M A N D A R I N S U P E R S T A R
M A N D A R I N S U P E R S T A R
M A N D A R I N S U P E R S T A R
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Caleb Jenkins
Selwyn College
When did you start learning Chinese and what inspired you to take up the language?
I started learning Chinese in Year 3 at my primary school, and it gave me a good foundation for understanding China's history, culture and society. I was inspired to recommence my Chinese learning journey at the start of high school. Through continuous learning and practice, I began to realise that Chinese is not only a subject, it is the key to open the door to China. Now, with China's growing influence on the global economic and political stage, being able to speak semi-fluent Chinese is a huge advantage for me. I have Māori ancestry and I feel like I am now connected to three cultures.
我从三年级开始学习中文，这为我了解中国的历史、文化和社会打下了良好的基础。高中时我又开始学习中文。我开始意识到中文不仅是一门学科，它是开启中国大门的钥匙。现在，随着中国在全球经济和政治舞台上的影响力日益增强，能说一口流利的中文对我来说是一个巨大的优势。我有毛利血统，我感觉自己现在与三种文化紧密相连。
Tell us about your Chinese language learning journey. What has been the most unexpected or rewarding part of the experience?
I took Chinese as a compulsory subject in Years 3-6 in primary school. Throughout this time, I participated in Chinese speech competitions and sat YCT, both of which fueled my passion for Chinese greatly. I hit a road bump when I saw that Chinese was not taught as a subject at my intermediate school, and for two years, my knowledge of Chinese began to flounder. Fortunately, this passion was rekindled at my high school, where I have taken Chinese since Year 9. Since then, I have participated in the Chinese Bridge Speech Competition twice, and the adjacent Essay Competition once. A highly unexpected part of my journey came during the most recent General Election, in which I worked at a voting place. I was able to use Chinese to greet and help Chinese-speakers. It has also been great to encourage my two younger brothers on their Chinese-learning journey.
我从小学三年级到六年级学习中文，因为这是必修科目。其间，我参加了中文演讲比赛和YCT考试，这极大地激发了我对中文的热爱。初中没有中文课，这给了我一点小挫折，两年间我的中文水平有所退步。幸好进入高中后，我重新燃起对中文的热爱，从九年级开始继续学习中文。此后，我两次参加“汉语桥”演讲比赛，并参加过相关的征文比赛。最意外的经历发生在最近的大选期间，我在投票站工作，偶尔能用中文和一些中国人打招呼和提供帮助。我也很高兴能为两个弟弟的中文学习之旅加油打气。
What opportunities have opened up for you as a result of your Chinese-speaking ability?
Do you mean besides being a Youth Ambassador for New Zealand Chinese Language Week, because that’s an opportunity and a half! Besides this incredible honour, Chinese has given me the opportunity to express my passion for public speaking and writing through a different medium. Another massive opportunity is that having Chinese under my belt is a huge advantage when applying for positions; just by knowing Chinese, you immediately stand out from the crowd. Of course, the social opportunities are also abundant. By taking on a language as widely spoken as Chinese, the number of potential interactions I can have with others is much larger than normal!
你是指除了成为新西兰中文周的青年大使吗？因为那已经是个很大的机会了！除了这个巨大的荣誉，中文让我能够通过不同的媒介表达我对演讲和写作的热情。另一个巨大的机会是，掌握中文在申请职位时是一个很大的优势；仅凭懂中文，你就能立刻从人群中脱颖而出。当然，社交机会也非常丰富。学习像中文这样广泛使用的语言，我能够与他人互动的机会要比一般情况多得多！
Why do you think other New Zealanders should learn Chinese?
Right now, there are approximately 283,500 people who identify as Chinese living in New Zealand, making them one of our largest ethnic groups - and those numbers are still rising! Simply by cross-lingual interaction, we can break down so many social barriers and make Chinese-speakers feel instantly at home in our country. For that reason alone, why wouldn’t you learn it?
目前，大约有283,500名自认为是华人的人居住在新西兰，使他们成为我们最大的族群之一，而且这个数字还在不断增加！仅仅通过跨语言的互动，我们就可以打破许多社会障碍，让说中文的人在我们的国家感到宾至如归。仅凭这个理由，你为什么不学中文呢？
Do you have any tips for anyone thinking about taking up Chinese?
To pick up the language quicker, it’s important to observe conversations in Chinese, and find the meanings of unfamiliar words. By simply copying down these words and going over them in your head a few times, you can pick up the language noticeably quicker. Also, pay attention to tonal markings! If you get the tone of word wrong, you could end up changing the meaning of your entire sentence!
想要更快地掌握这门语言，观察中文对话并找到不熟悉词语的意思非常重要。只需把这些词语抄下来并在脑海中反复记忆几次，你就可以明显更快地掌握这门语言。另外，注意声调标记！如果你把词语的声调弄错了，可能会改变整个句子的意思！
Do you have a favourite Chinese word or expression? Why do you like it?
My favourite Chinese expression is ‘a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step’. This expression resonates with me because it reflects my Chinese learning journey. It started with learning ‘hello’ and now I am speaking to you in Chinese today. Although learning an entirely new language can seem incredibly daunting, all it takes is a first step to set you on your way!
我最喜欢的一句中国谚语是“千里之行，始于足下”。这句话让我深有感触，因为它反映了我学习中文的历程。我的旅程始于学习“你好！”，今天我要和你们讲中文。虽然学习一门全新的语言似乎很难，但只要你迈出第一步，你就可以继续前进！