A Paris language learning center for adults has begun offering courses in Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese) to French students this year, amid growing interest in Taiwan, the university professor who initiated the language program said.
“Taiwan’s visibility in France has grown significantly in recent years thanks to media coverage. As a result, Taiwan has gained a positive reputation and is seen as a symbol of progressive values,” said Miao Lin-Zucker (林季苗), an associate professor in the foreign language department at the University of Lyon.
“More and more French people are interested in Taiwan and many want to learn [Hoklo], which is the second most spoken language in Taiwan after Mandarin,” said the Taiwanese expatriate, who initiated the program at Les Cours d’Adultes de Paris.
The Paris learning center was founded in 1820 and is regarded as one of the largest language learning institutions in France.
Lin said that the program teaches Hoklo through poetry, songs, literature and films.
“We hope to make our lessons more appealing to students, mainly through the arts, as many people here already have an appreciation of Taiwanese films,” she said.
Lin said she was inspired to start the program after the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO) began providing Hoklo classes to students earlier this year as an elective course rather than an ancillary course.
INALCO is a Paris university that specializes in teaching the languages and cultures from Central Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas, Oceania and elsewhere.
A junior INALCO student named Theo, who majors in Mandarin, said he began learning Hoklo after his schoolmates’ positive experiences in Taiwan raised his interest in Taiwan’s culture.
“I have classmates who studied for one semester in Taiwan as exchange students, and when they returned they all spoke about the openness and friendliness of the Taiwanese people,” he said.
“Hoklo is the most difficult language I have ever learned, but I will continue to take on the challenge because learning it has given me a lot of pleasure,” he said.
Lin said that the courses at the Paris center will be taught online, and she encourages anyone interested to sign up for the program.
The inspection equipment and data transmission system for new robotic dogs that Taipei is planning to use for sidewalk patrols were developed by a Taiwanese company, the city’s New Construction Office said today, dismissing concerns that the China-made robots could pose a security risk. The city is bringing in smart robotic dogs to help with sidewalk inspections, Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Ssu-chuan (李四川) said on Facebook. Equipped with a panoramic surveillance system, the robots would be able to automatically flag problems and easily navigate narrow sidewalks, making inspections faster and more accurate, Lee said. By collecting more accurate data, they would help Taipei
STATS: Taiwan’s average life expectancy of 80.77 years was lower than that of Japan, Singapore and South Korea, but higher than in China, Malaysia and Indonesia Taiwan’s average life expectancy last year increased to 80.77 years, but was still not back to its pre-COVID-19 pandemic peak of 81.32 years in 2020, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday. The average life expectancy last year increased the 0.54 years from 2023, the ministry said in a statement. For men and women, the average life expectancy last year was 77.42 years and 84.30 years respectively, up 0.48 years and 0.56 years from the previous year. Taiwan’s average life expectancy peaked at 81.32 years in 2020, as the nation was relatively unaffected by the pandemic that year. The metric
TAKING STOCK: The USMC is rebuilding a once-abandoned airfield in Palau to support large-scale ground operations as China’s missile range grows, Naval News reported The US Marine Corps (USMC) is considering new sites for stockpiling equipment in the West Pacific to harden military supply chains and enhance mobility across the Indo-Pacific region, US-based Naval News reported on Saturday. The proposed sites in Palau — one of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies — and Australia would enable a “rapid standup of stored equipment within a year” of the program’s approval, the report said, citing documents published by the USMC last month. In Palau, the service is rebuilding a formerly abandoned World War II-era airfield and establishing ancillary structures to support large-scale ground operations “as China’s missile range and magazine
Passengers on Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) will be required to use headphones and make phone calls in gangways under new “quiet travel” rules starting Sept. 22. THSR Chairman Shih Che (史哲) told media that THSR will run a three-month promotional campaign to ensure widespread adoption of the new rules. Those repeatedly ignoring the guidance face the potential termination of their transport contract, which can result in them getting escorted off the train, according to THSR. Shih shared his hope to cultivate an environment conducive to rest and reading for the train’s passengers, stating that these changes aim to “promote self-discipline” among passengers
RSS