Gary Locke’s Chinese name, Kai Fai written by northwest Chinese calligraphers who participated in a contest held by Seattle Chinese Post in 2004
Locke is learning Chinese with a private tutor to prepare for his new job. That’s great news, especially for older Chinese immigrants and people in China.
To be accurate, Locke, 61, is studying Mandarin, the official dialect in China. He can speak other Chinese dialects, including Taishanese and some Cantonese. How good is his Cantonese? I once heard him speak when he ordered food in Cantonese. Not bad. Hey, when a guy is hungry, he exceeds expectations!
However, it would be tough to learn a new language at the age of 61. I speak both Mandarin and Cantonese. I can tell you that they are completely different from one another. One requires you to roll your tongue. The other is just flat all the way. At the very least, Locke will be able to greet his new Chinese friends in Mandarin. To carry on a whole conversation will take much more skill. Fortunately, his wife, Mona, is fluent, even though she’s American-born. She can probably save the day! ♦