VIP Class Notes (Lily)[W/R/S]

When languages become extinct, what are the advantages and disadvantages? Do you think it’s a good thing?

Pronunciation

over- o VER (teeth touch bottom lip)

world= were old (teeth do not touch lips)

political= pou LI tical

tongue= tang (no g sound)

advice- ad Vice  (teeth touch bottom lip)

century= sen chury

neutral- NEW chural

Vocabulary

1. dominant= ruling

ex: In Shanghai, Mandarin is the dominant language, not Shanghainese.

2. linguists= people who study the structure of language

ex: Many linguists believe that Chinese will become the dominant language in the world.

3. mother tongue= main language that you learnt when you were a child

ex: My mother tongue is Chinese.

4. verge= close to, edge

ex: on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

5. advise= suggest, recommend

ex: My colleague gave me many good advices.

6. attempt= make an effort

ex: (noun) He made an attempt to swim across the lake.

(verb) to attempt to walk six km. 

7.form (verb) = create/ produce

ex: form a circle/ form a line

8.claim=声称

ex: He claims that he graduated from Harvard.

9. extinct= slowly disappear, die out 灭绝

ex: Linguists claim that over 6000 languages will become extinct.

Over the past centuries, English has become the dominant world language, mostly because of the British Empire and the rise of the United States as a global political and economic superpower. Many linguists say that Mandarin Chinese will become the new number one language, because it is the mother tongue of over 1 billion people. China is on the verge of becoming a new economic superpower and many international corporations already advise their workers to learn Mandarin.

In the past, some attempts have been made to create a global language for everyone. A Polish scientist, Ludwik Zamenhof, invented Esperanto at the beginning of the 20th century.  His goal was to form a neutral language with easy words and grammar that is not so difficult to learn. Linguists claim that up to a million people use and speak Esperanto today.

Languages that are not actively spoken any more die out over a period. Linguists claim that 90% of the world’s 7000 languages will become extinct within the next 50 years.  Other languages, like Latin or ancient Greek, died out centuries ago, but are still needed in fields like medicine, biology, history or archaeology.

I don’t think that the Mandarin Chinese can become the dominant language, because I know many Chinese students learned English when they were young, but not many foreigners study Chinese in their school. If one language can be popular, education is very important. The foreigners didn’t study Chinese when they were young, so I think in the next hundred year, Mandarin Chinese cannot be the dominant language.

Revised

I don’t think that the Mandarin Chinese can become the dominant language, because I know many Chinese students learned English when they were young, but not many foreigners study Chinese in their school. For one language to be popular, education is very important. The foreigners didn’t study Chinese when they were young, so I think in the next hundred year, Mandarin Chinese cannot be the dominant language.

I didn’t know this relationship until the end of last class. Then I find that supporters are much more than I expect. A lot of people enjoy open relationship as long as the parters keep honest and healthy. In my opinion, if my friend has open relationship, I don’t object, but I can’t accept, at least not now.

Revised

I didn’t know about this relationship until the end of last class. Then I found that there are much more supporters are much more than I expected. A lot of people enjoy open relationship as long as the partners remain honest and healthy. In my opinion, if my friend has open relationship, I have no objections, but I can’t accept it, at least not now.