English

我没有说这个！
这是外交部部长杨洁篪：

第三，要扩大人文交流，办好2009年在中国要举行的“俄语年”，2010年在俄罗斯举行的“汉语年”，加强相互交流。现在学中文的人很多，我希望在座的记者，外国的女士们、先生们，也能够抓紧学中文。我认为中文是世界上最容易学的语言之一，否则很难解释为什么有13亿人选择中文作为他们的母语。

我觉得有两个可能性：
- 他真的觉得这个。而且他不知道在中国有一大局部（20%？）的人民不说普通话因为不是他们的本族语。
- 他是第一个中国政府员做这种笑话。既然那样：加油！！！;-)
 
 
 
 
 

Chinese is one of the easiest languages in the world to learn

I didn’t say it!
It’s from Yang Jiechi (杨洁篪), China’s foreign minister:

There are many people studying Chinese now. I hope that all of you reporters, and the other ladies and gentlemen in attendance, can take up the study of Chinese. I believe that Chinese is one of the easiest languages in the world to learn. Otherwise, how can you explain why 1.3 bllion people have chosen it as their mother tongue?

So, two possibilities:
- either he really thinks that, and, moreover, ignores that a significant part (20%?) of Chinese citizen don’t speak Mandarin because it’s not their native language.
- or he is the first Chinese politician to do such kind of joke. In that case: good luck! Keep going on!!!
 
 
词汇 / Vocabulary:
之一 = zhīyī = one of something
能够 = nénggòu = be able to
母语 = mǔyǔ = native language, mother tongue
局部 = júbù = a part, a portion
本族语 = běnzúyǔ = native language, mother tongue (more on the ethnical / tribal point of view)
既然那样 = jìrán nàyàng = in that case
 
 
来源 / Sources:
杨洁篪:中文是世界上最容易学的语言之一
So simple that any child can learn it