Most expanding-circle learners choose an inner-circle variety as a target model. For example, in Japan, American English with a GA accent is usually the model. However, having found Taiwan Mandarin a better target model than Beijing Mandarin for my Chinese due to the former's relative lack of neutral tone, I have always felt that an outer-circle variety is a better model for learners of English.
Second-language or creolized varieties are usually easier for learners of English to understand. In terms of phonology, this is partly because of the syllable-timed rhythm. For example, Philippine English has a syllable-timed rhythm. Many languages in the world also have a syllable-timed rhythm. Syllable-timed rhythm is easier for speakers of such languages also because it is a "spelling pronunciation". In many countries, learners learn to how to spell English words before they learn how to pronounce them. Reduction of unaccented syllables in inner-circle varieties of English makes it less orthographically faithful, therefore harder to understand. Speaking English with a syllable-timed rhythm does make you sound less "native-like". But, at the same time, it also makes you more understandable for other non-native speakers. And the majority of English speakers in the world are non-native speakers. Although this may not always be the case, outer-circles speakers also tend to speak more slowly and clearly than inner-circle speakers.
When it comes to grammar, outer-circle varieties are usually more regularized. Intuitively, "I will buy three furnitures for my new house" and "The staffs in that shop are all very friendly" may sound awful for inner-circle ears, but it does seem more logical and regularized for most learners.
According to what I heard recently from a Filipino teacher in Japan, the Philippine English "October ten" for October 10 is much easier for Japanese learners than the American "October tenth", because it is very hard for them to say "th". (Indeed, it is one of the most notorious feature of English pronunciation for most leaners in the world, no matter what their linguistic background may be!)
Maybe this is one of the hidden reasons for the increased popularity among Japanese learners of Filipino teachers and study tours to the Philippines.
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Friday, February 15, 2019
Teochew people
I once wrote that some Taiwanese people who identify themselves as Hokkien or Hakka might actually be descendants of Teochews.
Teochews are an interesting group of people among the overseas Chinese, whose ancestral land overlaps with that of Hakkas in the eastern part of Guangdong. Today, the main city is Swatow (Shantou) but it used to be Chaozhou in the past, from which the name of the group derive.
Although geographically from Guangdong, the Teochew language is closely related to Hokkien. Teochew spoken in places like Singapore is mutually intelligible with Hokkien, perhaps because it has been under the heavy influence from the latter, who form the majority there. But I heard that Teochew spoken in Swatow today is not readily intelligible to Hokkien speakers from Amoy.
The majority of ethnic Chinese in Thailand and Cambodia are Teochews, and even the royal family of the former has some Teochew ancestry.
The first Teochews who came into personal contact with me was a refugee family from Cambodia at the Chinese mass community back when it still met at Sophia University. That made me realize that the family running my favorite restaurant Cambodia in Takadanobaba actually was also Teochew.
The Singaporean exchange student I met also at the Chinese mass was also Teochew, and so was the family I stayed with when I was in Johor Baru, Malaysia, on my way to the UK back in 1992.
While I was in Hull, I once visited a Singaporean lady who married with a local English person. I remember she was also Teochew. The wife of one of my best friends from my Hull years is also Teochew, who come from an area close to Thai border on the east coast of Malaysia. Since Teochews from the majority of Thai Chinese, her family might have also moved from Thailand.
By the way, Mr. Li Ka-shing, one of the richest tycoons in Hong Kong, is also a Teochew and there's a YouTube video of him speaking in Teochew. Unfortunately, he is not a personal friend of mine.
Do you have any Teochew friends? Tell me about them.
Teochews are an interesting group of people among the overseas Chinese, whose ancestral land overlaps with that of Hakkas in the eastern part of Guangdong. Today, the main city is Swatow (Shantou) but it used to be Chaozhou in the past, from which the name of the group derive.
Although geographically from Guangdong, the Teochew language is closely related to Hokkien. Teochew spoken in places like Singapore is mutually intelligible with Hokkien, perhaps because it has been under the heavy influence from the latter, who form the majority there. But I heard that Teochew spoken in Swatow today is not readily intelligible to Hokkien speakers from Amoy.
The majority of ethnic Chinese in Thailand and Cambodia are Teochews, and even the royal family of the former has some Teochew ancestry.
The first Teochews who came into personal contact with me was a refugee family from Cambodia at the Chinese mass community back when it still met at Sophia University. That made me realize that the family running my favorite restaurant Cambodia in Takadanobaba actually was also Teochew.
The Singaporean exchange student I met also at the Chinese mass was also Teochew, and so was the family I stayed with when I was in Johor Baru, Malaysia, on my way to the UK back in 1992.
While I was in Hull, I once visited a Singaporean lady who married with a local English person. I remember she was also Teochew. The wife of one of my best friends from my Hull years is also Teochew, who come from an area close to Thai border on the east coast of Malaysia. Since Teochews from the majority of Thai Chinese, her family might have also moved from Thailand.
By the way, Mr. Li Ka-shing, one of the richest tycoons in Hong Kong, is also a Teochew and there's a YouTube video of him speaking in Teochew. Unfortunately, he is not a personal friend of mine.
Do you have any Teochew friends? Tell me about them.
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