The true Englishman in China

Does not speak Chinese;

The true Chinese in England

Does not speak English.

An Englishman

Who speaks Chinese too well

Develops certain mental habits

Akin to the Chinese and may

Be regarded by his compatriots

As "a queer fellow."

A Chinaman

Who speaks English too well

And develops British mental habits

Is "denationalized” or he may not

Even speak Chinese or speak it

With an English accent.

By a process of elimination,

It would seem that we have

To put up with a Sinologist

Who can also be an interpreter,

And that we have largely

To depend on his understanding

Of Sino-English language

To span between two sides,

Two oceans, two counterparties,

Two continents, two minds,

Two manners, two conducts,

Two matters of making

A proper communication

And two earthly hemispheres

For the sake of maintaining 

The third entity—global connection.