Even though the English language is “taking over the world” today, that was certainly not the case back in the 19th Century, when my relatives set out to China. Yes, they had to start by learning English, in order to later learn Chinese (as many nationalities learning Chinese together had to have a common language to translate to and from), but in order to work in the country, they had to know the Chinese language.
And this is still kind of true. Yes, you get around most of the world today, knowing nothing but English, but if you truly want to get to know people in other countries, understand their sense of humour, their culture, their references… well, then you have to learn their language. Otherwise you will undoubtedly always have a certain distance between you, and many interesting friendships will pass you by. At least, that is my experience. As I am very interested in languages myself, I wanted to know more about how the missionaries learned such a different language from their own as Chinese.
A time-consuming necessity
The missionaries could not perform well in China and truly spread the God’s word, unless they attended language school. Both men and women learned Chinese, but after completing their language studies, men typically had a larger vocabulary than women. Although women in the Swedish Mission in China could call themselves missionaries and carried out a considerable amount of missionary work, it was primarily men who ventured into the country on dangerous missionary journeys to outstations and remote villages.
Women’s responsibilities included taking care of the mission station and the educational and healthcare activities conducted there. They also had the responsibility of overseeing Bible women – Chinese women who learned the content of the Bible and then conveyed it to other women.
Learning the Chinese language was not a quick process. Missionaries had to expect a year of intensive studies and then another year before they could go out and preach among the Chinese. At the language school in China, missionaries from all over the world gathered, sharing the common goal of wanting to spread the gospel in this remote country.
“We are currently 14 brothers at the language school. Many are from England, one from Germany, two from Australia, and one from New Zealand. Missionary interest is spread to all countries. The language school has room for 25 students, each in their own room. As soon as one has settled in, the study of the renowned language begins. Although the work is nowadays facilitated by excellent textbooks based on practical language methods, much prayer and hard work are still required“, a Swedish missionary writes in the mission paper Sinims Land in 1898.
No rest for the devoted
Those attending the language school were expected to rise at 5 in the morning to begin the day with prayer and communion with God. Breakfast was served at 7:30. At 8:30, the house staff gathered for prayer, led by Chinese evangelists and one of the missionaries.
Despite the mission home being entirely European in design, all missionaries adhered to Chinese dress codes. They wore long skirts, felt shoes with thick white soles, and their hair was in a long queue. They mostly ate as Europeans did, but once a week, they had a Chinese dinner, perhaps to gradually acclimate to the foreign cuisine.
Studies continued after breakfast until 12:30 when lunch was served, followed by more lessons until 4 in the afternoon, at which point the brain could rest and the body needed to be active. Between 4 and 5:30, missionaries were required to exercise, but in a Confucian manner. This meant taking very slow, contemplative walks on the premises. One of my relatives has mentioned that these walks were mentally taxing as the missionaries would simply walk in circles for an hour and a half.
At 5:30, it was time for dinner, and afterwards, missionaries were expected to continue studying the language for the rest of the evening. Several times a week, the studies were interrupted as missionaries gathered to collectively study the word of God. Despite this strict and demanding schedule, it took a long time for the missionaries to learn the language.
“Of the students who come to the language school, some find it easier to acquire the language, while others face difficult trial periods when they are tempted to give up the work due to perceived incapability or unsuitability. On the other hand, sometimes the studies draw one’s mind away from ‘searching the scriptures,’ from the things belonging to God. Let us pray to the Lord to preserve, strengthen, and help those whom He has called to be witnesses for Him in China”. This quote from a Swedish missionary shows how hard it must have been. The fact that he even conveyed this much of the struggle shows that they were really tested during these long months at the language school.
He is backed by another missionary saying: “Language studies take up all our time (although a couple of hours are always reserved for the study of our dear Bible), and we must prepare ourselves for patience and perseverance in learning this language. The immediate prospect is at least a year of diligent dedication to studies. Before two years have passed, one is not fit for direct work among the people. A long time, not only for the sake of the language but also to assimilate into the people’s circumstances, habits, mindset, etc., is necessary.”
Test of faith
The struggling language students also had to take language proficiency exams. There were six different exams to complete, with the first typically taken after at least six months of study. Those who couldn’t stay at the language school the entire time and had to go out to mission stations to work, could take the exam at their station. The exam included, in addition to a comprehensive textbook, the Gospel of Mark in Chinese, chapters from classical books, a fair amount of geographical knowledge about China, and various regulations for foreigners’ stay in China and how to travel around the country. It sure was a test of faith to remain at the language school, trusting the process and for these students above all – trusting God would help them gain proficiency.
I have previously written about Olga, and the fact that she never got to go to language school. Instead she was sent directly to Dagny and Robert to help with Dagny’s pregnancy. Perhaps it was not such a bad thing after all. Yes, she had to study Chinese at the station, but she would have been able to break her lessons up much more, working at the station and meeting the Chinese directly. I really think she was better off that way, having read about the tough schedule at the language school. And of course, she did learn the language as well.
Thinking back at how it has been for me to learn different languages, spending time with the people and in the country has been the absolute best method. Of course it was very important and helpful to understand the grammar and get the main vocabulary at school, but it was in meeting people, trying to talk, wanting to talk and to get a message through, that I was truly motivated and really learned the languages. That is why I decided to spend lots of time living in the countries, where the languages I have learned, are spoken.
And a plus point is, of course, all the lovely friends you make when staying in another country. Friends, that I am still visiting and keeping up with today ❤
What is your experience with learning different languages? What is the best method? I would love to hear your thoughts.
The picture at the top: in the magnifying glass, you can see what the word “language” looks like in Chinese.
Thérèse Amnéus 
That must have been a grueling way to learn a new language. My understanding of brain development is that children can learn new languages much more readily than adults. Also, at a certain point for adults, the brain reaches saturation for absorbing new information after a certain point. I’ve always believed that language is the lens through which we experience the world, so reality is experienced differently, for each language someone speaks.
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Hi Liz! Yes, what a task!! And you hit the nail on the head when you write, “language is the lens through which we experience the world, so reality is experienced differently for each language someone speaks.” Something happens to us when we use a particular language, whether it’s a dialect of our own language or a foreign language. We are perceived differently, we use words differently, and it’s even true that our demeanor changes depending on the language. I’ve experienced it both in myself and in others. That includes body language. It would have been incredibly interesting to hear and experience, for example, the archipelago girl Olga speaking Chinese. It must have made a significant change in how she was perceived in every way. Learning a language well enough to pick up on humour and make jokes yourself, is also a thing that has a great impact on how you are perceived. I know Dagny was a jokster, but she could hardly have been able to convey all of her humour in Chinese – both because of the language barrier, but also because of cultural differences. It is fascinating to think about how big a difference language makes for all of us. Thanks for your insightful comment, Liz!
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You’re welcome, Therese! I really enjoyed your post. Language is infinitley fascinating.
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Thank you, Liz!
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You’re welcome, Therese!
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I studied Russian for four years in college. Then I moved to Moscow, where I felt like I could barely speak or understand the language at all. It was really disheartening. After a year there I began to feel comfortable with the language, and after another year fairly proficient, although still far from fluent. So, the two-year minimum for the missionaries makes sense. It must have been very tiring and frustrating for them at first. Olga would have had an advantage, being so young.
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I know the feeling – I didn’t understand almost any French or German when moving to the respective country. Just getting when one word was finished and the next one started, was a challenge. It does take time to become proficient. How great, that you were able to learn Russian – it seems to be a very hard language to learn! Also, a totally different kind of alpabeth, which must have been another hurdle?
The missionaries must have had to struggle a lot learning the Chinese characters – it’s like starting from scratch, not being able to connect it to anything they would have learned before. I agree with your thought that Olga would have had it a bit easier, as she was still young. Though she had to learn much more ”on her own” and I must say, that is quite impressive.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Brad!
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This is fascinating to me! I don’t know why it never occurred to me that there would be Swedish missionaries in China! I’m a retired Spanish teacher (English is my first language) and I studied Punjabi for a few years when I was teaching English learners. I’ve always loved language learning of any sort. My grandfather, who spoke Swedish and English, stayed in France for several months after WW1 ended, to study French in Lyon. I haven’t learned Swedish, but at least I have Google Translate to help me understand the letters his dad wrote him during the war. I’m really enjoying reading your blog!
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Thank you, I am very glad you enjoy the stories about my ancestors! How fascinating, that you have Swedish in your family, and that you have learned Punjabi yourself. That strikes me as a pretty difficult language. It must be very interesting to read those letters from WWI, and what a treasure to still have them.
Yes, Swedish missionaries in China must seem a bit strange – as it is not evident that Swedes would go through all the trouble with first learning English and then Chinese, and on top of that travelling so far. But at the time, the revivalist movement was very strong in Sweden. Many Swedes emigrated to America and others chose the missionary life in China or Africa for instance. In my family, we have several generations of missionaries, some were born in China, others in Africa. My grandparents were both born in China, but did not continue with the mission themselves, though my grandfather’s siblings did. I find their stories very interesting and I am very happy to have found so much information about their lives to share here. Especially the stories about the women fascinate me, as those are stories that are seldom told, but show us how strong and courageous women were even at the end of the 19th century.
Thank you for commenting! 🙏
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