<p>I'm starting high school in 2009 (I know, I'm probably one of the youngest people here, but my birthday was in March!) and I'm having trouble deciding which one I should take. On one hand, I've been taking a Cantonese class for a few years and did pretty well except for this year, where I failed miserably (I hate that F), so I am familiar with characters (though not the simplified ones). On the other hand, I love Japanese culture. I've been to Japan with my family and it was fantastic. In fact, I think we're going again next year. A little help deciding?</p>
<p>It really is up to you. Your knowledge of Chinese characters will be very valuable for Japanese (kanji is exactly the same) and in comparison hiragana and katakana is a breeze. If you like Japanese culture that much more than take Japanese (though I might be saying something different if it was Mandarin vs. Japanese).</p>
<p>If you enjoy Japanese culture more, and are more likely to visit Japan, then learn Japanese. You'll learn better if you are more interested in the subject.</p>
<p>mandarin sounds cool. like oranges. :)</p>
<p>It's all what you personally think will be more fun. Education shouldn't be all hard work -- try to find something that appeals to you. </p>
<p>But personally, I'd go with Mandarin. Mandarin is the langauge with the most native speakers, and now that China is the prospective superpower of the future, it's be a great asset to have Mandarin proficiency, at the very least, under your belt. And I've also heard that it takes 2-5 years for a person that speaks one Chinese "dialect" fluently to master another one (of course that's considering complete immersion I think).</p>
<p>I read your schedule for next year and it says you're going into 8th grade. Wouldn't you be entering high school in 2008?</p>
<p>There's a few other seventh graders in the Prep School Admissions Forum.</p>
<p>Go with which one you love more. It will be hard to study the language if you don't truly like it. And even though people say that China is going to be a future superpower, a lot of the people in China in business etc. already speak fluent English, so even then your Mandarin might not be of great use. Or they get a fluent english speaking and mandarin speaking chinese person to use instead of you because it will be hard to get your mandarin to a fluency level where you can edge those people out.</p>
<p>The same thing also goes for japanese. You might find it more useful in business etc. to use becuz a lot of japanese don't speak good english. But it is used a lot less worldwide than mandarin. </p>
<p>If you go into something like business they would both be very useful, though japanese might be more useful. The ONLY reason I say this though is because I have read a lot about this and all of the branches of business located in China everyone speaks English in their. Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, etc. Even though they are their chinese branch, English is only spoken in the buildings. In Japan, companies oftentimes have a hard time convincing people to stay their a long time because of the cultural barrier, and people in general not being able to speak good english except the youth. In that instance your japanese would be a lot more helpful. </p>
<p>And even though japan's economy has been in a coma the last couple of years it is showing signs of turning around, so by the time you get into college it might be even more useful.</p>
<p>So it all depends on what you want to do and where you want to go. That should be the deciding factor.</p>
<p>i'd take mandarin cuz chinese is more useful thesedays (altho i know chinese already lol). but it all depends on what YOU like and what interests you, don't take something that u don't like (but then, i hate all my classes in HS. i'm just taking them b/c well, it's required and all the APs and honors look good).</p>
<p>"I read your schedule for next year and it says you're going into 8th grade. Wouldn't you be entering high school in 2008?"</p>
<p>D'oh. I keep thinking in graduating years. </p>
<p>Anyway, I'm probably gonna be choosing Japanese, unless something makes me change my mind at the last minute.</p>
<p>Japanese, duh. That means you can read manga not released in the US.</p>
<p>But seriously, it seems like you do like Japanese a lot more, so go for it.</p>
<p>JAPANESE. chinese, i hate to say it, doesn't sound pleasing to the ear. If you have ever heard chinese music, you'd understand. BUT if that doesn't bother you then take chinese, but i heard chinese is harder too.</p>
<p>"China is the prospective superpower of the future,"</p>
<p>Not.</p>
<p>Learn whichever one that appeals to you more.</p>
<p>Mandarin --> Probably more practical. Grammar is ridiculously easy, so I've been told. I'm taking it next year.
Japanese --> More FUN!! (I take it now and I LOVE it! The culture is amazing, and it definitely has changed my prospective college major.) Plus, fairly simple grammar (especially coming out of Latin...heh).</p>
<p>go with mandarin</p>
<p>yeah go w/ mandarin ... I want to learn it someday when I'm not so busy =]</p>