Guangzhou traders try their hand at 鈥楽hop English鈥
Print Edition
Ma Jieyao, the owner of a small stall in a garment wholesale market in the city of Guangzhou, in south China鈥檚 Guangdong Province, didn鈥檛 speak any English two months ago. Now, after a few lessons in 鈥淪hop English,鈥 she is no longer afraid to face foreign buyers.
This particular variety of the English language course is all about price inquiries, bargaining, payment and delivery terms.
The speakers pay little attention to grammar or pronunciation 鈥 it鈥檚 a language of getting things done.
鈥淣ow when I want to greet buyers, I say, 鈥楶lease have a look,鈥 and I know how to show them new things. I can say 鈥榣ast price鈥 and numbers,鈥 said Ma.
鈥淎nd I just learned 鈥榙elivery鈥 and 鈥榳arehouse鈥 today,鈥 she added.
The evolution of language always reflects changes in the economic and cultural landscape. With accelerating globalization, foreign languages are becoming more accessible and approachable.
Simplified forms of business language like Shop English course are increasingly popular among traders in Guangzhou, China鈥檚 southern trade hub and home to about 1,000 wholesale markets.
Hundreds of thousands of people are looking for business opportunities there.
鈥淚f I can talk to a foreigner directly, both of us will be happy,鈥 said Xia Mingyue, another shop owner. Xia started taking Shop English classes two years ago. 鈥淚t will save time and money. Hiring an interpreter could be expensive. Why not spend that money making the quality better or the packaging prettier?鈥
Xiao Wuwei, founder of an English training school, said that more than 2,000 people took its Shop English course in 2017. His oldest student was a 73-year-old man who sells glasses.
Xiao鈥檚 school introduced a program called 鈥淐ross-border E-commerce English鈥 two years ago to help stall keepers to do business with foreigners online.
Xiao is planning to optimize the school鈥檚 curriculum and develop programs on 鈥淟ogistics English,鈥 鈥淒esign English,鈥 and 鈥淚ntellectual Property Rights English.鈥
At the same time, he has launched 鈥淪hop Chinese鈥 and even 鈥淪hop Cantonese鈥 for foreign buyers.
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