Recent articles in Zaobao on the declining standard of the Chinese language have attracted responses from the English press. Some of them are of the view that readers of Chinese-language newspapers are over-reacting to groundless worry. They also believe Chinese intellectuals are deliberately confusing the situation, attempting to play up the importance of the Chinese language.
From statistics and daily observation, it is perhaps true that more people are using the Chinese language. And the standard also does not seem to be an issue. But they have failed to see the truth behind the falling standard of Chinese. They are also worried that the debate in the Chinese-language newspapers will lead to more difficult Chinese textbooks and increase the burden on students.
Talk about the poor state of the Chinese language may be cliched. However, an important fact has been overlooked： the environment for the use of Chinese has deteriorated - rather than improved - as a result of more people using it, or the success of the Speak Mandarin Campaign. Furthermore, the deterioration will not cease at a particular level. Once the space for survival in the society is lost, the damage to our mother tongue may be irreparable.
In discussing the appalling standard of Chinese, our concern is neither to make it a dominant language nor to raise its status - this will be a backward step.
We are well aware of how the standard of Chinese has fallen over the years. The trend of the times required many to change their mindsets and pick up English for survival. People have long accepted the importance of the English language. The concern is with the mentality of those who feel that the present standard of Chinese is good enough.
Some people think that a standard that allows people to communicate in daily life is all that we need. If people can be heard conversing in Mandarin at hawker centres and queues at the cinemas, it is evident that the problem is not serious. They are also naive enough to believe that our language policy will be a success so long as we nurture a small group of Chinese elites to hold the fort.
While there are no precise statistical figures to show how much the standard of Chinese has dropped, the viewpoint of a user alone is a good indication of the declining trend. Perhaps we may still be able to gather some language experts to maintain a semblance of high standard. But if the language is not used widely by the people, the presence of these experts will be meaningless.
Another way to gauge the standard of Chinese is to obtain private feedback from lecturers at the National Institute of Education. The gap in proficiency of Chinese language teachers under training is widening. While some teachers who are more competent can still maintain a fairly high standard, the rest are a far cry from their predecessors. If standard varies even among teachers who are responsible for teaching the language, how do we ensure the continuity of the language, traditional values and culture？
What we should be even more concerned about is the attitude of young people towards our mother tongue and culture. Some people from the older generation may have cut-and-dried views on the required standard of the Chinese language because of their background. But for students who are now under a new education system and language policy, there should be clear instructions on the standard of mother tongue to be maintained.
Personal interests and concerns may get in the way of a good gauge of the situation. To address the problem of how the standard of the Chinese langauge should be adjusted and maintained, we need to rise above emotion and personal considerations. Perhaps we should ask Chinese friends in our neighbouring countries who will be able to give us a more objective assessment.
（The writer is assistant to editor, Local News. Translated by Yap Gee Poh.）
不健康的華文恐懼心態(tài)
蔡深江
近日早報(bào)討論華文程度低落的文章引起英文報(bào)的一些反應(yīng),其中一些人認(rèn)為華文報(bào)讀者杞人憂天,對語文生態(tài)過度反應(yīng),也認(rèn)為華文知識(shí)分子刻意模糊事實(shí),意圖哄抬華文的分量。
也許從統(tǒng)計(jì)數(shù)字和生活中的觀察,本地的華文使用人口的確在增加之中,程度似乎不是問題。但是這些人看不清華文程度低落背后的真相,更擔(dān)心華文報(bào)引起的討論會(huì)導(dǎo)致學(xué)校華文教材進(jìn)一步深化,加重學(xué)生的學(xué)習(xí)負(fù)擔(dān)。
華文程度的普遍低落也許是老生常談的課題,不過,人們忽略一個(gè)重要的事實(shí),那就是華文的使用環(huán)境趨向惡劣,并沒有因講華語人口的增加,或講華語運(yùn)動(dòng)的成功而獲得改善。何況,語文環(huán)境并不會(huì)在降到一定高度后就停止持平,一旦失去在社會(huì)生存的空間,對母族語文幾乎是無可彌補(bǔ)的破壞。
在探討語文程度低落的事實(shí),我們關(guān)注的絕不是如何使華文成為一個(gè)強(qiáng)勢的語言,或者要進(jìn)一步提升華文的地位,開歷史的倒車。
華族語文如何興衰,一路走來,人們心知肚明。當(dāng)初邊走邊調(diào)整心態(tài),在大趨勢下重新學(xué)習(xí)另一種生存的語言——英文,人們早已接受語文版圖的分布狀況。讓人不放心的其實(shí)是那些認(rèn)為華文程度這樣就夠了的華人,抱的是什么心態(tài)。
有人認(rèn)為我們需要的只是平日能夠溝通的語文水平。以為在小販中心和排隊(duì)購買電影門票的人群中,可以輕易聽到華語流通,就表示問題不嚴(yán)重,也天真地以為只要培養(yǎng)一批極少數(shù)的華文精英,負(fù)責(zé)維持語文的程度,在語文政策上就算功德圓滿。
雖然沒有精細(xì)的統(tǒng)計(jì)數(shù)字顯示華文程度低落的刻度,單從一個(gè)使用者的立場就可以探知下滑的趨勢,所感受到的明顯差異如人飲水。也許我們還是能夠集合一批語言專家,維持語文的表面風(fēng)光,在沒有腹地的情況下,這些專家的存在并沒有多大的意義。
另一個(gè)測量語文程度低落的方式,是悄悄向教育學(xué)院的講師們打聽,會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)受訓(xùn)的師資中,華文能力的差異正在擴(kuò)大。一部分能力較強(qiáng)的老師還維持極高的文化和語文水平,另一部分則遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)不如當(dāng)年。如果負(fù)責(zé)傳承的華文師資也出現(xiàn)參差不齊的現(xiàn)象,如何確保語文、傳統(tǒng)價(jià)值和文化精神得以延續(xù)？
我們更應(yīng)該關(guān)心并探討的是年輕一代對待母族語言文化的心態(tài)。部分老一輩人對華文的能力和態(tài)度也許因歷史背景而涇渭分明,但是學(xué)生在新的教育體系和語言政策下,該維持怎樣的母語程度,應(yīng)該有明確的指標(biāo)。
站在各自的利益和關(guān)心的高度,也許我們誰都看不清楚狀況。到底華文程度該如何調(diào)整,要怎么維持,靠的是超越情緒與私利的理想高度。也許問一問鄰國的華族朋友,他們能夠給我們一個(gè)較心平氣和的判斷。
From statistics and daily observation, it is perhaps true that more people are using the Chinese language. And the standard also does not seem to be an issue. But they have failed to see the truth behind the falling standard of Chinese. They are also worried that the debate in the Chinese-language newspapers will lead to more difficult Chinese textbooks and increase the burden on students.
Talk about the poor state of the Chinese language may be cliched. However, an important fact has been overlooked： the environment for the use of Chinese has deteriorated - rather than improved - as a result of more people using it, or the success of the Speak Mandarin Campaign. Furthermore, the deterioration will not cease at a particular level. Once the space for survival in the society is lost, the damage to our mother tongue may be irreparable.
In discussing the appalling standard of Chinese, our concern is neither to make it a dominant language nor to raise its status - this will be a backward step.
We are well aware of how the standard of Chinese has fallen over the years. The trend of the times required many to change their mindsets and pick up English for survival. People have long accepted the importance of the English language. The concern is with the mentality of those who feel that the present standard of Chinese is good enough.
Some people think that a standard that allows people to communicate in daily life is all that we need. If people can be heard conversing in Mandarin at hawker centres and queues at the cinemas, it is evident that the problem is not serious. They are also naive enough to believe that our language policy will be a success so long as we nurture a small group of Chinese elites to hold the fort.
While there are no precise statistical figures to show how much the standard of Chinese has dropped, the viewpoint of a user alone is a good indication of the declining trend. Perhaps we may still be able to gather some language experts to maintain a semblance of high standard. But if the language is not used widely by the people, the presence of these experts will be meaningless.
Another way to gauge the standard of Chinese is to obtain private feedback from lecturers at the National Institute of Education. The gap in proficiency of Chinese language teachers under training is widening. While some teachers who are more competent can still maintain a fairly high standard, the rest are a far cry from their predecessors. If standard varies even among teachers who are responsible for teaching the language, how do we ensure the continuity of the language, traditional values and culture？
What we should be even more concerned about is the attitude of young people towards our mother tongue and culture. Some people from the older generation may have cut-and-dried views on the required standard of the Chinese language because of their background. But for students who are now under a new education system and language policy, there should be clear instructions on the standard of mother tongue to be maintained.
Personal interests and concerns may get in the way of a good gauge of the situation. To address the problem of how the standard of the Chinese langauge should be adjusted and maintained, we need to rise above emotion and personal considerations. Perhaps we should ask Chinese friends in our neighbouring countries who will be able to give us a more objective assessment.
（The writer is assistant to editor, Local News. Translated by Yap Gee Poh.）
不健康的華文恐懼心態(tài)
蔡深江
近日早報(bào)討論華文程度低落的文章引起英文報(bào)的一些反應(yīng),其中一些人認(rèn)為華文報(bào)讀者杞人憂天,對語文生態(tài)過度反應(yīng),也認(rèn)為華文知識(shí)分子刻意模糊事實(shí),意圖哄抬華文的分量。
也許從統(tǒng)計(jì)數(shù)字和生活中的觀察,本地的華文使用人口的確在增加之中,程度似乎不是問題。但是這些人看不清華文程度低落背后的真相,更擔(dān)心華文報(bào)引起的討論會(huì)導(dǎo)致學(xué)校華文教材進(jìn)一步深化,加重學(xué)生的學(xué)習(xí)負(fù)擔(dān)。
華文程度的普遍低落也許是老生常談的課題,不過,人們忽略一個(gè)重要的事實(shí),那就是華文的使用環(huán)境趨向惡劣,并沒有因講華語人口的增加,或講華語運(yùn)動(dòng)的成功而獲得改善。何況,語文環(huán)境并不會(huì)在降到一定高度后就停止持平,一旦失去在社會(huì)生存的空間,對母族語文幾乎是無可彌補(bǔ)的破壞。
在探討語文程度低落的事實(shí),我們關(guān)注的絕不是如何使華文成為一個(gè)強(qiáng)勢的語言,或者要進(jìn)一步提升華文的地位,開歷史的倒車。
華族語文如何興衰,一路走來,人們心知肚明。當(dāng)初邊走邊調(diào)整心態(tài),在大趨勢下重新學(xué)習(xí)另一種生存的語言——英文,人們早已接受語文版圖的分布狀況。讓人不放心的其實(shí)是那些認(rèn)為華文程度這樣就夠了的華人,抱的是什么心態(tài)。
有人認(rèn)為我們需要的只是平日能夠溝通的語文水平。以為在小販中心和排隊(duì)購買電影門票的人群中,可以輕易聽到華語流通,就表示問題不嚴(yán)重,也天真地以為只要培養(yǎng)一批極少數(shù)的華文精英,負(fù)責(zé)維持語文的程度,在語文政策上就算功德圓滿。
雖然沒有精細(xì)的統(tǒng)計(jì)數(shù)字顯示華文程度低落的刻度,單從一個(gè)使用者的立場就可以探知下滑的趨勢,所感受到的明顯差異如人飲水。也許我們還是能夠集合一批語言專家,維持語文的表面風(fēng)光,在沒有腹地的情況下,這些專家的存在并沒有多大的意義。
另一個(gè)測量語文程度低落的方式,是悄悄向教育學(xué)院的講師們打聽,會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)受訓(xùn)的師資中,華文能力的差異正在擴(kuò)大。一部分能力較強(qiáng)的老師還維持極高的文化和語文水平,另一部分則遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)不如當(dāng)年。如果負(fù)責(zé)傳承的華文師資也出現(xiàn)參差不齊的現(xiàn)象,如何確保語文、傳統(tǒng)價(jià)值和文化精神得以延續(xù)？
我們更應(yīng)該關(guān)心并探討的是年輕一代對待母族語言文化的心態(tài)。部分老一輩人對華文的能力和態(tài)度也許因歷史背景而涇渭分明,但是學(xué)生在新的教育體系和語言政策下,該維持怎樣的母語程度,應(yīng)該有明確的指標(biāo)。
站在各自的利益和關(guān)心的高度,也許我們誰都看不清楚狀況。到底華文程度該如何調(diào)整,要怎么維持,靠的是超越情緒與私利的理想高度。也許問一問鄰國的華族朋友,他們能夠給我們一個(gè)較心平氣和的判斷。