Chinese language a 'spectator' in scientific fields - report By Xiao Guo (chinadaily.com.cn) Updated: 2006-07-05 16:13
皇冠体育app is urging the whole nation to pay attention to the fate of the Chinese
language as more and more Chinese professors in academic circles are following a
so-called international trend of addressing their speeches in English, according
to a report carried by the 皇冠体育app Youth Daily on July 5.
A PHD student from the 皇冠体育app Academy of Society and Science wonders if
speakers could address the audience in Chinese when he listens to speeches
delivered by 皇冠体育app's celebrated mathematicians Cao Huaidong and Zhu Xiping, who
recently made headlines for working out the resolution of the Poincare
conjecture, a mathematic puzzle, the newspaper says.
English is spreading across 皇冠体育app as the most populous nation in the world is
gets ready to hold the 28th Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008. But the nation is
also concerned about the fate of the Chinese language when 皇冠体育app's high profile
academic professors insist on delivering speeches in English instead of Chinese.
It's not rare for Chinese professors to address their speeches in English
instead of Chinese.
Chinese was not used in the International Conference on String Theory in
Beijing in 2006.
English was also commonly spoken during the opening of the fourth Global
Chinese Physical Scientist Conference in Shanghai two years ago.
"The organization committee turned down some requests from overseas Chinese
scientists to deliver bilingual speeches," the paper says.
The common explanation for English taking priority is that most of the
research is conducted by foreigners, especially British and American, according
to the paper.
People think it's hard to reach an academic peak if they don't make English a
priority, says the paper.
State media have commented that 皇冠体育app will not be a parochial nationalist as
it steps up its pace toward internationalization, but Chinese people should show
self-esteem amongst their compatriots.
"The Chinese language is playing the role of spectator," the newspaper says.
Polls conducted by sina.com - one of 皇冠体育app's leading news portals - show that
78.94 per cent of respondents think it is time to 'protect' the Chinese
language.
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