Bilingual 2030: Invasion Of English?
- Ondy Ho
- May 9, 2022
- 4 min read
It's been 3 years since the initiative of the policy that is due by 2030. Have you felt anything different or done anything accordingly? This week, let's go through the fundamentals again and discuss the topic as this is just one of the series.
Taiwan is a major trading nation and plays a key role in global supply chain. As more and more multinational corporations have invested in Taiwan in recent years, demand for local talent with bilingual proficiency has greatly increased. At the same time, to adjust to global supply chain deployment, Taiwanese enterprises also require large numbers of professionals who possess a wide range of expertise and skills, including English proficiency and international mobility.
This is the first paragraph from the National Department Council. We cannot help but recall the reason we opposed to, not the policy entirely but the method. One of the major issues is that to become bilingual, one cannot be made so. It's irresponsible to deploy a policy not to apply to the policymakers and simply leave it to whoever has no chance to choose. Children, teachers, and schools don't serve as switches. They don't turn on and off with a flick. Furthermore, according to what says in the paragraph, as "more and more multinational corporations have invested in Taiwan", shouldn't we try to be a multilingual nation instead of just bilingual? If the other language of the two in the policy has to be English, why not just focus on English? There are countless questions and problems created specifically because of this "long-term plan" and it seems like before we reach such a goal, we would have to pay much more than the unseen benefit in the far away future.
With that out in the air, let's talk about something simpler. Rather than trying to be a master of two languages, why do we learn a second language? For an easier discussion,
Why do we learn English?
Many gains could come out of someone who learns more than one language. On surface levels, you could listen to and understand a foreigner, music, and movies in that language. You could not only work in a company that requires it but also take private cases if you're good enough. On a deeper and more important aspect, logic, creativity, communication...etc. are all passive skills that are not easily acquired.
We could (almost) say that learning English is a win for everyone everywhere. What could possibly go wrong if you work hard on a school subject that is mandatory from grade 1? In fact, everything could.
What's wrong with English?
It's fair to say that there's a large number of Taiwanese people (who are mostly parents with minors) who are "obsessed" with English. It is one of the types we list below:
Those who understand why English is
Those who know how English is
Those who think what English is
This kind of parents, ahem... people usually claim they want what's best for their children and would plan (much) ahead. They believe that English is a must, a necessity, or a talent, and would like their children to learn it as early as possible. The problem is simple and clear to those around them--- A second language is only important if you have a first.
The ugly truth is that we will never, no matter how many hours a week we put in our studies, become an American or Britsh. Not even if you emigrate to the U.S. or any English-speaking country, you will not be them (After decades of cultural exchange and understanding, yes, there might be a chance but it isn't our topic this time.).
Our languages, whether that be Chinese, Taiwanese, Hakka, or tribal, are never just tools of communication. They are part of our identity, our culture, and our place in the world. Here's not to say that we shouldn't learn another language. Andy is a Taiwanese born, who loves English more than you could imagine. But however far he'd traveled and worked, however close he'd become close with the locals, at the end of the day, everyone still knows who he is and where he is from. We must not forget who we are.
What's the problem?
There's an English learning frenzy in Taiwan. As mentioned above, some folks are very determined that the exposure to English (for their children) is the earlier the better. While that's not entirely wrong, without careful planning, the poor child may be subject to deprivation of other subjects, have a confusing identity, and worst of all suffer from banality. When focusing much on making a child study English and despite all odds, the kid might have succeeded in getting the best test results. But what happens after that? Were we training to have more English scholars or teachers? At the end of the rainbow, there may not be any treasure.
The solutions are fairly simple and we have quite a few.
Learn however you make/want your children to do. (if you have any)
Submerge yourself in English, even just an hour a day, during shower or commute.
Subscribe to a learning program whether it be free or tuition-based.
Isn't it obvious? Join Amazing Speaker every Saturday and Sunday. What are you waiting for? Saturday for class and discussion; Sunday for presentation!
Also, check out...
Comments