Why didn't a simpler writing system develop for the Chinese language?
A question about Chinese writing
Take a look at Tadpolenese
http://www.tadpolenese.com/
Tadpolenese is an experiment aimed at developing a real alphabetical writing system for a Chinese dialect. It is not just a naive phonetic transliteration system like Hanyu Pinyin: it is a real writing system, just like English.
I often wonder why the first alphabetical language that the Chinese people learn is English, but when it comes to writing Chinese alphabetically, their brain would go into a coma stage and would insist on a phonetical system. English is morpho-phonemic, for heaven's sake. That is what makes it readable, as opposed to IPA. Similarly, to increase readability of romanized Chinese, morphemic elements MUST be introduced.
Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in
waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht
the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a
toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is
bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the
wrod as a wlohe.
This last paragraph gives you an idea what Tadpolenese is about.
http://www.tadpolenese.com/
Tadpolenese is an experiment aimed at developing a real alphabetical writing system for a Chinese dialect. It is not just a naive phonetic transliteration system like Hanyu Pinyin: it is a real writing system, just like English.
I often wonder why the first alphabetical language that the Chinese people learn is English, but when it comes to writing Chinese alphabetically, their brain would go into a coma stage and would insist on a phonetical system. English is morpho-phonemic, for heaven's sake. That is what makes it readable, as opposed to IPA. Similarly, to increase readability of romanized Chinese, morphemic elements MUST be introduced.
Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in
waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht
the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a
toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is
bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the
wrod as a wlohe.
This last paragraph gives you an idea what Tadpolenese is about.
Well, we DO have Simplified Chinese now. :P
Here's something to think about though.
Latin alphabet is easy and quick to write, but can be a literal PAIN to read.
WALLS OF TEXT AND THEY ALL LOOK THE SAME!!
Characters like in Chinese are a literal PAIN to write, but faster to read.
I think Japanese has a nice balance, mixing syllabary and Kanji:
Kanji is a literal PAIN to write, but since they are principle words like nouns and verbs, while the syllabary is for set expressions, word endings, particles, foreign words, etc., it's quick and easy to read!
So, what do you want? fast and easy writing, or fast and easy reading? Pick one. :D
Here's something to think about though.
Latin alphabet is easy and quick to write, but can be a literal PAIN to read.
WALLS OF TEXT AND THEY ALL LOOK THE SAME!!
Characters like in Chinese are a literal PAIN to write, but faster to read.
I think Japanese has a nice balance, mixing syllabary and Kanji:
Kanji is a literal PAIN to write, but since they are principle words like nouns and verbs, while the syllabary is for set expressions, word endings, particles, foreign words, etc., it's quick and easy to read!
So, what do you want? fast and easy writing, or fast and easy reading? Pick one. :D
The Chinese writting system seems pretty complex, but you only need to know about 3,000 characters to read news papers, novels, ect... Unlike Egnlish which need at 7,000 vocabularies to do so. So, the Chinese Writting System has its advantages and disaventages
The first stage for writing simpler is to create "simplified Chinese characters"
The second stage is to be romanized.
But unfortunately, some bad scholars always destroy the reputation of simplified characters and can't make the second stage come true!
The second stage is to be romanized.
But unfortunately, some bad scholars always destroy the reputation of simplified characters and can't make the second stage come true!
On August18 2009, the PRC began collecting public comments for a modified list of simplified characters.
http://www.china-language.gov.cn/gfhzb/gfhzb/gong_gao.html
http://www.china-language.gov.cn/gfhzb/gfhzb/gong_gao.html