Errors in New Taiwan Lonely Planet

Travel Taiwan Travel
1

Having finished the new LP, the two biggest errors I found were:

P61: Taipei - Area Code 03 (ouch!)

P.308 Weights and measures, and on another page, 1 ping = 1.82 sq meters (no, it’s 3.30579 sq meters - maybe the smaller one is a Japanese ping or something).

Brian

[color=red]Mod’s note:

Let’s use this thread to mention any errors we find in the new Taiwan guide: phone numbers, directions, language, etc. This will help users to avoid potential pitfalls. Opinions and comments should go in the other thread: Lonely Planet Taiwan - New Edition[/color]

forumosa.com/taiwan/viewtopi … 144#286144

2

It’s okay, Brian. Editors often ‘‘leave in’’ a few typos or mistakes in order to allow a book to “breathe.”

In karma terms, this means that a perfect book, with absolutely no mistakes or wrong area codes, will not have good karma and end up in the remainder bin sooner than later.

However, a few little mistakes that the ones u found are vital in order for the book to “breathe” well in today’s mistake-proof world. Perfection is bad karma for editors, and they know it. I am sure those mistakes were left in intentionally by the LP people in Sydney.

It’s like the Taipei Times today had a headline on the editorial page that mispelled REAPING as REEPING. Page 8. So what? This was done on purpose so as to allow the paper to breathe well in the karmasphere. Perfection is a sin. Who needs that?

3

The simplified characters on the Table of Contents page are puzzling. What are they doing in a book about Taiwan?

4

:smiling_imp:

Just in case the Taiwanese are forced to switch over to simplified characters when the PLA arrives…

5

I showed the Language section of the new Lonely Planet book to some educated local friends, who pointed out the following issues with the section. I’ll send this list of errors to Lonely Planet. Anyway, here’s some of what we found:

p. 347
I’m from … 我是從…來的
(Comment: I couldn’t get my computer to print “lai” as a simplified character, but in the book, “lai” is simplified.)

p. 349:
Public Security Bureau (PSB) 公安局
(Comment: This is a big error indeed!! The mainland has not yet invaded Taiwan, so this should not be here!!)

Please write it down.
(Comment: Another instance of the simplified “lai” character.)

Seven
(Comment: the characer for “seven” has been pushed over to the right. It’s not aligned with the column.)

Who? Shui?
(Comment: Should be “Shei”. “Shui” is an older, formal pronunciation that is now quite rare both in Taiwan and in the mainland.)

How 如何
(Comment: Yes, “ruhe” means “how”, but it’s quite formal and literary. It doesn’t fit in with the other question words. It would be better to use “zenme”.)

p. 348:
It hurts here. 這裡疼
(Comment: Though people understand 疼, people in Taiwan generally say 痛. 疼 is more of a mainland word.)

Is there a doctor here who speaks English? … 大夫…?
(Comment: In Taiwan, 大夫 is sometimes used as a title, or with a doctor with whom one is very familiar, especially in traditional Chinese medicine. But for a generic doctor, 醫生 sounds more natural.)

Could you help me, please? …帮…
(Comment: Another simplified character. Should be 幫)

p. 352:
We need a mechanic. 我们需要機師
(Comment: First, there’s a simplified character in there. Second, apparently 機師 is not used in Taiwan.)

The car/motorbike won’t start
(Comment: another instance of the simplified “lai” character.)

bicycle 自行車
(Comment: The word 腳踏車 is far more common in spoken Mandarin here in Taiwan.)

6

[quote=“Chris”]Is there a doctor here who speaks English? … 大夫…?
(Comment: in Taiwan, 大夫 is sometimes used as a title, or with a doctor with whom one is very familiar, especially in traditional Chinese medicine. But for a generic doctor, 醫生 sounds more natural.)[/quote]

大夫 also often carries negative implications, such as that it can sometimes refer to a “quack” doctor (in Taiwan). 醫師 is also acceptable as is the aforementioned 醫生 (although the latter is used more).

7

醫師 – physician
醫生 – Doctor

醫師 rarely used in speech except as title.

8

Already mentioned in another thread, but:

pg 233, the correct address for the Alishan National Scenic Area website is http://www.ali.org.tw

9

Another apparent omission from the book, and I consider this a glaring omission: Airport buses. Please correct me if there is indeed a mention of it, but I can’t find it.

The “To/from the airport” on p. 106 discusses taxis and hotel limo services. It does not mention, as far as I can tell, the airport buses, which cost a tenth of the price of an airport taxi. The blurb on p. 106 references the reader to p. 325 for more info, but there’s nothing on airport buses. Then on p. 325, the reader is referenced back to p. 106 for details of transportation to and from the airport.

If the airport buses are mentioned, they’re buried somewhere not very obvious.

10

p.318
The NT$50 bill is no longer in circulation. There is now a NT$200 bill though. There is no NT$20 coin.

p.134
Luodong not Lodong also pinyin should be luo2dong1 not lo2dong1

p.136, p. 145, p.151
rice in a bamboo tube pinyin should be zhu2 tong3 fan4 not ju2 tong3 fan4

p.72
Snake Alley is not marked on the map

inside front cover
key phrases
yes = qu4 Correct translation of yes is probably shi4de5 (是的) although it varies depending on context and there are many ways of saying yes. The translation for no (mei2you3) is similarly problematic as the actual word used varies according to the context.
excuse me = qing3wen4 Again this is only correct in certain contexts. i.e. if you want to ask someone a question.
This section really needs Chinese characters in addition to pinyin as very few Taiwanese people can read pinyin. However, if you can show them the characters then they can demonstrate the correct pronunciation and understand you without any confusion.

11

Yes there is.

Don’t know if the story is true or not, but I’ve seen one. :smiley:

12

Is MM going to comment on this or what???

13

Keep em coming folks. :laughing: