Comments on: Taiwanese class at Shi-Da http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/07/taiwanese-class-at-shi-da/ commentary on all things Taiwanese — Taiwan Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:43:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Johan http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/07/taiwanese-class-at-shi-da/comment-page-1/#comment-41028 Johan Thu, 19 Jul 2007 12:35:21 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/07/taiwanese-class-at-shi-da/#comment-41028 Mark, your "guess" is probably far from the truth. Have a look at www.johangijsen.blogspot.com; I hope it will make you think again. Thanks! Mark, your “guess” is probably far from the truth. Have a look at http://www.johangijsen.blogspot.com; I hope it will make you think again. Thanks!

]]> By: somimi http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/07/taiwanese-class-at-shi-da/comment-page-1/#comment-37912 somimi Thu, 05 Jul 2007 08:03:57 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/07/taiwanese-class-at-shi-da/#comment-37912 Nice! I was going to take that class. I hadn't realized it had already started. In fact, I have been very much out of the loop on what ShiDa offers its students. I just saw the posters advertising the Turtle Island and Kenting trips. Definitely want to do one of those, but I could have easily never known about it! I need to pay more attention to those bulletin boards. I've been spoiled by the email-bulletins my school back home employs... Nice! I was going to take that class. I hadn’t realized it had already started. In fact, I have been very much out of the loop on what ShiDa offers its students. I just saw the posters advertising the Turtle Island and Kenting trips. Definitely want to do one of those, but I could have easily never known about it!

I need to pay more attention to those bulletin boards. I’ve been spoiled by the email-bulletins my school back home employs…

]]> By: David Reid http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/07/taiwanese-class-at-shi-da/comment-page-1/#comment-37902 David Reid Thu, 05 Jul 2007 06:43:53 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/07/taiwanese-class-at-shi-da/#comment-37902 Mark, I understand that from an educational viewpoint choices about what languages should be taught and when are very important. I still think a place can be found for Taiwanese without having negative outcomes. As for politics, perhaps if the issue were <i>less</i> politicised some good policies and programs could be put in place. For all its Hoklo rhetoric I don't think the DPP has really achieved as much as it could have. Mark, I understand that from an educational viewpoint choices about what languages should be taught and when are very important. I still think a place can be found for Taiwanese without having negative outcomes.

As for politics, perhaps if the issue were less politicised some good policies and programs could be put in place. For all its Hoklo rhetoric I don’t think the DPP has really achieved as much as it could have.

]]> By: John B http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/07/taiwanese-class-at-shi-da/comment-page-1/#comment-37883 John B Thu, 05 Jul 2007 04:19:50 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/07/taiwanese-class-at-shi-da/#comment-37883 I'm quite jealous! I wish the PRC would get over their "everyone has to speak Mandarin and Mandarin only!" mindset and allow universities to offer dialect courses. I would love studying Shanghainese while I'm living in the city. I’m quite jealous! I wish the PRC would get over their “everyone has to speak Mandarin and Mandarin only!” mindset and allow universities to offer dialect courses. I would love studying Shanghainese while I’m living in the city.

]]> By: Mark http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/07/taiwanese-class-at-shi-da/comment-page-1/#comment-37789 Mark Wed, 04 Jul 2007 17:44:56 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/07/taiwanese-class-at-shi-da/#comment-37789 I guess the issue is that while the language would benefit from a more prominent place in the educational system, the educational system wouldn't necessarily benefit from giving the language a more prominent place. Like it or not, Mandarin is the most spoken language in the world, and that's the language that students will benefit from, here or in Singapore. More instruction in English, the uncontested second language of choice the world over, will probably help students more than spending that time on Minnanhua would. Politics is about the <i>only</i> thing that could propel Taiwanese to a more prominent position in the schools. I guess the issue is that while the language would benefit from a more prominent place in the educational system, the educational system wouldn’t necessarily benefit from giving the language a more prominent place. Like it or not, Mandarin is the most spoken language in the world, and that’s the language that students will benefit from, here or in Singapore. More instruction in English, the uncontested second language of choice the world over, will probably help students more than spending that time on Minnanhua would.

Politics is about the only thing that could propel Taiwanese to a more prominent position in the schools.

]]> By: Daily Links - July 4th, 2006 | bent http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/07/taiwanese-class-at-shi-da/comment-page-1/#comment-37787 Daily Links - July 4th, 2006 | bent Wed, 04 Jul 2007 17:36:27 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/07/taiwanese-class-at-shi-da/#comment-37787 [...] Shi-Da is offering classes in Taiwanese, but only once a week. I’ll definitely be looking into these (well, once I manage competency in Chinese). [...] [...] Shi-Da is offering classes in Taiwanese, but only once a week. I’ll definitely be looking into these (well, once I manage competency in Chinese). [...]

]]> By: miao http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/07/taiwanese-class-at-shi-da/comment-page-1/#comment-37786 miao Wed, 04 Jul 2007 17:27:42 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/07/taiwanese-class-at-shi-da/#comment-37786 That is very encouraging to hear. People always ask me if I'm from Singapore because I speak Taiwanese fluently. But when I ask my friends in Singapore what proportion of the population there speaks Hokkien, they say it's the older folks- the younger generation tends to speak Mandarin. That was a real bummer, because this language is very dear to me. You are right the language could benefit from a more prominent place in the education system. However, I don't think that is possible due to current politics. Thanks for talking about this on your blog though. I didn't even know Taiwanese was being formally taught! That is very encouraging to hear. People always ask me if I’m from Singapore because I speak Taiwanese fluently. But when I ask my friends in Singapore what proportion of the population there speaks Hokkien, they say it’s the older folks- the younger generation tends to speak Mandarin. That was a real bummer, because this language is very dear to me.

You are right the language could benefit from a more prominent place in the education system. However, I don’t think that is possible due to current politics. Thanks for talking about this on your blog though. I didn’t even know Taiwanese was being formally taught!

]]> By: David Reid http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/07/taiwanese-class-at-shi-da/comment-page-1/#comment-37744 David Reid Wed, 04 Jul 2007 11:00:31 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/07/taiwanese-class-at-shi-da/#comment-37744 I don't think my limited efforts to learn the language will do much to save it. The most important thing is for the language to be given a more important place in Taiwan's education system and for more people to become literate in the language (hopefully using romanisation!). The language is hardly unpopular. Hokkien/Minnan is spoken by about 50 million people in Taiwan, China and various parts of Southeast Asia. I don’t think my limited efforts to learn the language will do much to save it. The most important thing is for the language to be given a more important place in Taiwan’s education system and for more people to become literate in the language (hopefully using romanisation!).

The language is hardly unpopular. Hokkien/Minnan is spoken by about 50 million people in Taiwan, China and various parts of Southeast Asia.

]]> By: miao http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/07/taiwanese-class-at-shi-da/comment-page-1/#comment-37684 miao Wed, 04 Jul 2007 03:18:58 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/07/taiwanese-class-at-shi-da/#comment-37684 Kudos to you for taking Taiwanese! I often lament that it is an unpopular and dying language. :( Thank you David for helping keep it alive. Kudos to you for taking Taiwanese! I often lament that it is an unpopular and dying language. :( Thank you David for helping keep it alive.

]]> By: David Reid http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/07/taiwanese-class-at-shi-da/comment-page-1/#comment-37678 David Reid Wed, 04 Jul 2007 02:28:17 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/07/taiwanese-class-at-shi-da/#comment-37678 Mark, it's only two hours a week. Not enough really. I would love to take a full-time Taiwanese class if Shi-Da offered one. Mark, it’s only two hours a week. Not enough really. I would love to take a full-time Taiwanese class if Shi-Da offered one.

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