I guess Hakkasonic is Chinese and does not see the roman characters on signs - just like the idiots formulating this policy (and also my wife).Chinese DO NOT SEE the roman characters on signs.
I am not often in Taiwan - but when I drive on the freeways and see this Tongyong shit - It is obvious that it is about politics and doing the right thing long ago left these peoples’ minds
These idiots are changing the romanisation and not one Chinese will see it
[quote=“rian”]I guess Hakkasonic is Chinese and does not see the roman characters on signs - just like the idiots formulating this policy (and also my wife).Chinese DO NOT SEE the roman characters on signs.
I am not often in Taiwan - but when I drive on the freeways and see this Tongyong shit - It is obvious that it is about politics and doing the right thing long ago left these peoples’ minds
These idiots are changing the romanisation and not one Chinese will see it[/quote]
Please go back and read the thread for your post has a surplus of BS in it. I’m an idiot? Physician, heal thyself.
Hakkasonic - I did not say that you are an idiot - I simply assumed you are Chinese and the roman characters on signs do not attract your attention. Nor did I call my wife an idiot, and I know the roman characters on signs do not attract her attention.
And I am sure that the idiots formulating this policy do not read the roman characters on signs.
[quote=“rian”]Hakkasonic - I did not say that you are an idiot - I simply assumed you are Chinese and the roman characters on signs do not attract your attention. Nor did I call my wife an idiot, and I know the roman characters on signs do not attract her attention.
And I am sure that the idiots formulating this policy do not read the roman characters on signs.[/quote]
Okay, so now you’re saying I’m not an idiot. Are you just going to keep insulting me forever! Just for the records, I only look at the shiny signs. So pretty.
Hakkasonic - will once a week keep you agitated:)
[quote=“rian”]I guess Hakkasonic is Chinese and does not see the roman characters on signs - just like the idiots formulating this policy (and also my wife).Chinese DO NOT SEE the roman characters on signs.
I am not often in Taiwan - but when I drive on the freeways and see this Tongyong shit - It is obvious that it is about politics and doing the right thing long ago left these peoples’ minds
These idiots are changing the romanisation and not one Chinese will see it[/quote]
Tongyong is not a bad system. Truth be told, I prefer Hanyu pinyin because I have studied it far more. However, the more I study Tongyong pinyin, I have to confess that it isn’t a bad system. There are even a couple of improvements over the Hanyu pinyin system.
That really bugs me here in Taiwan is the inconsistant use of systems (or no system at all). How many ways have I seen the character
I am tempted to give up on this subject - I can read the Chinese now. However I have sympathy for visitors to Taiwan.
Tongyong does not reflect the way Taiwan Chinese speak (to a native English ear) in many ways - sure some parts are OK - and some parts are BAD. The things said in Taiwan as “shi” or “Xi in hanyu pinyin” are now “si” on the Tongyong signs.
As someone else wrote - 44 is “si si si” in Taiwan Mandarin. But Xindian is “Shindian” to English ear - not “Sindian”.
Tongyong badly screwed up in this area.
Given that Mandarin and English are probably the two most widely spoken languages in the world - if there has to be a new “pinyin” it should use syllables best understood in English. If that is not possible hanyu pinyin is OK.
The most important issue is ONE system. The vocal foreigners seem to forget this in their support of something apart from hanyu pinyin.
The vocal foreigners confuse the politicians when the vast majority want hanyu pinyin. 99.99% want one system - 99.8% or more want hanyu pinyin as that sysem. The Chinese pushing Tongyong are basically saying f**k the foreigners - we know better. These chinese have sh*t for brains.
I guess politics remains more important than reality in Taiwan which is why it remains a country in reality but some vague entity to the rest of the world.
Here in Shanghai they occasionaly deal with Shanghainese (Hu) in romanisation - eg signs in some hospitals. The search for a “pinyin” that deals with many Chinese dialects is designed for failure.
So you want to call Beijing Peking?
blueface is Chinese?
How far north or West do you have to go before “shen me” does not sound like “si ma”.
It surely Does in beijing soaps
Up to Beijing…=) Nobody else there really does say sh instead of s…at least not the people I met.
So my 1st Chinese teacher in Taipei taught me “shen me” and about 6 months later I was in Shanghai asking where was the toilet in a restaurant - I suddenly realised “shen me” and “si ma” were the same thing.
Why don’t teachers explain what people actually say.
[quote=“rian”]I am tempted to give up on this subject - I can read the Chinese now. However I have sympathy for visitors to Taiwan.
Tongyong does not reflect the way Taiwan Chinese speak (to a native English ear) in many ways - sure some parts are OK - and some parts are BAD. The things said in Taiwan as “shi” or “Xi in hanyu pinyin” are now “si” on the Tongyong signs.
[/quote]
Actually, Tongyong for this is ‘shi’, not ‘si’. The later is the suibian (as you wish) pinyin I can’t stand and is the primary reason I look at the Chinese signs.
ludahai - not sure what you are saying - Maybe I am visually impared - I thought the signs now say Sidian - and most people say Xidian or Shidian
What are you talking about? Have you ever seen or used the Yale system? 
Yale: wŏ chy
Blueface - No I never tried - it just appeared to be one of the many systems that have been abandoned or haphazardly used.
THERE HAS TO BE ONE SYSTEM
Hanyu pinyin seems to be the only one that can be supported if you can get the insane politicians out of the picture. It has a lot going for it - such as international acceptance outside Taiwan!
Does Taiwan want to be an unrecognised island for ever!
I personally would recomend a new “pinyin” based on English - but that is probably too difficult.
I am now pretty comfortable with hanyu pinyin - It is a little like all languages have some things that are a little different if your first language is English. I am also fluent in French and can read the road signs in most western European languages.
THERE HAS TO BE ONE SYSTEM!!!
Foreingers should pull together to push hanyu pinyin.
Blueface - I looked at your small chart - Yale is no better than the other pinyins - It still needs understanding of the way it shows Chinese. AND IT IS DIFFERENT TO THE OTHER COMPETING SYSTEMS
Vote 1 - just one system that is already in use internationaly!
[Taking a long drag on my crack pipe]
I was pleased to notice at the Taipei Train Station yesterday that the ticket vending machines have been converted to Tongyong.
[quote=“Feiren”][Taking a long drag on my crack pipe]
I was pleased to notice at the Taipei Train Station yesterday that the ticket vending machines have been converted to Tongyong.[/quote]
Feiren, I told you to put that crack pipe down. Those signs were in Japanese. See, you’re so high and so lost touch with reality that you can’t even tell the difference any more.