Comments on: Learning Mandarin in Taiwan http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2006/07/learning-mandarin-in-taiwan/ commentary on all things Taiwanese -- Taichung, Taiwan Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:46:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Study Mandarin in China http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2006/07/learning-mandarin-in-taiwan/comment-page-1/#comment-84675 Study Mandarin in China Sat, 17 Jan 2009 12:21:45 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2006/07/learning-mandarin-in-taiwan/#comment-84675 Yes I agree with you and Taiwan is the place where one could go for learning Mandarin but it is not so much famous as China. In that case government should do something. Yes I agree with you and Taiwan is the place where one could go for learning Mandarin but it is not so much famous as China. In that case government should do something.

]]> By: Mark http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2006/07/learning-mandarin-in-taiwan/comment-page-1/#comment-132 Mark Mon, 31 Jul 2006 07:53:00 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2006/07/learning-mandarin-in-taiwan/#comment-132 Well... the issue of size is important. The article never mentioned Heilongjiang province specifically, either. Heilongjiang is known as the place with the most standard Mandarin in China. It also has nearly double the population of Taiwan. I realize Taiwan is in a special situation and can't be compared to just any old Chinese province. However, with non-standard language and with less than 2% of all Mandarin speakers living here, it's hardly a shoe-in. Anonymous, what made you pick Shanghai? To be honest, that would be one of the last places in China I'd go for Chinese classes. I see it as kind of like Taiwan- better for working, but not a top study destination. Well… the issue of size is important. The article never mentioned Heilongjiang province specifically, either. Heilongjiang is known as the place with the most standard Mandarin in China. It also has nearly double the population of Taiwan.

I realize Taiwan is in a special situation and can’t be compared to just any old Chinese province. However, with non-standard language and with less than 2% of all Mandarin speakers living here, it’s hardly a shoe-in.

Anonymous, what made you pick Shanghai? To be honest, that would be one of the last places in China I’d go for Chinese classes. I see it as kind of like Taiwan- better for working, but not a top study destination.

]]> By: David http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2006/07/learning-mandarin-in-taiwan/comment-page-1/#comment-131 David Sat, 29 Jul 2006 23:47:00 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2006/07/learning-mandarin-in-taiwan/#comment-131 anonymous, I read the Time article when it was published in June. It also struck me as strange that Taiwan was omitted. However, it is easy to think that from here in Taiwan. When you consider the point of view of most people around the world China is the most obvious place to study Chinese. It's sad to say, but most people either think Taiwan is part of China or don't even know where Taiwan is. anonymous, I read the Time article when it was published in June. It also struck me as strange that Taiwan was omitted. However, it is easy to think that from here in Taiwan. When you consider the point of view of most people around the world China is the most obvious place to study Chinese. It’s sad to say, but most people either think Taiwan is part of China or don’t even know where Taiwan is.

]]> By: Anonymous http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2006/07/learning-mandarin-in-taiwan/comment-page-1/#comment-130 Anonymous Sat, 29 Jul 2006 13:04:00 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2006/07/learning-mandarin-in-taiwan/#comment-130 Mark, I read that article in the Times, too, and I thought it was good, for what the writer was trying to say. I don't think he was saying Taiwan is the best place to learn Chinese, compared to China, because you are, China is way cheaper and the schools are good there, I've studied Mandarin in Shanghai, too, loved it, but I think all that article was saying was why didn't Time magazine at least mention Taiwan ONCE in the article. After reading that piece in the Times, I went to the Time archives and read the long story they wrote about learning Chinese in China, and true enough, Taiwan was not mentioned AT ALL, not once. So I think that was the only point that guy was making. It would have been better as a letter to the editor, IMHO. Mark,
I read that article in the Times, too, and I thought it was good, for what the writer was trying to say. I don’t think he was saying Taiwan is the best place to learn Chinese, compared to China, because you are, China is way cheaper and the schools are good there, I’ve studied Mandarin in Shanghai, too, loved it, but I think all that article was saying was why didn’t Time magazine at least mention Taiwan ONCE in the article. After reading that piece in the Times, I went to the Time archives and read the long story they wrote about learning Chinese in China, and true enough, Taiwan was not mentioned AT ALL, not once. So I think that was the only point that guy was making. It would have been better as a letter to the editor, IMHO.

]]> By: Mark http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2006/07/learning-mandarin-in-taiwan/comment-page-1/#comment-129 Mark Tue, 25 Jul 2006 21:51:00 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2006/07/learning-mandarin-in-taiwan/#comment-129 David, I really enjoy how you always seem to dig up the interesting articles from the Taipei Times. I have a couple of comments. 1) I've met Dan Bloom. It was in the night market in Jiayi and he was hawking his "I love Taiwan" book. Considering how long he's been here, his own level of Mandarin abilities, and his strong feelings about Taiwan, he's the <I>last</I> person I'd be listening to about where to study Chinese. 2) When I was in Beijing, a fair number of people <I>couldn't</I> understand me due my Taiwanese accent and diction. Especially during my first few days there, I had to spend a lot of time explaining myself and asking for clarifications. 3) There's one huge factor that makes studying on the mainland appealing that hasn't come up yet- it's <a HREF="http://www.study-in-china.org/school/heilongjiang/Hit/Chinese.asp" rel="nofollow">MUCH cheaper</A>. David, I really enjoy how you always seem to dig up the interesting articles from the Taipei Times. I have a couple of comments.

1) I’ve met Dan Bloom. It was in the night market in Jiayi and he was hawking his “I love Taiwan” book. Considering how long he’s been here, his own level of Mandarin abilities, and his strong feelings about Taiwan, he’s the last person I’d be listening to about where to study Chinese.

2) When I was in Beijing, a fair number of people couldn’t understand me due my Taiwanese accent and diction. Especially during my first few days there, I had to spend a lot of time explaining myself and asking for clarifications.

3) There’s one huge factor that makes studying on the mainland appealing that hasn’t come up yet- it’s MUCH cheaper.

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