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Mandarin to become a lot harder

 Language Learning Forum : Specific Languages Post Reply
26 messages over 4 pages: 1 2 3 4  Next >>
Raчraч Ŋuɲa
Triglot
Senior Member
New Zealand
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154 posts - 233 votes 
Speaks: Bikol languages*, Tagalog, EnglishC1
Studies: Spanish, Russian, Japanese

 
 Message 1 of 26
23 December 2010 at 5:24am | IP Logged 
Has anyone seen this yet?

China bars English Words. (Sorry, link doesn't work properly.)

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?
id=CNG.654b1c73fa4c9ee6252a235808d79ee4.a1&show_article=1

Edited by Raчraч Ŋuɲa on 23 December 2010 at 5:28am

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seldnar
Senior Member
United States
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Speaks: English*
Studies: Mandarin, French, Greek

 
 Message 2 of 26
23 December 2010 at 6:14am | IP Logged 
I have heard talk about this before. I'm sure not sure though how it would make Mandarin
harder. It affects the use of foreign words in Chinese-language publications; it doesn't
affect the Chinese-language in any great way. Abbreviations such as WTO, ASEAN, will be
have to have Chinese translations after them (frankly, this would be a boon to me who is
not always aware of what some of the abbreviations mean). As for Western names I've
seldom seen them printed in newspapers and magazines. Rather, I've most often seen
transliterations of the names using hanzi.

I can be slow at times (well, most of the time). Could you explain how this change would
make Chinese a lot harder?
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Nguyen
Senior Member
Vietnam
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109 posts - 195 votes 
Speaks: Vietnamese

 
 Message 3 of 26
23 December 2010 at 8:46am | IP Logged 
I don't think iy will make much difference outside of China. It will affect their telecommunications significantly if they decide to go through with it. I couldn't read the article though.

I suppose they will have to invent a whole bunch of new characters I would assume. It seems silly to do this given the poor literacy level in China even today.
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zerothinking
Senior Member
Australia
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528 posts - 772 votes 
Speaks: English*

 
 Message 4 of 26
23 December 2010 at 9:33am | IP Logged 
They can only control the 'official' language. They can't control what the people
actually use. The French tried to do this but everyone says 'email' and not 'courrier
electronique'. You can't plan and control a language that people use. It's just dumb to
think you can. Foreign words entering vocabulary is a natural process. You can force
people at gun point not to publish a book with English loan words but you can't stop
people from speaking a certain way. I'd also like to know how they are going to scour
every last Chinese website and force them to change everything. Chinese government have a
god complex. They are a stone throw away from a totalitarian dictatorship but they aren't
omnipotent.

Edited by zerothinking on 23 December 2010 at 9:37am

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irrationale
Tetraglot
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China
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2 sounds
Speaks: English*, Spanish, Mandarin, Tagalog
Studies: Ancient Greek, Japanese

 
 Message 5 of 26
23 December 2010 at 9:36am | IP Logged 
It doesn't really make much of a difference, but I support it totally. I respect a culture who would rather create new words than adopt English ones. That's hardcore and attracts me even more to that language. The more foreign words I have to learn, the better.



Edited by irrationale on 23 December 2010 at 9:37am

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Nguyen
Senior Member
Vietnam
Joined 5098 days ago

109 posts - 195 votes 
Speaks: Vietnamese

 
 Message 6 of 26
23 December 2010 at 9:49am | IP Logged 
irrationale wrote:
It doesn't really make much of a difference, but I support it totally. I respect a culture who would rather create new words than adopt English ones. That's hardcore and attracts me even more to that language. The more foreign words I have to learn, the better.



Maybe great from a language learning perspective, but, I doubt that a Manager in the Aerospace or Medical Field would feel the same way.
3 persons have voted this message useful



CheeseInsider
Bilingual Diglot
Senior Member
Canada
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193 posts - 238 votes 
Speaks: English*, Mandarin*
Studies: French, German

 
 Message 7 of 26
25 December 2010 at 6:58am | IP Logged 
Hmph, I've never appreciated hearing or reading English words used in Chinese. Good for them.
4 persons have voted this message useful



chucknorrisman
Triglot
Senior Member
United States
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321 posts - 435 votes 
Speaks: Korean*, English, Spanish
Studies: Russian, Mandarin, Lithuanian, French

 
 Message 8 of 26
25 December 2010 at 4:11pm | IP Logged 
I like this move. I often cringe at English words mixed in Chinese. This won't affect the colloquial language as much it does the official language, but at least it's worth a try. As long as it doesn't affect the English education in China adversely, it doesn't seem like it would produce much harm.

I just wish the Chinese wouldn't translate the proper nouns, though, and leave them in their original alphabet or develop a way to transcribe them better.

Edited by chucknorrisman on 25 December 2010 at 4:15pm



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