Hi tree123.
Does Malaysia where you are from play an important role in the proficiency in your English except for your great efforts which I can observe on the forum [STRIKE]and imagine[/STRIKE]?
Yes, English is second language in Malaysia after Malay, the national language, though its standard and role have been declining due to emphasis being given to the latter. It is after all a legacy from the British colonial past (until independence in 1957).
I wonder if you went to[STRIKE] the[/STRIKE] schools where English was the teaching language, and you have been reading books in English all the time, watching/listening to English programs in Malaysia, etc. In other words, have you been exposed[STRIKE] in [/STRIKE] to an English environment?
Yes, the language is quite widely used in Malaysia, in addition to Malay, the national language. Next come the native languages of the various other races viz. mainly the Chinese and Indians with their various dialects which are spoken as the mother tongues though there are schools where the vernacular languages are taught as the medium of instruction. Being trilingual is common.
The environment for learning English in Malaysia is quite a contrast to that in China. While the environment here is certainly more condusive to learning the language, the standard is declining too as Malay is being given more importance at the expense of English. It is unlike in Singapore, our southern neighbour, where English is prioritised and is the main language. Of course the English used here cannot compared to English-speaking countries as it is a local variant (some call it Manglish) with a local slangs and accents, which native speakers would find it difficult to understand.
I think the 'push" to learn English in China only started in the 80's during the Deng Xioaoping era where it started to open up to the West and really picked up in the 90's. English there has been taught only as a subject in schools and is hardly used or spoken outside schools. You see signs in public places in English, which often sound unnatural as they are direct translations from Chinese. In short, there is a general lack of exposure to the language. And the shortage of teachers who are proficient in the language does not help. I think those who are good at the language are mostly those who have gone for studies in western countries, like the presenters at the CGTN TV station or Prof. Zhang Weiwei of Fudan University. I spent a few years in New Zealand for my tertiary studies.
---I have been curious about this for a long time!!!
Would you please advise on the improvement of my English writing? Is there any way for me to learn more efficiently [STRIKE]if[/STRIKE], so that my expressions are natural [STRIKE]except for[/STRIKE] other than posting my writing for proofreading?
I think this is an excellent platform for learners, me included, to improve their writing in English. Mind you, after finishing school/college, you don't have teachers to mark or comment on your writing. You could have been making the same mistakes for years (which your teachers in school did not tell you) and continue to do it until and unless there is someone to point them out to you. I have friends in their 50s and 60s who still make very basic grammar mistakes in their writing and in the course of my work, I receive letters in English riddled with grammar mistakes. It is even more difficult to "unlearn" things about the language one has been used to that are incorrect, and try to "relearn" the correct versions. Some of the mistakes non-natives have been making could have been due to being taught the wrong way by their English teachers, who are not really proficient in the language themselves. It is a harder language to learn than Chinese in terms of complexities of its grammar and nuances of the language. But it is nothing compared to the Chinese language. The thousands of Chinese characters have to be learned and memorized one by one, which are different for every word since there are no alphabets to begin with. Incidentally, I have been trying to improve my written Chinese too.
e.g.1, The book is $1.5. :cross:
e.g.2. smell something hard :cross:
e.g.3. say 'goood' with a reward :cross:...
These are not [STRIKE]taught[/STRIKE] shown in the dictionary, and grammar books I've learnt from.
I think the challenge is for non-native learners to develop the sense for discerning what is natural and what is not in English. Like you, I am still trying to hone my skills in that direction, trying to get close to the standard of a native speaker. It is acquired through lots of reading and writing, which is a lifelong process. Being 'embarassed' by people commenting, criticizing and pointing out your mistakes is good; the lessons sink in deeper.
Hope the above answers your questions.
