Letters

Use a language or dialect

Comment on "Shanghai encourages children to study local dialect" (China Daily website, Jan 21)

The discussion or even a dispute over the relation between a local dialect and Putonghua is an interesting topic. As the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission tries to keep the Shanghai dialect alive by promoting dialect education in kindergartens, nationwide the public media are strictly regulated by the authorities to use Putonghua in their TV programs and radio broadcasts.