英文原创-英語力今昔相比(香港经验谈)

（单词翻译:单击）

Thinking of those days i.e. 1969 when I finished my Form 5 education, we had been taught all in English (except Chinese subjects) so the English skills of secondary¹ school graduates in our days was much stronger.  The standard of English has taken a dive after mother tongue instructions were adopted.  In the end, an average college student cannot use English freely².  Another phenomenon arose when the first and second generation of those Hongkongers who fled Hong Kong worried about the 1997 handover are returning to stay or work in Hong Kong.    Now we find two extremes in the command of English.   These returnee naturally speak native level English.  However, for those who have never left Hongkong to study, work or live abroad, very likely than not their English skill is weaker.


Much more terrifying is the fact that in modern day Hong Kong, if you don't have a working ability in Mandarin³ (Putonghua), you cannot easily get hired.  Depending on what kind of offices you work in, there is a high chance that you don't have much chance using English.  The change in Hong Kong SAR is not small - it's horrifying⁴ and saddening.  I will talk about this in the blog later.



Inside mainland⁵ China, there is a strong demand for English.  However, due to the social environment, the education system and the close-mindedness of the English learners here are mostly using fake⁶ English.  The translation skill is terrifying.  However it is too late to retrain the college graduates as few can make any significant⁷ improvement⁸.  The pay of the middle school gradates who work as clerks is too low that they cannot afford to pay a really good teacher who is expected to be paid at a higher rate.   Teachers who teach English cannot use English freely.  I have met and known personally teachers who teach general English and business English.  I cannot imagine how they are able to get into the classroom to teach.  A brighter student can always challenge them.



我是1969年中学毕业的，想起我们那个时代，因为是用英语教学，所以那个时代的中学毕业生还是英语力较好。到母语教学时代，英语力插水，连普遍大学生也不能随意使用英语了。但这个时段，另一个现象产生了，当年怕1997回归的移民家庭，他们的第一，二代土生土长的孩子回港生活或工作，英语力的两个极端出现了。如果你没有离开过香港到外地升学，工作或生活，极有可能你的英语力还是较普通薄弱。




更可怕的事实是现今香港社会你不能使用普通话，你的受聘机会低很多。看你在那种公司工作，现在极有可能已没有多大机会用英语了。香港的状况变化太大，是有点可怕与可悲，这些事另文再谈论。


国内状况是他们极需要英语，但碍于社会环境，教育制度，思想不开放等等问题，能真真正正使用正式的英语为数不多，翻译水平恐怖，但那些大学毕业生为时已晚，能再经培训有所改进的极少。中学毕业当文员的工资太低，没能力找到收费较高的有水平的培训师来改进英语，教英语的老师连自已也不能轻易使用英语，我自已也遇到或认识教普通英语和商务英语的老师，我真的不敢想象他们能进课堂教课的。一个较有水平的学生随时会难倒他们。

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