make in my presentations at various shows around Asia (Buying From China, What New Buyers Need to Know) is that regular China buyers should learn Chinese.  This suggestion is usually met with laughs, rolled eyes and versions of “Yea, right!”But after they stop laughing I ask them, "Why not?"  Over the years I have really only heard three answers, 1. I don’t have time, 2. I don’t want to, 3. I don’t think that I can/I’m not good at language learning.  Basically they are all the same: I don’t think that it’s important enough to really try to learn and/or I don’t want to put the time and effort into learning Chinese at this point.Fair enough.  It’s not for everyone.  I understand.  But for those who come to China often or who are working with Chinese suppliers regularly (or who are married to a Chinese!!), it should be a priority, if for no other reason than to save your money and your sanity.  (Do you really need any other reasons?!)In 1998 when the Thai economy collapsed I lost my job as a English-to-Thai translator in BKK.  I realized then that I wanted to stay in Asia and the best way to do that was to learn Chinese.  So I moved to a very small town in Taiwan and worked as a curriculum director (glorified teaching position) and an English teacher at a local high school while I spent as much time as I could studying Chinese on my own.With a full time job, a family, and some other responsibilities within 2 years I was still able to get to the point where I could use Chinese for business negotiations, factory visits, to understand much of the TV news and peck-out simple letters in Chinese characters.  I focused on speaking and character recognition and have really never practiced any writing at all (Who needs it?!  With computers, text and Skype I rarely hand-write anything even in English any more.).You can do it too.  Back then I had a couple of books, some flash cards, a friend or two in the same boat and a dictionary.  Sure I lived in Taiwan, but I also worked in an exclusively English environment and went home to a completely English environment as well.

Side Note: Let me say here also, my Chinese isn’t great--upper intermediate.  That's what living and working here (but not studying will get you).  After studying the basics on my own in Taiwan, I have just learned the rest of what I know as I work/live each day here in China.  I have a pretty good ear for tones and a decent accent; it helped to learn Thai first for sure.  But since I never really went through a formal course/manual my vocab is broad but not deep and I so I still can’t fully read a newspaper—but I can read QC forms, spec sheets and email; I can send messages in and emails in Chinese too.  I can do negotiations and problem solving in factories exclusively in Chinese.  I can understand movies and TV in Chinese.  But I can’t do contract work and book reading is difficult. I can drive in Chinese too--watch out!

Here’s a great example of how anyone, anywhere can do it:   (And if this one app doesn’t convince you that you want to learn Chinese then there’s really no hope for you.)I found that there are two keys to language learning.  One is to have a thick skin—you’re going to get laughed at, your going to get frustrated, you’re going to get served the wrong food.  So what?!  You have to learn that “I don’t understand” and “what did you say?” are some of the most useful phases you’ll ever learn.  Second, the real trick to learning a language is to force yourself to do something new every day.  A stack of cards, listen to the news, order a bowl of noodles, talk about a sporting event, read an article, tell directions.  Something, anything at least once a day.  10-15 minutes of something that is honestly difficult for you.There is real value in learning Chinese, not just esoteric value to additional knowledge.  This article points out that one of the things that all of these VERY different but successful American entrepreneurs in China have in common is that they all speak Chinese and understand Chinese culture.   With that said, let me make this plug for anthropology and history studies (Yes, I'm waving the flag for all of us who defied logic, received social science degrees and found a way to actually make money).  I can’t think of a better degree/background for understanding the Chinese language than Chinese History/Anthropology.  The culture has SOOOOOOOOooooooooooo much to do with the language (and vise versa).  Being able to speak Chinese doesn’t make you fluent by any measure.  More so than in English, the high-context nature of Chinese requires to understand the culture to understand the words.So not only is it possible for just about anyone at any age, it can be fun, you can save money, you could meet a nice Chinese girl/guy and there are other advantages too:Learning Chinese will save you time in communications.Learning Chinese will save you money in hiring translators.Learning Chinese will save you time and money on projects as you’ll be able to be involved directly in negotiations and problem solving.Learning Chinese will increase your value to your employer (or your own business).  I can't tell you how valuable knowing the language has been for my business--more important than any other one thing I've done besides physically being here.I'm sure there are tons more reasons too.Plus with all the new tech available, learning Chinese shouldn’t cost you much money—as a matter of fact, everything that I had to learn Chinese you can probably access online for free (except the environment, but you can probably manufacture that now too).  There are sites like Pop-Up Chinese (very cool online personal services), CSLPOD, Melnyks Chinese (great help and easy to use lessons) and this great online dictionary.  And I love the articles and comments from the guys over at Beijing Sounds (check out their “Most Commented” posts).  There are hundreds of free (and for pay) iPod/iPhone/iPad apps too.  You can watch Chinese movies (with or without subtitles) and you can listen to Chinese news (NHK world radio has a free 15 minutes of by-natives-for-natives news twice a day in multiple languages--iTunes) and Chinese music anywhere in the world.Of course the counter to that would be what people have always told me at the trade shows, "I just don't have time." And they may be right.  Learning Chinese will take time—a lot of time.  If we’re being perfectly honest it will be more like a second job if you’re really committed.  Plan on at least a couple of quality hours a day for 3 years to get to a lower-intermediate level.And if you’re tone deaf don’t even waste your time—learn Spanish and work in South America.  Hola, Senorita!But except for the few hombres that really can't, just about anyone can learn Chinese.  And there tons of other reasons why you should learn Chinese that are not related to your specific business too—Chances are, with somewhere between 1.2 and 1.5 billion Chinese you’re going to have Chinese neighbors at some point. You’re probably going to soon, if you don’t already have Chinese co-workers/friends/social acquaintances.  If you travel you’ll probably have to push your way though a Chinese tour group sooner than later.  And if you’re reading this, you’re probably either dealing now with or will be dealing with China soon.加油!