Learning Chinese transcends just speaking the language

Singapore

LEARNING Chinese is not just about picking up vocabulary but also about acquiring soft skills and being culturally sensitive, says trainer June Gu.

The coach, who has conducted Chinese workshops and courses for adults and corporate groups in the last 16 years, told The Business Times that her students include lawyers and in-house counsel whose learning objectives are specific to their field of work. She told BT that this group of her students are busy and do not have time for materials that are outside the scope of their work.

Her lessons go beyond vocabulary to include cultural-sensitivity training, as it is equally important.

For example, the Chinese might feel insulted by the line "Did you get what I mean?" when it is posed to them in Chinese, because the listener might think that his or her intelligence is being challenged.

In contrast, "Have I made myself clear?" is less offensive. And because there is "a need to build up relationships first in China", she covers soft skills as well, so her students learn to handle tricky situations. The Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry's training and education unit SCCIOB also runs Business Mandarin courses and has had more than 12,000 graduates. The institute did not disclose the number who are lawyers.

SCCIOB's China-ready programme also goes beyond business Mandarin to include a deeper understanding of the Chinese economy, market and socio-cultural norms, including ways to apply ancient Chinese military general Sun Tzu's war strategies to real-life situations, to ensure that course participants are ready to benefit from the increasing trade-growth opportunities with China.

The programme has a 30-hour module targeting legal professionals.

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