TAIWAN

Taipei makes big push to improve its stuttering English

Many of the measures being adopted are aimed at creating an English-friendly environment on the island by 2007-
By Lawrence Chung –The Straits Times Taiwan Bureau

Taipei:

Western diplomats invited to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s anniversary recently were amused to find the English abbreviation of the party’s name was misspelt as DDP instead of DPP.

Premier Yu Shyi-kun late last month stammered out an apology for his poor command of the language when an opposition legislator used English, instead of Mandarin, to raise questions.

“Since the government is promoting English as the second official language, I would like to use English to raise my questions,” said Mr Wang Cheng-chung of the pro-independence Taiwan Solidarity Union. “ I have heard that the foreign ministry is arranging a meeting between the first lady and US First Lady Laura Bush. Is this a correct assumption?”

Failing to understand the question, the premier looked perplexed and Defence Minister Eugene Chien came to his rescue with a translation. “My English is very bad, I speak only a little English,” Mr.Yu said in Mandarin at the parliamentary session on Sep 24.

A recent survey by the Language Test Centre in Taipei even showed that only 32 of l94 who took the English proficiency examination passed the test. Among those who qualified,56 percent had studied abroad.

“Many Taiwanese people who have studied abroad and have either bachelor or master’s degrees can read English without a problem, but are at a loss when they open their mouths, ” said author Lin Wen-yi... Taipei Government took the following measures to raise proficiency:

They are:

1.	An English TV channel will be set up
2.	All public signs will be in both English and Chinese
3.	All Government agencies, including their websites, will be required to promote bilingual services
4.	Beginning next year, all elementary schools must start teaching English at Grade 3. Previously Taiwanese students begin learning the language only in the first year of high school, at the age of l3.
5.	Taipei has ordered that all senior government officials learn to speak the language.
6.	Taipei has also launched a course to help train cab drivers to speak English