Mark Newland

Mark Newland (pseudonym) lived in Taiwan for a decade and since then has lived and worked for extended periods in the People's Republic of China. His PhD is in General Linguistics, reflecting his deep interest in language and culture. He has been involved in a wide variety of pursuits in academics, consulting, and business. He is a recipient of the prestigious West Lake Friendship Award in China.

Blog Entries

Priceless Words

The pitfalls of semantics in cross-linguistic communication.

Mark Newland ⋅ ⋅ May 06, 2020

Blog Entries

Social Distance

Is it "social distance" or "physical distance?" What's the difference and why does it matter to language and culture learners?

Mark Newland ⋅ ⋅ Apr 01, 2020

Blog Entries

We Live in Different Worlds

How does a student of language enter another culture? It takes more than classroom experience.

Mark Newland ⋅ ⋅ Mar 18, 2020

Blog Entries

Where Did They Get That Idea?

Eploring the parallels of two different New Year celebrations.

Mark Newland ⋅ ⋅ Jan 27, 2020

Blog Entries

How to Learn a Language, Part 2

How to Work Hard

Working hard is vital to effective language learning—but you have to know how to work hard.

Mark Newland ⋅ ⋅ Jan 06, 2020

Blog Entries

How to Learn a Language, Part 1

Criteria for Success

What is essential for successful language learning?

Mark Newland ⋅ ⋅ Dec 09, 2019

Blog Entries

Language vs. Attitude

If you intend to live and work in China, France, or wherever, check your attitude. With an attitude of acceptance, participation, immersion, you will not only develop meaningful relationships, but language acquisition will be enhanced.

Mark Newland ⋅ ⋅ Nov 18, 2019