Don’t they get tenure here? If this person got it several years ago and then is told to change his methods on account of the mighty Yanqi dolare, he maybe was pissed that in HIS uni, in HIS country, he was being told to speak in a foreign language. Politics and “Taiwan NUMBAH WUN!” rather than language constraints.
As I said, such a thing wouldn’t even be broached in a Western uni, I don’t think.
Yeap, but in Western universities they will, for example, in the Foreign Language departments, teach English literature courses in English, French lit in French, etc… They do not teach it in the local language “to make it easier for the students”. (You guys know which college I am talking about).
I agree with Sandman, and add that I believe there is more to this incident than what meets the eye.
UK is an excellent academic college for you dip-wads making the snide “hillbilly” comments. Pretty much shows you for an elitist know-nothing.
Having said that, I can not understand what the hell the OP is saying in the first post.
Can I get a translation from someone as to what exactly happened?
Read the link – the news article.
Some American applied for PhD program in Taiwan, informed the Taiwan uni that he couldn’t speak or understand Chinese, they said no problem, you don’t need to, English is Ok, you’re welcome to do the PhD here, they admit him, he packs his bags, moves to Taiwan, turns out they were wrong/lying and Chinese is definitely required as the teachers refuse to teach the mandatory courses in English, so now he’s pissed off that Taiwan is dishonest and chabuduo and he didn’t realize that in advance.
Welcome to Taiwan buddy. We’ve all learned the same lesson one way or another.
My gf works for a national university. Stories like the one posted by the OP are not uncommon. She’s had to deal with the fall-out from a number of similar cases, one of which prompted a European university to re-evaluate and subsequently cancel it’s exchange relationship with her school. There really isn’t more to the reported incident than meets the eye. Foreign students are being lied to.
[quote=“Mother Theresa”]Read the link – the news article.
Some American applied for PhD program in Taiwan, informed the Taiwan uni that he couldn’t speak or understand Chinese, they said no problem, you don’t need to, English is Ok, you’re welcome to do the PhD here, they admit him, he packs his bags, moves to Taiwan, turns out they were wrong/lying and Chinese is definitely required as the teachers refuse to teach the mandatory courses in English, so now he’s pissed off that Taiwan is dishonest and chabuduo and he didn’t realize that in advance.
Welcome to Taiwan buddy. We’ve all learned the same lesson one way or another.[/quote]
Jesus H God. What an avatar! 
[quote=“Surly”][quote=“Mother Theresa”]Read the link – the news article.
Some American applied for PhD program in Taiwan, informed the Taiwan uni that he couldn’t speak or understand Chinese, they said no problem, you don’t need to, English is Ok, you’re welcome to do the PhD here, they admit him, he packs his bags, moves to Taiwan, turns out they were wrong/lying and Chinese is definitely required as the teachers refuse to teach the mandatory courses in English, so now he’s pissed off that Taiwan is dishonest and chabuduo and he didn’t realize that in advance.
Welcome to Taiwan buddy. We’ve all learned the same lesson one way or another.[/quote]
Jesus H God. What an avatar! [/quote]
Looks a bit like Hugh Grant after being busted for getting a blowjob off a ladyboy. Is MT trying to tell us something? It’s OK MT, your pecadilloes are safe here. You’re among friends. NONE of us would ever DREAM of stabbing you in the back or informing the paparazzi, I’m sure.
Looks a bit like Hugh Grant after being busted for getting a blowjob off a ladyboy. Is MT trying to tell us something?[/quote]
And this from the man in a dress?
If he was having problems with just one class could he not have hired a translator or asked a student for help?
Or just issued a formal complaint to the school authorities every time it happened, without interacting with the offending lecturer at all. That’s what I would have done, I think. Recordings, etc., of course, but formal complaints to the school every time would have probably done the trick. Demands for a full tuition refund, threats to involve the media, etc.
That woman would have been kowtowing and offering her firstborn.
Yep, one and the same. Terry is a nice chap who has clocked up close to 20 years in the country. He spent a lot of time organizing his course (he’s been planning it for years) so we are not talking about some naive newbie. The university has obviously lied and f*cked up big time.
And eh… um… aye, right… the media route seems to be exactly what he took. Good on him and good on that dreadful rag for covering it, albeit in its tortured, mangled attempt at “English.”
I just hope he gets some payback.
Yep, one and the same. Terry is a nice chap who has clocked up close to 20 years in the country. He spent a lot of time organizing his course (he’s been planning it for years) so we are not talking about some naive newbie. The university has obviously lied and f*cked up big time.[/quote]
Waitasec. This guy has been in Taiwan for 20 years and still only has the most basic understanding of Chinese?
I understand not everyone wants to learn Chinese and not everyone has time to study it, but crikey… after 20 years you’d think he’d have heard enough to pick quite a bit up…
[quote]Waitasec. This guy has been in Taiwan for 20 years and still only has the most basic understanding of Chinese?
I understand not everyone wants to learn Chinese and not everyone has time to study it, but crikey… after 20 years you’d think he’d have heard enough to pick quite a bit up…[/quote]
His Chinese is not good enough for post-grad studies, but so what? This is not the issue. And anyway, not every foreigner who has been here a long time is fluent in the ol’ Ching Chong, nor a kung fu master, nor delved deeply into the mysterious ways of the East.
[quote=“almas john”]
His Chinese is not good enough for post-grad studies, but so what? This is not the issue. And anyway, not every foreigner who has been here a long time is fluent in the ol’ Ching Chong, nor a kung fu master, nor delved deeply into the mysterious ways of the East.[/quote]
Not every foreigner is exposed to Ching Chong, kung fu, and so on.
Yet I would expect every foreigner is exposed to spoken Chinese everyday, unless they wake up, meet their expat friends in a bar, and drink the day away.
You’re right - it’s not the point, as he was told he could do it in English. I just found it a little ridiculous, is all.
[quote=“MPenguin”]
Yet I would expect every foreigner is exposed to spoken Chinese everyday, unless they wake up, meet their expat friends in a bar, and drink the day away.
You’re right - it’s not the point, as he was told he could do it in English. I just found it a little ridiculous, is all.[/quote]
I could go for weeks without speaking Chinese in Taiwan, apart from taking taxis and buying vegetables. Which is not much use in academia.
My Chinese is not bad, but there’s a huge gulf between the kind of Chinese you ‘pick up’ in daily life and being able to follow an academic lecture in Chinese. He should not be berated for that. Few people reach that level of proficiency in Chinese or English, for that matter. It doesn’t mean he’s stupid or lazy or shockhorror doesn’t love Taiwan.
Did someone call for the OP! At your service, though I don’t know anything other than what the article says. (Did any other papers carry the story? Add them to the wiki if you would.)
So, do you think Alred learned anything about politics?
They should tell all foreigners to bring their Chinese girlfriends with them to class. And informt them that if they do not have a Chinese girlfriend, they will be assigned one at registration.
Once the University of Texas had two math departments. (The other one was called “applied mathematics.”) Apparently campus politics forbade them from contemplating a merger until recently.
[quote=“Screaming Jesus”]Did someone call for the OP! At your service, though I don’t know anything other than what the article says. (Did any other papers carry the story? Add them to the wiki if you would.)
So, do you think Alred learned anything about politics?
They should tell all foreigners to bring their Chinese girlfriends with them to class. And informt them that if they do not have a Chinese girlfriend, they will be assigned one at registration.
Once the University of Texas had two math departments. (The other one was called “applied mathematics.”) Apparently campus politics forbade them from contemplating a merger until recently.[/quote]
What a great idea?? Bring your chinese gf with you or one will be assigned to you??? Brilliant idea !!!
Do they do that in France? Cuz i would love a frenchie gf thank you.
Sounds like my ex roomie, whose gf did his Chinese homework for him, translated the news and TV programs, filled out his work applications, answered his questions by phone… They traveled together across the sea … and then she got dumped.