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taiwanese

English translation: an interesting question

00:48 Oct 8, 2001
English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
English term or phrase: taiwanese
does this language exist? what do they speak in taiwan anyway
kenaxx
Local time: 22:40
Selected answer:an interesting question
Explanation:
In Taiwan they speak

1) Taiwanese mandarin (not exactly the same as in PRC, quite similar though).
… Chiang Kai-shek's army moved into Taiwan … those soldiers and refugees were from all provinces of China where they spoke different languages such as Cantonese, Shanghai, or Santong. Owing to the linguistic diversity and national language policy, most of mainlanders have switched from their first languages to Mandarin Chinese. Therefore, the Mandarin language is generally regarded as the lingua franca among the Mainlanders.

2) Taiwanese dialects: Hakka, Minnan (=Holo) and others
… generally speaking, there are four primary ethnic groups: aborigines (1.7%), Holo (73.3%), Hakka (12%), and Mainlanders (13%). … they have different ethnic languages, … Holooe, Hakfa, and Taiwan Mandarin, not mutually intelligible.

The language policy in Taiwan … reflects the mono-lingualism of the colonial governments. … only a particular language was chosen as the official or national language. Other languages were denounced as "fang-yen (=dialects)".
http://www.geocities.com/taigibun/taibun/ch2/ch2.htm

However:
Mainlanders are those who came to Taiwan after 1945. Those Fukkien and Hakka who settled in Taiwan before the Japanese occupation are usually called Taiwanese or native Taiwanese. Fukkien are the biggest group among them. Exactly speaking, these Fukkien were mostly from the south of Fujian province which is called Min-nan. So it often happens that the term "Taiwanese" simply means Fukkien descendants and the Taiwanese language means the Min-nan language. http://www.tufs.ac.jp/ts/personal/ogasawara/paper/epaper1.ht...

I prefer to use “Taiwanese language” to refer to Taiwanese Mandarin Chinese, and “Taiwanese dialects” for the ethnic languages.

Cheers,
Paolo
Selected response from:

PML
Local time: 22:40
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5 +3Mandarin chinese
Julia Gal
4an interesting question
PML


  

Answers


12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +3
Mandarin chinese


Explanation:
"The official language of Taiwan is the Mandarin dialect of the Chinese language. Other Chinese dialects are also used, and the indigenous people speak dialects that are in the Malay-Polynesian language group. The official romanization system used in Taiwan for Chinese words follows the Wade-Giles system rather than the Pinyin system used on the mainland."

For more info, click below:



    Reference: http://encarta.msn.co.uk/find/concise.asp?mod=1&ti=761577607...
Julia Gal
Local time: 22:40
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in pair: 112

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Fernando Muela Sopeña
1 hr
agree  Jon Zuber (X): However, there is no such thing as "the Chinese language"; Mandarin is one of the Chinese languages, not a dialect.
4 hrs
  -> this was taken directly from the Microsoft "Encarta" encyclopaedia!!!
agree  Yuri Geifman: a friend of mine who used to live in Taiwan says many people actually speak Cantonese
1 day 7 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 days 12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
an interesting question


Explanation:
In Taiwan they speak

1) Taiwanese mandarin (not exactly the same as in PRC, quite similar though).
… Chiang Kai-shek's army moved into Taiwan … those soldiers and refugees were from all provinces of China where they spoke different languages such as Cantonese, Shanghai, or Santong. Owing to the linguistic diversity and national language policy, most of mainlanders have switched from their first languages to Mandarin Chinese. Therefore, the Mandarin language is generally regarded as the lingua franca among the Mainlanders.

2) Taiwanese dialects: Hakka, Minnan (=Holo) and others
… generally speaking, there are four primary ethnic groups: aborigines (1.7%), Holo (73.3%), Hakka (12%), and Mainlanders (13%). … they have different ethnic languages, … Holooe, Hakfa, and Taiwan Mandarin, not mutually intelligible.

The language policy in Taiwan … reflects the mono-lingualism of the colonial governments. … only a particular language was chosen as the official or national language. Other languages were denounced as "fang-yen (=dialects)".
http://www.geocities.com/taigibun/taibun/ch2/ch2.htm

However:
Mainlanders are those who came to Taiwan after 1945. Those Fukkien and Hakka who settled in Taiwan before the Japanese occupation are usually called Taiwanese or native Taiwanese. Fukkien are the biggest group among them. Exactly speaking, these Fukkien were mostly from the south of Fujian province which is called Min-nan. So it often happens that the term "Taiwanese" simply means Fukkien descendants and the Taiwanese language means the Min-nan language. http://www.tufs.ac.jp/ts/personal/ogasawara/paper/epaper1.ht...

I prefer to use “Taiwanese language” to refer to Taiwanese Mandarin Chinese, and “Taiwanese dialects” for the ethnic languages.

Cheers,
Paolo


    Reference: http://www.geocities.com/taigibun/taibun/ch2/ch2.htm
    Reference: http://www.tufs.ac.jp/ts/personal/ogasawara/paper/epaper1.ht...
PML
Local time: 22:40
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