Practical use.

I persevere with Chinese. From what I am told, I butcher the language's tonal structure, but some people understand me. It's a question of motivation-- on the part of the native speakers, that is.
Money is a powerful motivator. I am more likely to be understood by merchants and restauranteurs than by other Chinese. A few days ago, I was able to communicate with a worker at the Chinese equivalent of Kinko's and succeeded faxing a recommendation to a school in America, on behalf of a graduate student. In such establishments, someone always speaks English, but we did the transaction entirely in Chinese. I am now capable of such profound statements as "Do you sell batteries?" "Which way is the exit?" and "Where are toilets?"

Like the Chinese, Americans vary in their ability, or perhaps willingness, to comprehend what is said by non-native speakers-- this case in English. Students regularly complain about the English of foreign born teachers, even though, in my opinion, their English is entirely comprehensible. In such instances, there is a tendency to side with the students because they are paying tuition. I think the matter is more complex. In a world gone global, communication is a two-way street, and people need to learn how to listen to a variety of accents and styles.














Above: Campus copy store, where they sell flash drives and I-pods in addition to sending faxes.

Below: This store clerk in Chengde had no English, but understood my request for batteries.