Chinese Language (Putonghua) as a Second Language

The Chinese Language (Putonghua) as a Second Language Minor Programme aims to provide systematic Putonghua trainings to students in the perspective of contemporary theories of language study. In addition to nurturing students’ language proficiency with substantive knowledge about the lexicon and grammar of Putonghua, the curriculum design of the Programme also features applications of current theories of linguistics in language acquisition, cognitive science as well as culture and society, enhancing students’ understanding of language as a window into the human mind, their bilingual and multilingual awareness and sharpening their sensitivity towards the complexity of modern language used in China and worldwide.

The Chinese Language (Putonghua) as a Second Language Minor Programme exposes students to Putonghua as a second language, strengthening their concepts of language diversity and socio-linguistic variation, enabling them to better understand their status as bilinguals/multilinguals and increasing their awareness of the rich and cultural heritages of the pertinent communities.

The Minor Programme caters for students of any discipline in the preparation for their job capacity and career development, especially those students from the disciplines of China studies, education, business, informational technology, tourism and hospitality, etc. As one of the most spoken languages in the world, the number of people learning Chinese as a Second language has been mounting in recent years. Knowledge of Putonghua with sharpened awareness and appreciation of the language and culture will certainly benefit students’ career development in China and other overseas Chinese communities.

The Chinese Language (Putonghua) as a Second Language Minor Programme is offered by the Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages, jointly with the Yale-China Chinese Language Centre, parallel to the existing Minor Programmes in French, German, Spanish, Korean and Hong Kong Sign Language.

The minor programme is a pioneering programme targeting non-native speakers of Putonghua/Cantonese. It represents the cross-departmental effort of the Faculty of Arts of CUHK in offering the teaching and learning of Chinese language from academic perspectives. The Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages and CLC complement each other in offering the programme. Aligning with other Modern Languages Programmes offered by the Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages, Arab Studies Programme offered by the Department of Cultural and Religious Studies, Japanese Language Programme and Japanese Studies Programme offered by the Department of Japanese Studies, the inclusion of a Minor Programme in Putonghua as a Second Language will strengthen the pivotal role of the Faculty of Arts in offering Modern Languages programme to all CUHK students and it also expands the choices of CUHK students for the study of Modern Languages. Furthermore, the inclusion not only echoes and deepens CUHK’s role and mission to promote Chinese language and culture, but also enhances the competitive edge and attractiveness of the Faculty of Arts as well as CUHK to international students.

Finally, the minor programme strengthens the role of our major programme in Linguistics by reinforcing the study of languages through application of linguistic theories to a target language. The presence of international students in our major programme courses will also enrich and enhance the diversity of our student mix, bringing in global perspectives to our local students.

Remarks:
For enquiries related to the selection of CLCP courses and placement test, please contact the University Programme Section of Yale-China Chinese Language Centre for details:
Tel: 3943-8224
Email: clc_upd@cuhk.edu.hk

For enquiries related to the application for declaration of the minor programme, please contact the Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages.