2008 Press Releases
30.04.2008
Modern Chinese shouldn't be too difficult to learn given that more than one fifth of the world population has successfully mastered that language. For Irish tongues and ears, however, modern Chinese - Mandarin or Putonghua - sounds very, well, strange.
But an increasing number of Irish people have started to learn Chinese - at University, secondary school or even in special kids' classes.
The variety of different approaches towards learning Chinese was highlighted recently at University College Cork (UCC) when seven individuals and three groups - from UCC, UCD, Cork and Dublin participated in the Irish leg of the global Hanyu Qiao - Chinese Bridge - competition, where non-native speakers demonstrate their command of modern Chinese language and culture.
Three students - one from UCC and two from UCD left the strongest impression on the five judges and will travel to Beijing for the semi-finals and Finals of the competition. Representing UCC at the 'World Championship' in Chinese speaking will be : Anthony Rusinak, Ciarán Griffin and Francesco Scanlone along with UCD students Gareth Callagy and Darren Snow. [Ciarán Griffin and Francesco Scanlone are MA students of UCC who are at present studying in China and have qualified there].
The contest, the first of its kind for Irish students, was co-organised by the Irish Institute of Chinese Studies at UCC, the UCC Confucius Institute and the Ireland-China Contact Group, and supported by the UCD and TCD language centres and the Chinese Community and Chinese Information Centre for Ireland.
According to Professor Fan Hong, Director, Irish Institute of Chinese Studies at UCC: "Judging by the participants' performance which was witnessed by about fifty well-entertained and duly impressed spectators, the students were well prepared. From a Chinese play to songs and poetry, and even individual presentations of Chinese architecture and urban living, all participants showed an excellent command of Putonghua and a deep understanding." She added: "We wish the students every success."
Picture shows participants with Professor Fan Hong, Director, Irish Institute of Chinese Studies, UCC and Mary Ruane, Director of the Applied Language Centre, UCD.
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