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Dutch Re-invent Language of Trade in Hong Kong

Chinglish.com
2008-12-03 01:50 2371

Market introduction of bilingual profiles by Chinglish.com

THE HAGUE, The Netherlands, Dec. 2 /PRNewswire-Asia/ --

The Netherlands and Hong Kong jointly host this year’s Business of Design Week (BODW), the leading international design fair in Asia. For the occasion, Dutch Internet company Chinglish.com was asked to develop Chinese-English profiles for all members of the official delegation led by the Dutch minister for foreign trade, Frank Heemskerk. The goal is to promote Dutch Design while showcasing a deepening understanding of China. BODW will take place December 8-13, 2008 in Hong Kong. Chinglish.com will present the new bilingual profile feature at the Dutch Pavilion in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center.

The key to smooth Chinese-English interaction

Entrepreneur and founder of Chinglish.com, Marius van Bergen, says "Chinglish design is the key to smooth Chinese-English interaction and a flourishing China trade. In the coming years, millions of new Chinese users with poor English language skills will discover Internet, while millions of foreigners will be taking up learning the Chinese language. The Chinglish online networking environment we are building, bridges the communication barrier between Chinese and non-Chinese Internet users. Users can view profiles in their preferred language, invite others to connect, and communicate through bilingual email in Chinese, English, or a combination of the two. In a way, we are re-inventing the language of trade."

The most powerful language in human history

Chinglish.com intentionally chose Hong Kong to promote the new bilingual profile feature. Last year, Hong Kong organized the world’s first Chinglish exhibition at the Museum of Art, claiming Chinglish is "the most powerful language in human history, uniting billions of speakers in mutual comprehension." The Chinglish format, Chinese and English text side-by-side, is rapidly gaining popularity in Chinese media. In the 17th century, the Dutch East Asia Company dominated the world, recognizing the importance of direct trade with China early on. It was the traders around the area now called Hong Kong who first began to mix Chinese and English. The combined Chinglish-BODW initiative demonstrates the Dutch haven’t lost their knack for language and trade.

Source: Chinglish.com
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