THE STUDY OF CHINESE.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 412, 7 April 1904, Page 8

THE STUDY OF CHINESE.

'.\ ncated by United Mtmt«m Consular Agent In the Interests of American Trad*.

Mr. Charles Neuer, United State? consular .-urent at Gera, in an ofiicia: communication to the state depart ment advocates the study of the Chi ne?c language as a means of extending American trade in the Chinese empire says the Washington Star, "Whib China is ci the land of prom 1 ise for our farmers and manufacturers," says he, "the importance of the knowledge of the Chinese language hj gTeatly undervalued. I submit the details of a recent interview with a linguist who has given special attention to this subject. It is well understood that in order to enter into permanent commercial relations with a foreign country it is indispensable to know its language. When Russian industries began to develop the Germans recognized that in order to engage in profitable trade in that country it was necessary to learn Russian, and there is now no country where the Eussian language is so much taught as in Germany.

"The Chinese language is ideographic. It conveys the idea and not the ■word for the thing, as the figure 'B' represents the idea and not the word. The Chinese have invented more than 40,000 marks for their writing. In the opinion of my informant it will require only about 3,000" marks for mercantile Correspondence, and it will be easier to learn them than the words of an ordinary foreign language.

"Russian is more difficult for Americans than Chinese. It takes much longer io learn the spoken language, because of the variety of dialects; but any one who can learn enough of the writings to answer ordinary purposes in a few months and have his knowledge perfected by a linguist within about a year. An exact instruction in one of the Chinese languages can only be giv»n by a Chinaman. "This method has been adopted in Germany. Besides the professor for the theory of language, there are four Chinese linguists in the Oriental seminary of Berlin teaching the b"r*r?«« style and the language of Pekirsr Shanghai and Canton. It is not intended to fit pupils for the diplomatic service, but for commercial work,"