Comments on: Are China’s Dialects Dying? http://cupofcha.com/2008/02/10/are-chinas-dialects-dying.html This is China Mon, 01 Dec 2008 23:05:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: jing wa su http://cupofcha.com/2008/02/10/are-chinas-dialects-dying.html#comment-1653 jing wa su Sat, 14 Jun 2008 00:43:06 +0000 http://cupofcha.com/2008/02/10/are-chinas-dialects-dying.html#comment-1653 Cantonese where ever it is spoken, no matter up the creek or on the island, or in a country far in the west is a very old language its even older than mandarin and is still used in lots of places even in Latin American countries where there are several Chinatown and it is spoken more than other dialects so don't worry the language will survive through out the generations and will not be replaced. I personally think that Cantonese sounds way better than others thank you it sounds more poetic and very rhythmic 苏进华 Cantonese where ever it is spoken, no matter up the creek or on the island, or in a country far in the west is a very old language its even older than mandarin and is still used in lots of places even in Latin American countries where there are several Chinatown and it is spoken more than other dialects so don’t worry the language will survive through out the generations and will not be replaced. I personally think that Cantonese sounds way better than others thank you it sounds more poetic and very rhythmic 苏进华

]]> By: Pang Hui http://cupofcha.com/2008/02/10/are-chinas-dialects-dying.html#comment-691 Pang Hui Sun, 17 Feb 2008 07:33:50 +0000 http://cupofcha.com/2008/02/10/are-chinas-dialects-dying.html#comment-691 1. Survival the fittest. 2. If the kids you met in Ningbo had not been taught standard Chinese in school, they may be confined to Ningbo for the rest of their lives, which, I'm afraid, is not what they want. 3. Glad to talk to you again. 1. Survival the fittest.
2. If the kids you met in Ningbo had not been taught standard Chinese in school, they may be confined to Ningbo for the rest of their lives, which, I’m afraid, is not what they want.
3. Glad to talk to you again.

]]> By: nanheyangrouchuan http://cupofcha.com/2008/02/10/are-chinas-dialects-dying.html#comment-669 nanheyangrouchuan Wed, 13 Feb 2008 07:01:39 +0000 http://cupofcha.com/2008/02/10/are-chinas-dialects-dying.html#comment-669 These aren't dialects (like different versions of English, of which American is the most powerful and correct! ;-) These are literally different languages dating back to neolithic times that represented other civilizations. Who cares about emporer qin's dreams, he was a complete nut job, drinking mercury for long life, what a boob. NPR had a story about an old woman who had recently died, she was the last member of a small branch of the Inuit and she took much of her language to the grave, linguists had manage to record alot but only in dictionary terms. I imagine that this is happening alot in China, especially when Beijing is so bent on "harmonizing" it will destroy millenia of human heritage to achieve its sick visions. The only bright spot is that economically and politically powerful areas like Guangzhou, HK, Shanghai and Chongqing will see their dialects live on. Last time I was in Guangzhou the subway had two languages for the PA, english and cantonese, same with HK. As long as young, educated people have enough pride in their local lingo to use it on a daily basis, these languages won't die. These aren’t dialects (like different versions of English, of which American is the most powerful and correct! ;-) These are literally different languages dating back to neolithic times that represented other civilizations.

Who cares about emporer qin’s dreams, he was a complete nut job, drinking mercury for long life, what a boob.

NPR had a story about an old woman who had recently died, she was the last member of a small branch of the Inuit and she took much of her language to the grave, linguists had manage to record alot but only in dictionary terms.

I imagine that this is happening alot in China, especially when Beijing is so bent on “harmonizing” it will destroy millenia of human heritage to achieve its sick visions. The only bright spot is that economically and politically powerful areas like Guangzhou, HK, Shanghai and Chongqing will see their dialects live on. Last time I was in Guangzhou the subway had two languages for the PA, english and cantonese, same with HK. As long as young, educated people have enough pride in their local lingo to use it on a daily basis, these languages won’t die.

]]> By: Will Lewis http://cupofcha.com/2008/02/10/are-chinas-dialects-dying.html#comment-653 Will Lewis Mon, 11 Feb 2008 23:09:29 +0000 http://cupofcha.com/2008/02/10/are-chinas-dialects-dying.html#comment-653 Not completely on point, but this recent (and short) Scientific American <a>article</a>, speaks to the evolution of Indo-European languages, and it uses an empirical study to trace their evolution. That new fangled picture box, though, seems to be accelerating the pace of language evolution, what with words adding quite a bit to the entertainment of the moving pictures. Not completely on point, but this recent (and short) Scientific American article, speaks to the evolution of Indo-European languages, and it uses an empirical study to trace their evolution. That new fangled picture box, though, seems to be accelerating the pace of language evolution, what with words adding quite a bit to the entertainment of the moving pictures.

]]> By: HaoJie http://cupofcha.com/2008/02/10/are-chinas-dialects-dying.html#comment-649 HaoJie Sun, 10 Feb 2008 20:07:14 +0000 http://cupofcha.com/2008/02/10/are-chinas-dialects-dying.html#comment-649 It was the dream of China's first Emperor Qin, so why not finally see it happen? Speaking of which, why isn't China Qina? It was the dream of China’s first Emperor Qin, so why not finally see it happen?

Speaking of which, why isn’t China Qina?

]]> By: Larry http://cupofcha.com/2008/02/10/are-chinas-dialects-dying.html#comment-648 Larry Sun, 10 Feb 2008 16:20:22 +0000 http://cupofcha.com/2008/02/10/are-chinas-dialects-dying.html#comment-648 Cantonese ? Which Cantonese ? In hilly areas, villages separated by a hill speaks differently. Not just pronunciation, but also phraseology. The same food can have different name just across the creek!! Cantonese ? Which Cantonese ? In hilly areas, villages separated by a hill speaks differently. Not just pronunciation, but also phraseology. The same food can have different name just across the creek!!

]]> By: canrun http://cupofcha.com/2008/02/10/are-chinas-dialects-dying.html#comment-646 canrun Sun, 10 Feb 2008 15:29:42 +0000 http://cupofcha.com/2008/02/10/are-chinas-dialects-dying.html#comment-646 I've been at the in-laws in Liuzhou, Guangxi for the past ten days and have not understood one.bloody.word. Heck, it beats Cantonese any day, though! I’ve been at the in-laws in Liuzhou, Guangxi for the past ten days and have not understood one.bloody.word. Heck, it beats Cantonese any day, though!

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