Comments on: How many speak Mandarin? http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/03/14/mandarin-speakers/ language-related musings - one language is never enough / ét sprog er aldrig nok Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:03:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.1 by: David Hamilton http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/03/14/mandarin-speakers/#comment-78154 Fri, 28 Mar 2008 18:52:40 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/03/14/mandarin-speakers/#comment-78154 I thought that since I'd be spending a month in Taiwan that I should learn Mandarin and I'd be fine. WOW was that wrong. It was my understanding that Mandarin and Taiwanese were nearly one in the same. Like American English to United Kingdom English. On my next trip I had my Taiwanese friends educate me on the differnece. As an outsider I was impressed by the diversity and even in Taiwan there is a great deal of difference between North and South. If you are an American do yourself and the people you encounter a courtesy and learn the difference. I thought that since I’d be spending a month in Taiwan that I should learn Mandarin and I’d be fine. WOW was that wrong. It was my understanding that Mandarin and Taiwanese were nearly one in the same. Like American English to United Kingdom English. On my next trip I had my Taiwanese friends educate me on the differnece. As an outsider I was impressed by the diversity and even in Taiwan there is a great deal of difference between North and South. If you are an American do yourself and the people you encounter a courtesy and learn the difference.

]]> by: epingchris http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/03/14/mandarin-speakers/#comment-58886 Sun, 02 Sep 2007 04:09:24 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/03/14/mandarin-speakers/#comment-58886 In Taiwan we also use "中文" (zhongwen) when we refer to Mandarin, even though this word refers to language in China, which, of course, is not limited to Mandarin...... We switch to "國語" (guoyu) when we want to make things more specific, as in contrast to "台語" (taiyu) Taiwanese/Hokkien language that is also spoken in Taiwan, etc. We recognize "普通話" (Putonghua) as well, but "漢語" to our ears would more like languages of China in general. "華語" (huayu, language of Chinese) is also used, I believe, in Singapore and other places? In Taiwan we also use “中文” (zhongwen) when we refer to Mandarin, even though this word refers to language in China, which, of course, is not limited to Mandarin……
We switch to “國語” (guoyu) when we want to make things more specific, as in contrast to “台語” (taiyu) Taiwanese/Hokkien language that is also spoken in Taiwan, etc.
We recognize “普通話” (Putonghua) as well, but “漢語” to our ears would more like languages of China in general.
“華語” (huayu, language of Chinese) is also used, I believe, in Singapore and other places?

]]> by: Chine-Nouvelle http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/03/14/mandarin-speakers/#comment-42008 Sat, 14 Apr 2007 03:33:52 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/03/14/mandarin-speakers/#comment-42008 Dear Omniglot, I have translated your article in french on my blog: http://www.chine-nouvelle.com/blog/read.html?q=9,44 (with a link to your original message) Sincerly Dear Omniglot,
I have translated your article in french on my blog:
http://www.chine-nouvelle.com/blog/read.html?q=9,44
(with a link to your original message)
Sincerly

]]> by: han meng http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/03/14/mandarin-speakers/#comment-40429 Fri, 30 Mar 2007 17:22:42 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/03/14/mandarin-speakers/#comment-40429 oops. Strike the "or". oops. Strike the “or”.

]]> by: han meng http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/03/14/mandarin-speakers/#comment-40428 Fri, 30 Mar 2007 17:22:02 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/03/14/mandarin-speakers/#comment-40428 “Mandarin” is indeed known as Putonghua (Common Language) in mainland China and Guoyu (National Language) in Taiwan. or Hanyu (Language of the Han) includes not only to Mandarin but also to "dialects" such as Cantonese. “Mandarin” is indeed known as Putonghua (Common Language) in mainland China and Guoyu (National Language) in Taiwan. or Hanyu (Language of the Han) includes not only to Mandarin but also to “dialects” such as Cantonese.

]]> by: Weili http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/03/14/mandarin-speakers/#comment-39055 Fri, 23 Mar 2007 02:16:53 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/03/14/mandarin-speakers/#comment-39055 Hanyu is much more fitting than Zhongwen. 文 wen means the written-language while 語 yu means the language as a whole. I've always found it funny when someone asks if I spoke Zhongwen: 你會說中文嗎？ ni hui shuo Zhongwen ma? Besides, Hanyu is much more respectful toward the Chinese ethnic minority as it just means language of the Han while Zhongwen implies that it's the written script for all of China. Hanyu is much more fitting than Zhongwen. 文 wen means the written-language while 語 yu means the language as a whole. I’ve always found it funny when someone asks if I spoke Zhongwen: 你會說中文嗎？ ni hui shuo Zhongwen ma?

Besides, Hanyu is much more respectful toward the Chinese ethnic minority as it just means language of the Han while Zhongwen implies that it’s the written script for all of China.

]]> by: @man http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/03/14/mandarin-speakers/#comment-38942 Thu, 22 Mar 2007 18:22:59 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/03/14/mandarin-speakers/#comment-38942 There's a strong case to be made for 'hanyu' and for 'zhongwen'. Mandarin is just silly: like hsiao and peking, it's a joke that it's still used at all. There’s a strong case to be made for ‘hanyu’ and for ‘zhongwen’. Mandarin is just silly: like hsiao and peking, it’s a joke that it’s still used at all.

]]> by: Weili http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/03/14/mandarin-speakers/#comment-36423 Thu, 15 Mar 2007 20:41:29 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/03/14/mandarin-speakers/#comment-36423 I agree that the name "Mandarin" should be replaced. In Chinese, "Mandarin" is known as Putonghua (Common Language) or Hanyu (Language of the Han) in mainland China and Guoyu (National Language) in Taiwan. I believe Hanyu would probably be the best choice for obvious reasons. BTW, the name "Mandarin" came from the old Chinese name for the language/dialect which was Guanhua, which literally means "Spoken Language of the Officials". I agree that the name “Mandarin” should be replaced.

In Chinese, “Mandarin” is known as Putonghua (Common Language) or Hanyu (Language of the Han) in mainland China and Guoyu (National Language) in Taiwan. I believe Hanyu would probably be the best choice for obvious reasons.

BTW, the name “Mandarin” came from the old Chinese name for the language/dialect which was Guanhua, which literally means “Spoken Language of the Officials”.

]]> by: Ben L. http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/03/14/mandarin-speakers/#comment-36327 Thu, 15 Mar 2007 14:52:34 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/03/14/mandarin-speakers/#comment-36327 Strike "/writing"- just primary transcription. Strike “/writing”- just primary transcription.

]]> by: Ben L. http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/03/14/mandarin-speakers/#comment-36326 Thu, 15 Mar 2007 14:51:55 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2007/03/14/mandarin-speakers/#comment-36326 Pinyin is the name of the primary transcription/writing system. It is based on a modified Latin alphabet and is unique to Mandarin. The word "Pinyin" comes from the roots "pin" meaning "to spell" and "yin" meaning "sound"; so on an etymological basis, it's name really refers to writing. I think it would be appropriate to refer to any writing in that script as "Pinyin", and that such reference would necessarilly contain the meaning of "Mandarin". I don't think you'd find much purchase for refering to the whole language under that name, however. From my understanding, "Mandarin" enjoys somewhat of a favored status as a name: I believe it refers to the court language (language for "mandating") of ages past and presently enjoys the status of China's primary official language. To me, it seems appropriate. Pinyin is the name of the primary transcription/writing system. It is based on a modified Latin alphabet and is unique to Mandarin. The word “Pinyin” comes from the roots “pin” meaning “to spell” and “yin” meaning “sound”; so on an etymological basis, it’s name really refers to writing. I think it would be appropriate to refer to any writing in that script as “Pinyin”, and that such reference would necessarilly contain the meaning of “Mandarin”. I don’t think you’d find much purchase for refering to the whole language under that name, however.

From my understanding, “Mandarin” enjoys somewhat of a favored status as a name: I believe it refers to the court language (language for “mandating”) of ages past and presently enjoys the status of China’s primary official language. To me, it seems appropriate.

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