Is It Really Necessary to Learn Chinese?

Chinese: It’s the most commonly spoken language in the world and the language of the world’s most dynamic economy. The US Ambassador to China, Jon Huntsman speaks it – so does Australia’s Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

But as a foreign businessman in China – is it necessary for you to learn it to advance your opportunities and career? The simple answer is: yes!

Many argue, however, that Chinese is too difficult to learn later in life and requires too much of an investment in time, energy and commitment. They argue that there is no point in spending a year or two of study just to utter a few basic catchphrases. Speaking like a native, they argue, requires a ten-year commitment – at least.

While nobody in China is expecting you to speak like a native, your attempts at communicating in Chinese with your local partners will go a long way and will help break the ice…and deepen your relationships and trustworthiness with Chinese people. The benefits to learning Chinese – even a few phrases (if it’s all you can master) will help build bridges and will open up China’s 5,000 year civilization in many new ways.

Imagine ordering Beijing duck for you and your prospective business partners in Chinese! No doubt you will participate in banquets while doing business in China. Business in China is built on personal relationships and learning Chinese is the most impactful single thing you can do to enhance your relationships in China.

A Brief Introduction to the Chinese Language

First, a brief primer about Chinese within the greater context of China. China is home to 56 ethnic minorities including Mongolians, Tibetans and Uighurs – with most of these ethnic minorities having their own unique language.

One of the 56 ethnic groups is Han Chinese; Han Chinese comprise over 90 percent of China’s population. Within this 90 percent of China’s population, the Han Chinese speak eight different major dialects. Each of these dialects is different enough to be considered a different language.

These dialects are as mutually unintelligible as French is to a Portuguese speaker. They are called dialects rather than languages because they are bound together by the same written script. For example, a person in Beijing and a person in Guangzhou can read and understand the very same Chinese newspaper but will pronounce the same Chinese characters in very different ways.

Even with the eight major dialects, China has a national language – understood by Han Chinese and pretty much all of China – including the 56 ethnic minorities. Standard Mandarin Chinese is a constant throughout all of China.

This may come as a surprise but Standard Mandarin Chinese – the proper kind spoken by China Central Television News presenters is a modern language. Just like India’s Hindi language, Standard Mandarin Chinese, known as “putonghua” in Chinese is was created in the 20th century as a way to modernize the country and bridge cultural and geographic divides.

Putonghua is the language most foreigners study when they learn Chinese. Putonghua is understood by nearly everyone in mainland China and Taiwan and many overseas Chinese in places like Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia. It is China’s “lingua franca.”

An interesting fact: Putonghua is based on Beijing Dialect – but it differs from Beijing’s colorful local dialect in a variety of ways. In fact, because Putonghua is a contrived language it is native to nowhere. It was based on local dialects such as Beijing Dialect and standardized. Beijing Dialect itself is quite old – although not as old as Shanghai Dialect or Cantonese.

What About Learning Cantonese or Shanghainese for Business?

While Putonghua is China’s language and is the language of schools, courts, TV and all officialdom – it is not the first language for many Chinese. Cantonese, the dialect spoken in Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macao is a colorful dialect and the one most people associate with China. Why? Ninety percent of overseas Chinese speak Cantonese yet they represent only six percent of the entire Chinese speaking world.

Cantonese is the language of Chinatowns from San Francisco to Sydney to London. That being said, Putonghua is more and more understood in Cantonese strongholds like Hong Kong and overseas Chinatowns. And since Guangdong Province is part of mainland China, Putonghua is the officially taught language. With changes in migration, Mandarin will overtake Cantonese as the language of overseas Chinese.

Shanghainese – the language of urban Shanghai – is also heard more frequently in overseas Chinese communities. Using five tones instead of the four tones in Putonghua, Shanghainese is the language of a proud people.

Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shanghai are all major centers of commerce; it’s likely readers of this column will visit these areas more often than they will visit Beijing. My suggestion: Putonghua is the one to learn – Chinese from any region will still appreciate you trying to communicate in Putonghua. For extra culture points, you can impress your Chinese hosts by learning a few words in their local dialect.

Truly Advance Your Business Opportunities in China: Learn to Read and Write Chinese

Admittedly, learning Chinese isn’t easy. It can be a lifetime commitment and many foreigners do have difficulty with spoken Chinese because it’s a tonal language – say the incorrect tone and the word changes meaning.

That being said, if you truly want to advance your business opportunities, you should learn to read and write Chinese characters. As I wrote earlier, Chinese characters are consistent throughout all Chinese Dialect speakers in mainland China.

A quick note: not to make things too confusing but mainland China uses a system of written Chinese called “simplified characters” while Taiwan, Hong Kong and elsewhere overseas uses “complex characters.” Complex characters typically have more strokes and are more difficult to learn.

Speaking Chinese will break the ice between you and Chinese partners but learning to read and write will open up many, many doors, including: communicating on MSN and QQ in Chinese, reading local newspapers and reviewing contracts.

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