If Ma became President

If Ma Ying-Jiou became President of Taiwan in 2008, do you think he would require the rest of the country to adopt Hanyu Pinyin?

What a wonderful world it would be.

[quote=“Etheorial”]If Ma Ying-Jiou became President of Taiwan in 2008, do you think he would require the rest of the country to adopt Hanyu Pinyin?

What a wonderful world it would be.[/quote]

Doesn’t take much to thrill you, does it?

Those jogging to work wearing a clown mask would likely get a tax break and AC Droupout would most likely be appointed to form the cabinet.

Small things.

[quote=“Etheorial”]If Ma Ying-Jiou became President of Taiwan in 2008, do you think he would require the rest of the country to adopt Hanyu Pinyin?

What a wonderful world it would be.[/quote]

Ohh what a cool thought!! Maybe some work would get done? :s

Oh yes, the New ROC Constitution in Hanyu Pinyin format.

Yes, Hanyu Pinyin and Simplified Chinese characters as well. Wow, wouldn’t that be nice? Then it would be just like we were in Communist China. Oh joy of joys. Next we will have the good ole days of KMT black gold and maybe extra pollution and Taiwan could look more and more like China. What next, maybe take some bribes to turn Da An park into apartment blocks? Direct DOMESTIC air links with China? Remeber Ma thinks that we should use the DOMESTIC Sungshan airport for China flights, he says because it would be convenient, but we all know it is because he believes the China Nationlist Party’s One China policy!

Who cares what romanzation Taiwan uses as long as it is consistent. Anyway, I like that Taiwan uses a different romanzation, sets us apart from Coimmunist China as it should be.

Singapore uses Simplified and PRC style Pinyin. And they are seperate from the PRC.

Look PRC is on the rise. Just like Taiwan learns mostly American English because USA is more influencial. So at least if we learn to speak proper Mandarin and simplified character sets, no one on the mainland is going to think “oh, what a FOB”

[quote=“ac_dropout”]Singapore uses Simplified and PRC style Pinyin. And they are separate from the PRC.

Look PRC is on the rise. Just like Taiwan learns mostly American English because USA is more influencial. So at least if we learn to speak proper Mandarin and simplified character sets, no one on the mainland is going to think “oh, what a FOB”[/quote]

Told you AC would be appointed by the clown to form the cabaret!

[quote=“ac_dropout”]Singapore uses Simplified and PRC style Pinyin. And they are separate from the PRC.

[/quote]

Well, from the way Straits Times Executive (name withheld) “glows” about the ties between China and Singapore, you wouldn’t know it :smiling_imp: :smiling_imp: :smiling_imp:

I see those countries as being peas on the same pod.

[quote=“Etheorial”]If Ma Ying-Jiou became President of Taiwan in 2008, do you think he would require the rest of the country to adopt Hanyu Pinyin?

What a wonderful world it would be.[/quote]

I think he would not only make us use the crappy Hanyu Pinyin (I think Tongyong Pinyin is much better for Taiwanese), he will let the PLA come over and turn us into a SARS with him as the Chief Executive. :help:

But I would still be appointed to form the cabinet in Taiwan, SARS. :slight_smile:

[quote=“ac_dropout”]Singapore uses Simplified and PRC style Pinyin. And they are separate from the PRC.

Look PRC is on the rise. Just like Taiwan learns mostly American English because USA is more influencial. So at least if we learn to speak proper Mandarin and simplified character sets, no one on the mainland is going to think “oh, what a FOB”[/quote]

I can’t say I disagree with you…for once. There is nothing necessarily nefaste with the idea of using Hanyu pinyin, but, I would have to say that there is no real reason why they should adopt Hanyu pinyin just because of a more influential China. You don’t see the British using American spellings because the US is currently more influential. While there might not be a big reason not to use Hanyu pinyin, there is no real reason to use THAT system. I think that it is more important to just choose a system…any system…and stick with it.

In my job, I look at atrocious Taiwan pinyin addresses all day. Why the hell can’t someone just pick a damned system so I can find out what the hell the addresses are supposed to be? :fume:

BFW. Although I agree that the “Taiwan isn’t China so they shouldn’t use Simplified” argument is complete toss, I don’t think the “Singapore isn’t China and they use Simplified so Taiwan should too” thing is any more logical.

tomtom taiwan,

Pinyin sucks on Taiwan because we already have the bopomofo system and well what percentage of Taiwan citizen look at the romanization of street signs.

It is a lost cause on Taiwan in my opinion.

Tetsuo

To statisfy xenophobic nature of TI supporters, they could also teach simplified characters as a “foriegn language” on Taiwan. It is becoming more useful each day.

Where’s the xenophobia? There’s paranoia amongst the fringe, sure. But whatever, that idea is actually pretty good.

Oh, and your comment to tomtom misses the damn point of romanization entirely, by the way.

[quote=“ac_dropout”]tomtom taiwan,

Pinyin sucks on Taiwan because we already have the bopomofo system and well what percentage of Taiwan citizen look at the romanization of street signs.[/quote]

Let me remind you, although Tetsuo did so well already, that pinyin does not exist for you. It exists for people who come from a background that uses the western alphabet. The idea is to make your language accessible to those who don’t speak it as well as you.

Why do this? Because foreigners who visit or do business in your country become very isolated if they no no characters and can’t speak the language. You WANT tourists and business people to come and feel comfortable so they spend their money and make Taiwan more prosperous. Why not learn bopomofo??? Well because most tourists and business people don’t stay for that long. If you put everything in bopomofo, you would be requiring that all of those people (who, by the way are supposed to feel comfortable spending their money), first learn a second alphabet. :loco: That is the problem with bopomofo. Perhaps it can be picked up quickly, but those who are passing through can’t necessarily stop on a dime and pick it up.

And, by the way, what about businesses? Businesses must give the name of their business and addresses to foreign clients. Do you really think that US and European clients would appreciate it if you used an “alphabet” that was only used by 23 million people on the island of Taiwan? No…they would simply look elsewhere. To sum up the grand flaw of bopomofo…it is an “alphabet” used only by 23 million people on Taiwan. Even the Chinese know this…that is why they stick to a romanized system.

This all should have been obvious to you.

As long as I can find a street sign that reads “Train Station -->” I can find my way home.

I like Tainan. :slight_smile:

:wall: This has the annoying habit of showing up after every damn post AC makes.

For the love of (fill in your favorite diety here), AC could you please at least try to post some logical/on topic rebuttals at some point?? :pray: :pray: :pray:

If ma was president, everyone would go to bed at the proper time, and with a good nutritious meal in their bellies to boot. No sleeping late in the morning. Not if you want to eat breakfast. You eat with the family or you don’t eat. You can’t go out to play until you get your chores done.