Ranting about the Chinese language

Author: Zhang Xihai
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: Language is a tool for communication. "Yu" refers to language, spoken with the mouth; "Wen" refers to characters, expressed with writing tools. Zhuge Liang defeated the scholars in battle, killed Zhou Yu with his words, and cursed Wang Lang to death—all through language. Mao Zedong claimed to have defeated Jiang Jieshi's million-strong army with the Four Treasures of the Study (brush, ink, paper, and inkstone)—a feat achieved through writing. It is clear that learning language and characters is quite useful. In fact, even Chen Jingrun and Hu Roukeng, when writing academic papers, cannot do without language. Who can save language and characters? The family cannot rely on it, society cannot rely on it, reliable sources should be schools, and China's language education. Of course, relevant policies and regulations are also important, but that is another topic. Comrade Zhang Xihai, being at the grassroots of language education, has experienced the joys and sorrows of it. He has witnessed the crisis of language education, filled with great concern for it. From the purpose and methods of language teaching, from listening, speaking, reading, and writing, from teaching, learning, and application, he has written A Random Talk on Language, drawing on his rich experience in language teaching and a style where both laughter and anger become part of the text. A Random Talk on Language may not teach you how to speak, but it will certainly be beneficial for the teaching and learning of language.