Date Posted: 10/30/2012 9:12:54 AM
Posted By: Franco1989 Membership Level: Silver Total Points: 321
The Chinese have set up so many companies and corporations not only in Kenya but also in many African countries. In this way they have tried to bridge the communication barrier by establishing Chinese language centers and cultural centers too. By doing so they would be able to bond the locals together with them and this will improve their relationships with the locals and in turn increase their sales to greater heights.The establishment of the cultural centers mean learning of Chinese by the locals. Many are now enrolled in Chinese classes to gain an upper hand into getting the Chinese people have them in their projects as managers and communication assistants. They however go through numerous challenges before getting what they want at the end. One of the largest challenge is that learning a new language where most of the people don't speak it is close to selling ice to an Eskimo. It is a daunting task indeed. This way you will probably have an excuse to speak your local language. Some of these phrases and words from Chinese are so embarrassing to say them and this will in turn shy you off from speaking them. For example the phrase "ni hao" meaning hallo in Chinese is so funny and so speaking in front of people is not easy. Most people also have the problem of making mistakes since they feel inadequate. The only way to improve on the said problem is to get either a Chinese friend who will always assist you on the same and give you a more talk time. This is a major way to ensure that you learn more about Chinese language apart from the normal classroom experience. People should also have the courage to speak Chinese in any possible chance and make as many mistakes as possible since it is through the mistakes that you will learn the language. You can also try to establish your own Chinese world by having listening gadgets for Chinese and also trying to immerse yourself into the language as much as possible.Another major challenge that has also been a problem to me is wrong pronunciation of the words and phrases. Chinese is known as a tonal language and has four major tones so the way you pronounce the tones is the way it gives the word a meaning. If you use a different tone on a word you will give it a different meaning and therefore you will not be able to be understood by anyone. The best way to tackle this problem is by using the hearing aids which will enable you to get the different tonal variation. You should also try as much as possible to practice by your own on how to pronounce the words maybe in front of the mirror or recording yourself then hearing whether you are doing the right thing. As much as it appears a little cumbersome and tiresome too but it is highly encouraged as none can get good results through shoddy and few practice. There are numerous lessons in the internet that one can get few tips on how to pronounce the said words. There are also many radio lessons especially with the China Radio International which bring situational Chinese lessons that come in handy too and help you to sharpen your skill.There is also the problem of learning the Chinese strokes or characters called "hanzi". They are so complicated and difficult to write them. They also looks so similar that one can confuse them but they is only one way of learning them and that is by practice and more practice. one cannot learn them by just sitting by but through daily drills and repetition. One only needs to learn at least five thousand characters and that is all.With all these in practice your spoken Chinese language will improve drastically and also you will be able to enjoy the culture which is very unique and also interesting. You will also be able to enjoy the fruits that come with learning Chinese. A smooth sailing job, numerous trips to China and even a Chinese wife can come your way. All in all there is nothing that comes easy in this world and you need to have a lot of patience as you learn step by step.
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