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Writing in English is Not Fun

 Man lives in a world of language. Wherever humans exist, language exists. Language shapes life. To understand man and humanity we must understand the language that makes  a person  human.  Language is what separates man from beasts. This is simply  explained by Bertrand Russell: “No matter how eloquently a dog may bark, he cannot tell you that his parents were poor but honest.”

Language has several uses.  On the sentimental level  language is used to  to explain feeling, thought, emotion, and sentiment. On the instrumental level it is  a tool for advancement. Using language on this level   is  synonymous with earning a living. The competitive demands of government, industries, and corporations, both national and international, require an understanding  and expert  use of the language of  technology– English, the universal language.

 A person’s ideas no matter how good are sterile or useless unless he can say them clearly and smoothly. Incorrect and awkward English is a social and business handicap. 

Man acquires and transmits knowledge through the medium of words. Through words he can make unique sentences and understand sentences  framed by others.This is called the “creative aspect” of language use. The earliest indication of creativity takes place at the pre-sentence level,  then graduates to the sentence level, and finally arrives at the paragraph level. From being able to construct a whole paragraph,  through transitional devices the student can create a cohesive composition.  

Grammar is at the base of communication. Speakers and writers use a finite set of rules to produce and understand an infinite set of possible sentences. These rules comprise the grammar of a language which should be mastered to achieve grammatical competence.

It is not easy  to master  grammar, for we have to be careful  not to  ”offend grammar” (Lord Chesterfield). A  second language learner  finds  grammar and composition writing   more challenging  than native speakers do  because he has to  adopt himself to a new culture and to  a new way of thinking and feeling. English being a highly-developed language, he can only look up to a high standard. “Structure” or grammar is the skeletal framework of a whole composition;  ”lexicon”  or vocabulary (which includes among others figures of speech and idioms) its  flesh and blood .

Even with the increasing globalization of the market, explosion of knowledge, and the reluctance of speakers and writers of other major languages to yield primacy to English, English has remained the universal language for the past fifty years,  and if the trend continues, we foresee a century before it might be supplanted by another one. If that ever happens,  English would just probably merge with other languages but would never die. 

 Fluency in using  English is a  mark of  a highly- educated person especially if it is achieved by a second language user.###

We use language to communicate, be it written, spoken, or gestured. We communicate to understand and be understood. In this modern era of globalization and fierce competition, English is a necessity. English as a Second Language (ESL) has become one major field of education internationally. Many people, children and adults alike, travel abroad to study English. That means that they spend money and time to study the global lingua franca. ESL students then find any means to study English in the most efficient way possible. One contested question when it comes to mastering spoken English is the dilemma between grammar accuracy and speaking speed.

ESL students have two tendencies. Some are grammar-conscious so they speak slowly. Others speak fast with erroneous grammar. Because you are still an ESL student, it is almost impossible to practice speaking in English being grammar-conscious and fast at the same time. The danger of being grammar conscious is that the speaking speed slows down which delays communication. Your listener will get bored waiting for what you have to say. For those who speak fast without caring about grammar, the danger is misunderstanding. Because of wrong grammar, your message might change.

There are two kinds of English study goals: to migrate in an English speaking country and to pass an exam such as TOEIC, TOEFL, or IELTS. The study method depends on your goal. Why do you study English? Is it because you wanna live in the US? Is it is a requirement for your dream job? If you simply wanna master English to be able to communicate with English speaking people, you have to hone your conversational skills. That means your focus is to speak fast. But if you only need to pass an English exam, you have to concentrate on grammar.

To master grammar accuracy, a great deal of self-study and lectures is needed. This must be done painstakingly. Memorizing grammar rules is not enough. It is greatly advisable to have mock exams to determine which grammatical rules are still confusing to you. When studying grammar, bear in mind that the English grammar is not the same as your native tongue grammar, if not totally different. Try to compare the sentence structure of English and your native tongue by translating the sentence “I love you”. In this way, you can easily check the patterns of the subject, verb, and object.

If you want to hone your conversational skills, prioritize speaking. Needless to say, grammar is a staple subject when studying a language. However, grammar shouldn’t be the focus of those who are mastering their speaking skills. When someone says, “I loves you,” it is very likely that a native speaker will understand. (It is grammatically incorrect but the sentence pattern is accurate.) Sentence patterns should be mastered first before grammar if you simply target speaking fluency.  

Some ESL students master English aiming for a high score in English exams. These students must focus on grammar accuracy. Others need speaking fluency because they are planning to communicate with native speakers for migration. These students must focus on honing their speaking speed. The method on how to study English as to which aspect must be prioritized depends on the goal of the ESL student.

One unique tool to use when learning Chinese is called Hanyu Pinyin. It refers to the attempt to try to write sounds in the Chinese language using the Roman alphabet. It avoids the need to learn to read Chinese characters, at least for a while.

There are other languages used in China besides Mandarin. The language used in and around Beijing is the official language of the country. That is Mandarin Chinese. It is also the one which foreigners most want to learn. Although it is the national language, there are dialects within the language, just as there are many dialects of English. Those regional differences do not actually interfere much with learning the language.

Of course, immersion learning of a new language is usually the most effective. However, it is not always possible. In that case, language classes in Mandarin are available in many large cities. They offer the next best option. If one knows a few Chinese speakers, practice is possible with a native speaker for any corrections which need to be made while learning the language.

Do not discard the idea of a lot of self-instruction. Study from books and recordings can be beneficial in learning a second language. The major negative factor is the need to have some feedback on pronunciation and vocabulary. That is why having a native speaker around to provide feedback.

The two most important elements in learning Mandarin are perseverance and patience. The perseverance involves the self-discipline to make yourself stay on task. You need to work four days a week regularly in order to make progress. If you take time off for a couple weeks or longer, you will backslide in your language-learning goal.

Patience involves realizing that you will not be able to learn a new language in a few weeks. Take time to acquire quality rather than quantity. Learning to use the language and learning to begin to think in the language takes time. Do not try to learn great lists of new vocabulary or learn many grammar rules in the new language. Frankly, one will become more fluent after a year or two of study than within a month or two.

One of the major complications a native speaker of English has when learning Mandarin is the tones. There are four tones in Chinese. They are a high, flat tone, a rising tone, a lowering tone and a dipping tone. You can learn more about production of the tones by using a recording if you do not have a Mandarin native speaker available to assist you.

One last note concerns Mandarin-English dictionaries. They are useful for speaking Mandarin as they help you look up words to use to make your point. They are not helpful for listening to Mandarin since the spelling of words you hear will not be clear enough to look them up in a dictionary.

Learning Mandarin is one of the best tools you can get in trying to become internationally effective in many careers. Have patience and persevere; you can learn this great language.