Knowing Pinyin

Chinese words and terms are being used increasingly in media reports in the world's eight major English-speaking countries. Yang Yang reports.

As China plays an increasingly important role on the global stage, the Chinese language is exerting its influence on English, according to a recent report by the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration. The report is based on a survey conducted by the CFLPA and the Horizon Research Consultancy Group, both based in Beijing.

The survey was designed to find out to what extent the Chinese language Romanized in the form of pinyin is known and understood by people in eight major English-speaking countries - Britain, the United States, Australia, Canada, South Africa, India, Singapore and the Philippines - through media reports, schools and cultural exchanges.