<p>For a long time, Chinese shuttlers traversing across the globe to compete in the international circuit had to depend on interpreters to put their thoughts across.</p>.<p>However, things are changing as many top shuttlers from China are slowly breaking the language barrier, making concerted efforts to learn English to share their opinions while speaking to the media.</p>.<p>Zheng Siwei, one-half of the Olympic silver medal-winning mixed doubles pair, received a round of applause from the audience after he answered in English following his Denmark Open title win along with partner Huang Yaqiong in October.</p>.<p>World no. 1 Zheng, 25, learnt the basics during a language course that he took after the All England Championships last year.</p>.<p>"It's been 100 days, and mostly it’s been vocabulary books. There’s nothing like a tough word, but my memory is not so good. So it’s been a hard journey," Zhang said in English after he and his partner beat Goh Soon Huat and Lai Shevon Jemie 21-11 21-7 on Wednesday.</p>.<p>Zhang's language skills have also inspired his colleagues to give English a try.</p>.<p>World no. 5 He Bing Jiao, who dispatched Denmark's Line Højmark Kjaersfeldt 21-16 21-15, seemed a bit shy in opening up as she took the help of an interpreter for the first few questions during her mixed zone interaction.</p>.<p>About a minute into the conversation, she asked: "Can I speak?"</p>.<p>When probed about her new language skill, Bing Jiao replied sheepishly: "I speak a little bit. I have a teacher in China for English."</p>.<p>Why does she feel the need to learn the language?</p>.<p>She added: "Si Wei speaks well, and is a great player too. So, now we all want to speak English well and play well too. Though it's difficult as there's no time given all the training."</p>.<p>Former world no. 2 Shi Yuqi had also given an interview in English after winning the Denmark Open.</p>.<p>On Tuesday, the former All-England Champion again surprised the media contingent when he spoke briefly in English midway through the interaction in the mixed zone.</p>.<p>"I don't have the confidence to speak in English," he said before switching to his native language in between.</p>
<p>For a long time, Chinese shuttlers traversing across the globe to compete in the international circuit had to depend on interpreters to put their thoughts across.</p>.<p>However, things are changing as many top shuttlers from China are slowly breaking the language barrier, making concerted efforts to learn English to share their opinions while speaking to the media.</p>.<p>Zheng Siwei, one-half of the Olympic silver medal-winning mixed doubles pair, received a round of applause from the audience after he answered in English following his Denmark Open title win along with partner Huang Yaqiong in October.</p>.<p>World no. 1 Zheng, 25, learnt the basics during a language course that he took after the All England Championships last year.</p>.<p>"It's been 100 days, and mostly it’s been vocabulary books. There’s nothing like a tough word, but my memory is not so good. So it’s been a hard journey," Zhang said in English after he and his partner beat Goh Soon Huat and Lai Shevon Jemie 21-11 21-7 on Wednesday.</p>.<p>Zhang's language skills have also inspired his colleagues to give English a try.</p>.<p>World no. 5 He Bing Jiao, who dispatched Denmark's Line Højmark Kjaersfeldt 21-16 21-15, seemed a bit shy in opening up as she took the help of an interpreter for the first few questions during her mixed zone interaction.</p>.<p>About a minute into the conversation, she asked: "Can I speak?"</p>.<p>When probed about her new language skill, Bing Jiao replied sheepishly: "I speak a little bit. I have a teacher in China for English."</p>.<p>Why does she feel the need to learn the language?</p>.<p>She added: "Si Wei speaks well, and is a great player too. So, now we all want to speak English well and play well too. Though it's difficult as there's no time given all the training."</p>.<p>Former world no. 2 Shi Yuqi had also given an interview in English after winning the Denmark Open.</p>.<p>On Tuesday, the former All-England Champion again surprised the media contingent when he spoke briefly in English midway through the interaction in the mixed zone.</p>.<p>"I don't have the confidence to speak in English," he said before switching to his native language in between.</p>