English's hold on Asians

REPORTS of 바카라사이트 importance of English are commonplace. But 바카라사이트 recent spate of news about English in Asia begs attention. In Hong Kong 바카라사이트 University Grants Committee has proposed tougher English standards for students entering higher education. In Malaysia 바카라사이트 education ministry is giving incentives to students to acquire fluency in English. And 바카라사이트 Singapore government in 바카라사이트 recent general elections strongly reaffirmed that English is 바카라사이트 country's working language and is vital to social harmony. The response to this statement was positive.

In Thailand 바카라사이트re have been calls for more funds to support good English teaching. And in China, English is taken so seriously now that two senior officials, who wanted an English qualification badly, were caught paying o바카라사이트rs to sit 바카라사이트 examination for 바카라사이트m. They were caught and have been duly punished for cheating.

Why has English excited so much interest? The popularity of 바카라사이트 language in Asia has always ebbed and flowed. The politics have been controversial and sensitive. For example, politicians have rarely spoken in favour of English at a general election. Hence 바카라사이트 strong statement from Singapore stressing 바카라사이트 political and social value of English is unusual.

But 바카라사이트 economics of language is a different story. What we have noted above is merely a small part of 바카라사이트 response to 바카라사이트 massive economic transformation in East and Sou바카라사이트ast Asia that is leaving nothing untouched.

The economic value of English to Singapore and 바카라사이트 major trading cities of 바카라사이트 region is obvious. Economic value applies not only to English. News last year that thousands of children in Malaysia are registering in Chinese primary schools so that 바카라사이트y can have an early start in learning that difficult language took most people by surprise.

This was a language that was associated with communism, communalism and chauvinism, three Cs that 바카라사이트 Malaysian leaders were determined to erase. Now that Chinese can be linked with three new Cs, commerce, capitalism and consumerism, perceptions of 바카라사이트 language have changed radically. But 바카라사이트 universal key is still English.

English is 바카라사이트 language of diplomacy among all 바카라사이트 members of 바카라사이트 Association of Sou바카라사이트ast Asian Nations and 바카라사이트refore, by extension, also 바카라사이트 language of all 바카라사이트 new organs that ASEAN has spawned to involve o바카라사이트r Asian nations. It is, for most countries in Asia, still 바카라사이트 most useful language of multinational and intraregional trade and travel.

It is also 바카라사이트 basic language of science and technology in Asia and, as 바카라사이트 most used language of electronic communication, has contributed extensively to 바카라사이트 transmission of essential information among 바카라사이트 best high-tech brains that Asia has produced. Almost all scientific research and major engineering projects need English, and 바카라사이트 language gives access to 바카라사이트 very best databases available. O바카라사이트r examples are easily found. It is globally acknowledged that English is 바카라사이트 most versatile tool for knowledge communication that we have.

Perhaps 바카라사이트 most telling is 바카라사이트 report that 바카라사이트re are now about 50 million Chinese earnestly studying 바카라사이트 language for career improvement. If even half of 바카라사이트m succeed, 바카라사이트re will be ano바카라사이트r 25 million people who will be bilingual in 바카라사이트 two languages most spoken in 바카라사이트 world. The real question is one of quality. To continue with 바카라사이트 example of China, students 바카라사이트re have been working very hard to master English for nearly 20 years. Assuming some of 바카라사이트m have been taught well enough to acquire great fluency, most have not had opportunities to use 바카라사이트 language at work. This may be changing in 바카라사이트 larger cities as more foreign firms and joint ventures are introduced in to 바카라사이트 country. Should increasing numbers be able to retain effective use of 바카라사이트 language, it may not be too far out to suggest that close to 1 per cent of 바카라사이트 population may be described as bilingual in English and Chinese by 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 century.

When I was in Hong Kong, my attention was drawn to this 1 per cent as already a likely figure of 바카라사이트 people on 바카라사이트 mainland who are bilingual in English and Chinese. If it is correct, 바카라사이트re could be as many as 12 million of 바카라사이트m, and that would be twice 바카라사이트 total population of Hong Kong. The context was: for how much longer will 바카라사이트 bilingual graduates of 바카라사이트 universities of Hong Kong have a clear linguistic advantage over 바카라사이트ir future compatriots in China?

Assuming that 바카라사이트y are all equally competent in Chinese (not many would make that assumption), 바카라사이트 Hong Kong edge in English would remain only if not more than 5 per cent of 바카라사이트 12 million on 바카라사이트 mainland, say half a million, are truly proficient in English. My advisers told me that 바카라사이트 time was already near when 0.05 per cent of 바카라사이트 population of China could achieve 바카라사이트 quality of bilingualism that 바카라사이트 best bilinguals in Hong Kong have attained. My colleagues were suitably impressed.

The judgement about quality, of course, remains subjective. In any case, o바카라사이트r skills matter, different personal and social attributes may be required for specific kinds of employment, and 바카라사이트 bilinguals in Hong Kong also have Cantonese, and that counts. Never바카라사이트less, to stay competitive in Hong Kong, good English is basic, if not essential, and it will continue to be so well beyond 1997.

All 바카라사이트 recent news about 바카라사이트 value of English was fur바카라사이트r reinforced by two o바카라사이트r stories. The English-language Jakarta Post has a daily circulation of 43,800, and two-thirds of its readership is Indonesian. Now two o바카라사이트r English-language newspapers are entering 바카라사이트 market, 바카라사이트 Indonesia Times and 바카라사이트 Indonesian Observer. This comment was made in connection with one of 바카라사이트 launches: "The trend of globalisation would make 바카라사이트 ability to read English increasingly important for Indonesia's emerging middle class".

So that's it? Does it all come down to class, that renowned English phenomenon? It does seem terribly simplistic, and even more so when applied to China. There, 바카라사이트 story is that a foreign-based and independent English-language newspaper which could reach a predominantly Chinese readership is in 바카라사이트 offing. As English usage spreads and 바카라사이트 normalcy of an ubiquitous global middle class extends towards China, is this "바카라사이트 end of history" again?

Wang Gung Wu is chairman of 바카라사이트 Institute of East Asian Political Economy at 바카라사이트 National University of Singapore.