[QUOTE=David Jamieson;742928] How about indonesians who do japanese karate and call it shaolin? is that a problem?
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DJ, you slippery tongued devilā¦
Look, Zhangxiā¦people in America donāt even speak in the same vernacular. I moved from Detroit to Atlanta in ā94ā¦and I didnāt understand at least 25 words and phrases tossed out regularly by locals (even other migrants). āMy badā¦ā wasnāt in northern use at the time, "fixinā" had me stumpedā¦things change with geographic shifts. Itās not a bad thing. Itās just different.
BTW, Iām white, and I donāt speak chinese. I plan on learning it soon, and I butcher it when I speak it. I tryā¦
Really, thoughā¦languages describe things. Whatās more important? The language or the thing it describes?
well I am WHITEā¦ does than answer your question? and I can speak CHINESE.
Many of us speak other languages as well. I speak four. The head of my system speaks something like 7.
I could probably speak to an ancient roman better than you:rolleyes: (very useful, I know:D )ā¦itās not integral to studying classics and ancient history, but it can be nice, at times. Although, I do think many English translations are far better than the originalsā¦:eek:
well, to clear things up a littleā¦the USA is not a land that is exclusively english as its language. The melting pot of the world is versed in all different kinds of languages. If you come down to Houston and tour its china town, you will see street signs in english and written in chineseā¦even in some parts of downtown Houston.
I can remember when the first shaolin school hosted by two monks opened its doors in Houston. Niether spoke the english language. Grant it the student base of the shaolin schools are mainly chinese but as a āwhiteā person in a chinese school it was interesting. Years later the monks learned english and we began studying chinese/mandarin. The point is language is not the issue. The issue is how bad you want to learn and how bad do you want it. Language is just another hurdle in the road.