How a few words of Mandarin can go a long way
For three young Malaysians, learning another language has made everyday conversations easier and warmer.
Muhammad Aizat Nor Rahman, Nurfatin Syafiqah, and G Yuashini all found value in learning Mandarin. At a car workshop, a Chinese owner initially seemed reluctant to engage until Aizat introduced himself in Mandarin, which changed the atmosphere and made the conversation smoother. For Aizat, learning a language is a gateway to culture and unity in Malaysia’s multiracial society.
Nurfatin, a teaching assistant, found that being able to speak Mandarin helped her communicate with Chinese students and build rapport. She emphasized that learning additional languages does not diminish the importance of Malay. G Yuashini, a beauty therapist, realized the importance of Mandarin when she started working with elderly patients who struggled to understand medical terms in Malay or English.
Being able to explain things in Mandarin made those conversations easier for her. In a multilingual country like Malaysia, a few extra words may not solve every misunderstanding, but they can make communication much easier.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 1 other outlet
- How a few words of Mandarin can go a long way freemalaysiatoday.com
