Study Modern Standard Chinese and learn the basic language skills needed to communicate
in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and other parts of East Asia.
Chinese is the language with the most native speakers in the world. Though the language’s
unique system can appear daunting, many students are able to communicate in Chinese
after two semesters. Our practical approach to instruction infuses cultural studies
throughout.
What will you learn?
The Chinese program at Skidmore offers language classes from beginning to advanced
levels, as well as courses in Chinese literature and culture. Our curriculum can lead
to a minor in Chinese or provide the basis for a major in Asian studies, international
affairs, or management and business.
Skidmore’s affiliations allow students toparticipatein internships in such fields as business, economics, education, environmental studies,
and journalism with many American and international organizations inside China.
Here are answers to common questions about studying Chinese language and culture at
Skidmore.
Chinese grammar is remarkably simple. There are no inflections, cases, genders, declensions,
numbers, or tenses. Many people who begin to study Chinese quickly become fascinated
with the unique system of the language and are able to communicate in Chinese after
two semesters. According to the U.S. State Department language training experts, Chinese
ranks with Japanese on the level of difficulty. Three major things distinguish Chinese
from European languages. First, the writing system is very complex; consequently,
about half of the time spent in beginning Chinese concerns learning the writing system.
Second, unlike European languages, Chinese shares no cognates with English. Third,
Chinese is a tonal language, and, for this reason, a major task in learning Chinese
is developing the habit of listening for tonal distinctions and producing them in
speech.
We teach Modern Standard Chinese, the official language of the People’s Republic of
China. This is the native dialect of the people of the northern part of China. The
Chinese government ismaking an effortto teach it to all school children and public employees all over China. This dialect
is also known asputonghua(in the People’sRepublic ofChina) orguoyu(in Taiwan); it is the Beijing dialect or Mandarin. It is different from Cantonese,
the Shanghai dialect, and many other regional dialects, which are mutually unintelligible,
although the written language isvirtually thesame for all.
The Chinese courses offered in the Department of World Languages and Literatures at
Skidmore are designed to provide students with the basic language skills needed to
function verbally and to read contemporary Chinese publications in China, Taiwan,
Hong Kong, Singapore, and other parts of East Asia. In the first-year classes, we
put equal emphasis on speaking, listening, writing, and reading.Students are able to use approximately 350 characters by the end of the first year.In the second year, the emphasis shifts slightly toward reading and speaking, and
by the third year we offer advanced courses in reading, speaking, and composition.
We see language as a part of a culture and try to integrate both from the very beginning.
Yes! Skidmore is affiliated with the Associated Colleges in China Program (ACC), the
CET Shanghai Program, and the IES Beijing Program. Through these programs, students
can obtain internships in such fields as business, economics, education, environmental
studies, and journalism with many American and international organizations inside
China. In addition, there are several other programs available in the PRC, Taiwan,
and Hong Kong for students who have had one year of Chinese.
Courses on Chinese literature, film, and culture are offered through Skidmore’s Department
of World Languages and Literatures. These courses fulfill the non-western requirementand alsocount toward fulfilling Asian studies, gender studies, international affairs, or management
and business requirements.
