More people speak Chinese than any other language in the world, according to Encarta -- approximately 1.2 billion people. However, there is not just one Chinese “language.” Some Chinese dialects are so diverse as to be unintelligible to speakers of other Chinese dialects. In fact, the subject of whether certain variations of Chinese should be classified as dialects or as separate languages has created some controversy among linguists, according to Professor Mark Csikszentmihalyi, Department Chair, Chinese Language and Literature at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
The Diversity of the Chinese Language
Mandarin dialects are spoken throughout the majority of mainland China, as well as in Singapore and Taiwan. As the official language of the Peoples Republic of China, Mandarin is used in government, education, and in the Chinese media.
But even Mandarin has its variations. As Professor Csikszentmihalyi explains [in a 2008 email interview], “The difference between Mandarin spoken in Beijing and the language spoken in Chengdu or...Nanjing is that of a dialect -- people in these three cities can understand each other, even though there are numerous differences in pronunciation and some in grammar and syntax. So these might be seen as ‘dialects’ like Cockney is a dialect of English.”
There are many Chinese dialects that are not intelligible to Mandarin speakers and vice versa, and in this sense they are more like different languages. Cantonese, one of these distinctive dialects, is spoken primarily in the southeastern province of Guangdong and in Hong Kong. Csikszentmihalyi says that the largest of these distinctive dialects is actually not Cantonese but Wuyu, which is spoken in Shanghal and Suzhou. “Cantonese is next, then Minnanhua (Fujianese and Taiwanese). These different groups can't really understand each other, and so they are more like English, German and Dutch.”
Why Choose to Study Chinese?
Professor Csikszentmihalyi believes that the study of Chinese “opens up many worlds of people and books.” In the email interview he spoke of the importance of learning Chinese for those going into business or government because of the growing global strength of China. But for Csikszentmihalyi, it comes down to the richness of the culture and the history of China. He finds the language to be “truly fascinating,” and relishes the “rarity of being truly bilingual” in two major languages.
Which Chinese Language to Learn, Mandarin or Cantonese?
For many high school and college students, there may not be a choice. When budgets are tight or staffing is limited Mandarin is the dialect that is most often taught. As Csikszentmihalyi puts it, Mandarin is the "lingua franca" of modern China, and thus most often offered outside China.
But when a choice is offered, Csikszentmihalyi says that it comes down to with whom one wants to speak. Chinese language learners wanting to interact with components of government, the Chinese media, or work in education in China will need to learn Mandarin. Those interested in participating in anthropological fieldwork or interacting with people in Guangdong province or rural villages outside Hong Kong will need to learn the local dialect and thus should study Cantonese.
Csikszentmihalyi suggests that, since all of the Chinese dialects use the same written characters and a grammar similar to Mandarin, learning Mandarin first could be a good idea. Mandarin also has fewer intonations to learn than Cantonese, thus making it easier for some. Those earnest about learning Chinese might do well to study Mandarin for a year or two, then study Cantonese or another local dialect.
Whichever Chinese language one chooses to study, with the number of Chinese nationals living in the U.S., Canada, and other countries around the globe, and with the rise of China as an economic and cultural powerhouse on the world stage, Chinese bilingualism today is more important than ever.
