New Browser-Based MMO Teaches Mandarin Chinese

Have you ever wanted to learn Mandarin Chinese? (Yeah, me neither.) However, if you suddenly feel the urge to learn how to welcome your new Chinese overlords, researchers supported by Michigan State University and the Office of the Chinese Language Council International have a game for you. "Zon" is a browser-based virtual world, currently in beta-testing, that helps users to learn the Mandarin Chinese language.

Dialects...

[SomeJoel]

I suppose if you don't like the dialect you're learning, you can always reroll.

Yah, but

[Anonymous Coward]

But, half an hour later, you just want to learn another new language.

Ahh!

[DJNephilim]

I don't have time to play this, my hovercraft is full of eels! *pretends to strike a match*

Speaking chinese is good for MMOs

[bugnuts]

Now I'll be able to understand what those chinese gold farmers are actually saying.

So finally...

[ricebowl]

...we can all watch Firefly without the subtitles! Is this just a clever preparation for the MMO?

Re:Yes, you want, too.

[Eudial]

Considering that the US will be China's bitch in a few years, I suggest you do in fact learn Chinese!

Back in the 80's they told us that the US would be Japan's bitch and we should all learn to speak Japanese. Heck, maybe we'll be Mexico's bitch and we should learn Spanish?

With such confusion as to who was going to be our new overlords, no wonder Esperanto was big.

Re:So finally...

[Gulthek]

It's not awful, just a projection of the future of the language. Just as the Chinese of today isn't pronounced the same as the Chinese of five hundred years ago.

Re:Yes, you want, too.

[zapakh]

Ho! Konsiderante ke la Usono estos la hundinac^o de Esperantujo en la venontaj kelkaj jaroj, mi sugestas ke vi fakte lernu Esperanton!

Mi, por unu, bonvenigus niajn Esperantistajn majstrojn!