I'm looking for Mandarin and Cantonese linguists....

[The Doctor.]

About a week ago I had an interesting run in.

It was not that big of a deal, but while I was playing pool with some friends, a young (mid 30's) asian girl entered the bar and began plying the patrons with baubles and trinkets of jewelry.

After being turned away by many other patrons, she made her way to my (pool) table of friends with her display box. Being sympathetic to the plight of brave salespersons who would venture into potentially hostile territory, I bade her over and asked about her merchandise.

Her English was broken but comprehendible, and I gathered that this was for a cause.

So I asked her.

The moment I did, I also noticed that she wore an 'identification tag' about her neck with her name, her birthday, and the church she represented all named on that ID card.

It was "The Unification Church".

I said, "Unification? Sun Myung Moon?"

She smiled brightly and said, "yes... Sun Myung Moon"

I said, "Sun Myung Moon... sum chin-bing!, he is crazy. I will not support a mad man."

My mandarin sucks- she nonetheless understood.

So I am hoping there might be a Mandarin expert who can help me craft some phrases as the Moonies have moved into my town.

Please help.

[NewJeffCT]

1. it's a Korean church, no?

I'm pretty sure Rev. Moon is Korean, why do you need Mandarin or Cantonese?

[dweller]

2. Mandarin is the most widely spoken language in the world

so she would likely understand.

dp

[NewJeffCT]

5. I think English may be

Mandarin, I'm sure, will pass English this century as schools in Europe & the US start offering more & more classes in Mandarin...

But, I think english may be widely spoken as a 2nd language in much of Europe, China, Japan & Korea.

[dweller]

6. this source

and i'm sure there are others, still has (Chinese) Mandarin as 1st. English 3rd.
http://www.photius.com/rankings/languages2.html

but i'm open to other sources.
dp

[NewJeffCT]

7. Thanks

Good list, but it is only first language speakers. I will do research later - but if you add up 2nd language speakers, too, I'm pretty sure English passes Mandarin.

I know a lot of Chinese in mainland China that can speak English and it is taught in many schools there, starting at the elementary level. Same with Japan, Korea & the Philippines. Heck, we recruit nurses from the Philippines because they speak English pretty well there and we have such a big shortage of nurses here.

[dweller]

8. good luck

you might want to add 3rd language also, but since most amerkins don't even speak a 2nd language (nor the first correctly) you may have some trouble adding up to 500 million more speakers needed ... :evilgrin:


dp

[The Doctor.]

3. Thank you... now I know better...

(she looked Chinese, not Korean - my bad.)

So I need help with my Korean... of which I have no knowledge.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

4. I don't know any Korean, but I know that Moon has

followers throughout Asia. When they moved into New Haven when I was in graduate school, they sent young people of all different nationalities to all the churches and chaplaincies to try to infiltrate them.

Where did this happen?