As the population and global influence of China increase, its language Mandarin is increasingly becoming a lingua franca.
A lingua franca is a language that is spoken among non-native speakers who don’t speak each other’s language and use a language they both speak as a.
The more non-native speakers a language has, the more likely this is to happen.
Currently, there are close to 200 million second-language speakers of Mandarin Chinese, which puts it at the fourth spot of most spoken second languages in the world, behind English, Arabic and Hindi.
And it’s on its way up. China is developing rapidly and not just do Chinese people immigrate into other countries, with its belt and road initiative, they are bringing sizeable amounts of money. As they bring their language, more non-native speakers choose to study Mandarin as well.
Many Chinese immigrants have settled in Singapore, making it more attractive to learn Mandarin.
Why Mandarin Can Be The Next Lingua Franca
Right now, we are used to speak English when interacting with other nationalities.
Chinese could gradually overtake English as the main language used to communicate with others. Probably not globally at first, but rather in areas where China has close diplomatic and economic ties, such as Southeast and Central Asia.
Economics is the strongest reason for the growth of Chinese language. As its economy grows, China’s language will also spread. In the long term, China will play an important role in the economy of many countries and will provide opportunities for the next generations to come.
Mandarin Chinese Is Already growing Globally
When you’re able to speak Mandarin, it can give you an edge when collaborating with Chinese expatriates, and increasingly with others who, like you, have learned the language.
Learning Mandarin isn’t easy, but that’s why there are schools for you to go to. Especially in Singapore, there are lots of schools that train people to speak Mandarin because sooner or later Chinese people will be most dominant in the country and being able to speak the language can be a bonus.
Most Chinese people are business-minded, and they would normally relocate to other parts of the world to start a business. Because of this, many people will realise that learning Mandarin is a privilege that opens the door to more career opportunities.
Related Posts
The Importance of Learning Business Mandarin
Explore the benefits of Business Mandarin for global communication. This piece covers key business etiquette tips and the language’s role in international business.
Are you new in Singapore?
Yi Mandarin is a Mandarin school located in Singapore. We offer online Mandarin classes via zoom and in-person classes at our centre. If you are travelling to Singapore or are already in Singapore, be sure to visit us and ask us for a souvenir.