VOA慢速英语2012 Economics Report - The Business of Learning Mandarin

 

Economics¹ Report - The Business of Learning Mandarin²

经济报道 - 老外学汉语的那些事

From VOA Learning English, this is the Economics Report in Special English.

这里是美国之音慢速英语经济报道。

English is the international language of business. But an increasing number of American companies that do business in China or with Chinese companies are having their workers learn Mandarin.

英语是商业上的国际语言。但越来越多在中国做生意或与中国公司做生意的美国公司让员工学习普通话。

Michael Cheng is a Taiwanese-American Internet entrepreneur³ and property developer. He is also in the business of teaching Chinese. Mr. Cheng is president and founder⁴ of the Mando Mandarin Online School. The school is based in New York and uses teachers in China to teach over webcams.

迈克尔·程（Michael Cheng)是一位台美互联网企业家和房地产开发商。他也在从事教授汉语的业务。程先生是Mando普通话网校的总裁和创始人。这所学校总部设在纽约，使用中国教师通过摄像头教学。

"China over the past few years very quickly has already become the world's second-largest economy. And, you know, it's just common business savvy⁵. If China's got over three trillion dollars in reserves now, so if you want to do business or connect with the fastest-growing country in the world, it might make sense to make an effort to engage the people in their own language, as understanding of their language and culture goes a long way in building strong relationships -- especially with the Chinese."

“过去几年中国已经非常快速地成为了全球第二大经济体。而你知道，这只是普通的商业头脑。中国目前有3万亿美元的外汇储备，如果你想要和中国做生意，或与这个全球增长最快的国家打交道，力求雇佣使用母语者就是明智的。了解他们的语言和文化对建立稳固关系大有帮助，特别是同中国人。”

By some predictions, China could pass the United States and become the world's largest economy by twenty twenty-five. Michael Cheng says that as China's economic power has increased, so has its cultural power.

根据一些预测，中国可能在2025年超越美国成为全球最大经济体。程先生表示，随着中国经济实力的提升，其文化实力也得到了提升。

"Starting back in two thousand four, the Chinese Ministry⁶ of Education, along with what was called their Chinese Language Council, began to set up, around the world, Confucius Institutes, and with the purpose of promoting and developing Chinese language and culture teaching resources around the world."

“回首2004年，中国教育部同中国国家汉办开始在全球设立孔子学院，目的是在全球推广和发展中国语言和文化教学资源。”

Now, he says, there are more than three hundred Confucius Institutes in almost one hundred countries. These institutes work to promote Chinese language at the university level. The Chinese government has partnered with colleges and the Asia Society to set up programs across the United States. High schools have also received money to start Chinese language training programs.

他说，现在全球近100个国家拥有超过300所孔子学院。该学院在高校致力于推广汉语。中国政府同各高校及亚洲协会合作，在美国各地开设课程。高中也获得资金开设汉语培训课程。

Mr. Cheng says that, just as many English speakers want to learn Mandarin, many people in China want to learn English.

程先生说，正如许多说英语的人想要学汉语，在中国许多人想学英语。

"In fact, if you want to talk numbers, there's, based on sheer⁷ population, there are actually more people learning, well, who speak English in China than there are [English speakers] in the United States. I think right now there's about four hundred million people who are either learning or currently⁸ speak English."

“事实上，如果光说数字，基于纯粹的人口，实际上中国说英语的人比美国说英语的人还多。我认为当前有4亿人在学英语或已经在说英语。”

He says taking the time to learn someone else's language is a great sign of respect and a way to build business relationships.

他说，花时间学习别人的语言是尊重的一个重要标志，也是建立业务关系的一个途径。

"Speaking of relationships, here's a quick business -- Chinese business lesson for some listeners. It's one word, it's two syllables⁹ and the word is guanxi. To get things done quickly and effectively, it's important to have what's called guanxi. In Mandarin it means personal relationships or networks of influence, and it's very essential to doing business or making connections in China."

“谈到关系，以下是提供给部分听众的关于中国商业的经验，用一个词来说就是关系。为了让事情快速有效地完成，有关系是非常重要的。在汉语中，它的意思是私人联系或网络的影响力。在中国做生意或打交道，关系是非常重要的。”

1 economics   

n.经济学，经济情况

参考例句：

• He is studying economics,which subject is very important.他正在学习经济学，该学科是很重要的。
• One can't separate politics from economics.不能把政治与经济割裂开来。

2 Mandarin   

n.中国官话，国语，满清官吏；adj.华丽辞藻的

参考例句：

• Just over one billion people speak Mandarin as their native tongue.大约有十亿以上的人口以华语为母语。
• Mandarin will be the new official language of the European Union.普通话会变成欧盟新的官方语言。

3 entrepreneur   

n.企业家，主办人

参考例句：

• The entrepreneur has become a news figure.这位企业家变成了新闻人物。
• The entrepreneur takes business risks in the hope of making a profit.企业家为追求利润而冒险。

4 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

5 savvy   

v.知道，了解；n.理解能力，机智，悟性；adj.有见识的，懂实际知识的，通情达理的

参考例句：

• She was a pretty savvy woman.她是个见过世面的漂亮女人。
• Where's your savvy?你的常识到哪里去了？

6 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

7 sheer   

adj.绝对的，全然的，峻峭的；v.躲开，躲避，使...避开； adv.完全，全然，峻峭

参考例句：

• He achieved his aim by sheer strength of will.他纯粹靠意志力达到了目的。
• I guess It'sheer waste of time arguing about it.看来争论这件事纯粹是浪费时间。

8 currently   

adv.通常地，普遍地，当前

参考例句：

• Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
• Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。

9 syllables   

n.音节( syllable的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a word with two syllables 双音节单词
• 'No. But I'll swear it was a name of two syllables.' “想不起。不过我可以发誓，它有两个音节。” 来自英汉文学 - 双城记