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Article: Found in translation; Bonnie Estridge meets a language teacher who takes the classroom to the workplace.
- Article from:
- The Evening Standard (London, England)
- Article date:
- March 2, 2006
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Solo Syndication Limited. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: BONNIE ESTRIDGE
FOR some, learning languages seems effortless, while many of us have no aptitude at all. If you struggle with the odd bit of French on holiday, imagine taking on Mandarin.
According to linguist Liz Merchant, it is frustratingly difficult to learn because it does not use verbs or tenses. It's useful though, as it is now the world's most widely spoken language.
"A good example is the sentence 'He went to the shop'," says Merchant. "The way you say this in Mandarin is: 'He go to the shop yesterday' - very confusing.
It takes a lot longer to learn than virtually any other language but this is what is being demanded ...