Do you think that someday we will have to learn chinese instead of english?

Question

If China overcomes the U.S. someday, we will have to learn chinese... instead of english being the language to comunicate through nations!

What do you think about this?

yeah i agree mark o, spanish is the second most spoken language in the world, it should be the one haha

Answer 1

I know some Chinese who were born and brought up in Hong Kong and either their parents are American Chinese or Australian Chinese, so, the families can't speak Cantonese nor Mandarin at all! I also know quite a few of my friends that they are ABC (American born Chinese) or BBC (British born Chinese) that they only speak English, they gave up learning Chinese when they were small and against their parents' encouragement!

What I want to point out is that if a person has no interest or no need to learn a foreign language (or dialect), no one can force he/she to do so!

English is not the official language in China, therefore, all the contracts and legal documents are written in Chinese, you may find good translators or interperters to help you but still when you sign the paper, it is written in Chinese! If you are not going to do business or set up business net work in China, you do not need to learn the language at all.

I'm from Hong Kong, there are a lot of consultant companies that help the businessmen from different countries to sourse business oportunities and they can visit China ocassionally and all documents are written in English or Japanese or German..., etc. and they also have compromised to do the payment in Hong Kong where English is one of the official languages.

China has 1/5 population of this planet, they mostly speak Mandarin or other dialects (Shanghainese / Cantonese / Fujianese....) and most citizens in the modern cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shengzheng are learning or can speak fluent English, especially, the 2008 Olympics is coming and they have to prepare themselves for the hugh numbers of visitors from different countries.

In the next few decades, people should be multilingual just like what we are now! (Most Europeans speak more than 5 languages!) And English would still be one of the main languages for communications!

I can't imagine I would see some Chinese signage in those International Airports of Paris, Frankfurt, Oslo, Mexico City...etc within the next 20 years!

Let's see what would really happen or change.

Answer 2

First of all, Spanish is faaar from being the first or even second most spoken language in the world ( just do a search by typing "most spoken language in the world) and you will see the reality chart. For that individual that said he only hear Spanish wherever he goes, well let me tell you, you haven't gone far enought from your block. LOL....

Altho CHINESE is the the first most spoken language in the world, it will most likely not replace English because ppls has already recognized that English is the Universal language. I have traveled alots and in every countries that I've been to, everyone there stuggle to lean English, no matter if they live in Europe or Asia. I for myself, I speak fluently 6 languages, but still, I know that English is still the most important language in the world. Wherever you go, you will find someone that can help you out in English, NOT Chinese, nor Spanish.
So, for those that worry, I wouldn't worry about it AT ALL.

Answer 3

poken language in the world, it will most likely not replace English because ppls has already recognized that English is the Universal language. I have traveled alots and in every countries that I've been to, everyone there stuggle to lean English, no matter if they live in Europe or Asia. I for myself, I speak fluently 6 languages, but still, I know that English is still the most important language in the world. Wherever you go, you will find someone that can help you out in English, NOT Chinese, nor Spanish.
So, for those that worry, I wouldn't worry about it AT ALL.
Source(s):

Answer 4

Not in the near future. It is true that many people speak Chinese but these speakers are mainly Chinese.
On the other side there is no one but several Chinese, Cantonese and Mandarin being the main.
English is a very simple language and wide spoken. It is easier for Chinese to learn English than for any foreigner to learn Cantonese or Mandarin. You rather learn Spanish or French.

Answer 5

Nah. English is developing too much. It is also the language of the biggest nations. I cannot see how the most powerful nations would abandon their language on account of a less powerful country. If anything English will rule. Spanish will follow on second (eventually) and then Chinese (eventually).

Answer 6

I don't think Chinese will replace English in my lifetime but I think it's going to be a major foreign language for students in every country in the world. I think the following languages will be the most important languages in this century:
English, Chinese, Spanish and Arabic.

Answer 7

a language is only as important as its people so for as long as the U.S. is the most powerful country of the world, english will always be the most important language. And I think, if not forever, the U.S. will still be the most porwerful country in the world for a long time.

Answer 8

I doubt it. Even if China became 'the' superpower, I think they would need to communicate in English with the rest of the world, because English has already spread and pretty much established itself as a global language. That seems much more plausible.

Answer 9

yes itis.my country was on the top -5000 years ago.europeans were that time climbing up and down the cherry trees searching for food. they flourished the indians went down fighting castes and creeds. chinese were super-powers and had ruled a large part of the universe.and they have multiplied.in the past english has ruled the world.it is time chinese force their way to gain number one rank in all spheres incl language till the time indian stop fighting over castes and colour of the skin.

Answer 10

I really doubt it, I think China is beginning to enjoy the less communist type of existence, they are fast coming westernised - friendship pays better dividends then their previous attitude.

AND I would bet anything you like, that there are far more Chinese in the world that can speak English then there are
any of us that can speak Chinese!!!