导读:近日，南非基础教育部长宣布，政府计划将汉语作为学校里第二外语的选修课。
African countries are now starting to see the increasing value of learning Chinese.
非洲国家现在开始意识到学习汉语的重要性。
Recently, the South African basic education minister announced the government’s plans to introduce Chinese as an optional third language in its schools.
近日，南非基础教育部长宣布，政府计划将汉语作为学校里第二外语的选修课。
They hope to have 500 schools offering Chinese over the next five years.
未来5年，南非政府计划在500所中小学开设汉语课。
China is now South Africa’s largest trading partner.
中国当前是南非最大的贸易伙伴。
The plan to introduce Chinese in schools is already in motion, with two teachers from China having already arrived in the country.
在学校里开设汉语课的计划已经在行动中，来自中国的两名教师已经到达南非。
Every year, for the next five years, 100 teachers will be trained to teach the Chinese language. In a country where there are 11 official languages, English remains the most common language of instruction in South African schools.
未来5年里，南非每年将会培训100名教师学习汉语。在这个官方语言高达11种的国家，英语仍是南非学校里最普遍的语言。
Naturally then, the announcement of the introduction of Chinese at schools has been met with resistance from some quarters who are still demanding that all children be taught in their mother tongue.
将汉语引入学校，自然地引起了一些区域的抵制。他们坚持认为所有的孩子应该学习母语。
Confucius Institutes are already well-established at five top South African universities to promote the language and culture.
南非的五所顶尖大学里已经建立了孔子学院，以推动中国的语言和文化。
Learning Chinese could open job opportunities for South Africans in China, while school leaders could choose to create more programs for Chinese studies at universities, they say.
他们表示，学习汉语将为南非人在中国提供更多的就业机会，而学校领导也将为在南非的中国留学生创造更多的项目。
The South African government believes the introduction of Chinese in its schools will strengthen economic ties.
南非政府相信，在学校引入汉语将加强两国的经济联系。
During my time in Beijing, I attended a basic Chinese class once a week for about three months. In that time, I learned very little other than basic greetings, taxi directions and food-related vocabulary. Learning to count proved the most useful.
在北京的时候，我每周参加一个中文基础班，大约上了三个月。那段时间所学的，无外乎是基本的问候语，出租车方向用语和食物相关的词汇。学会数数被证明是最有用的。
When I chose my university subjects, I opted to continue studying German which I had learned at school as a third language.
当我选择大学专业时，我选择继续学习德语，因为在中学时它是我的第三外语。
In those years it was natural for students at South African universities to study another European language over an indigenous language, because of the belief that it would open international doors.
在那个年代，南非学生学习一门欧洲语言司空见惯，因为他们认为欧洲将敞开国际大门。
As the Chinese economy continues to grow and strengthen, the world’s most-spoken language is gaining in currency too.
而随着中国经济持续增长和增强，汉语这门世界上讲的人数最多的语言也开上走上舞台。
South Africa, the third largest economy in Africa, is taking note.
南非，这个非洲的第三大经济体，显然深谙此道。
