• SorryImLate@piefed.social
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    4
    arrow-down
    5
    ·
    edit-2
    10 hours ago

    New world order on its way. I wonder how long it will take Western countries to start offering Mandarin in school.

    Edit to add: To clarify: I don’t mean offered as an optional language but as mandatory, the way English is right now in, for example, Switzerland.

    • FrChazzz@lemmus.org
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      9 hours ago

      I knew of a lot of racist types in my youth (so, 25+ years ago) who would encourage kids to learn Mandarin because “in a few years we’ll all be working for them.”

      • Bilb!@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        8 hours ago

        Won’t require that as much as a demand from local business to produce a workforce that can do business with China.

      • SorryImLate@piefed.social
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        10 hours ago

        Possible but not required. I meant as a replacement for how English is currently a mandatory foreign language in many European countries.

    • allywilson@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      21 hours ago

      …Pretty sure it was offered 20 years ago in Scotland, a friend’s son was doing it.