Standard Mandarin used to be exonormative in Taiwan, but the norm giver later moved to the island, and then lost the mainland. Today, unless you are opposed to it for ideological reasons, Taiwan Mandarin is entirely endonormative in Taiwan, and has even become the "language of the heart" especially for the younger generation both domestically and among the diaspora.
Friday, October 1, 2021
Wednesday, September 29, 2021
EU型と米国型の対立！？多様性 vs. 民主！？
EU型と米国型の対立！？多様性 vs. 民主！？今回の基進の陳議員と邱国防大臣の衝突は、簡単に言うと、以下の2つの立場の摩擦ではないか。台湾の人々がどっちの道を選ぶのか、注目していきたいです：
多様性を守る為の新しい言語法は台湾土着言語はすべて国語と規定している；それに基づき、国政の場で母語（台湾語）で大臣に質問し、母語で回答を聞きたい。
vs.
民主が成立するためには、人々と政府の間で共通の言語があることが前提である；通訳などのコストや効率を考えると、私もあなたも共通の言語（北京語）ができるのだから、それを使うべきだ。
Friday, August 27, 2021
台湾語と福建語
東南アジアの人が「福建語」と呼んでいるのは、福建省南部の泉州地区と漳州地区の言葉がいろいろに混ざったものです。フィリピンは泉州寄りで、ペナンは漳州寄りです。
福建省南部の港町アモイはイギリスの拠点だったので、周辺から人がたくさん集まって、この二つの地域の言葉が（割と泉州寄りに）混ざりました。キリスト教の宣教師は聖書をこのアモイ語に訳したり、辞書を作ったりしたので、ある程度標準化しました。福建省の中では少数派の言語なのに、Hokkienといえばこの言語を指すようになったのは、イギリス人のおかげです。
台湾北部の台北盆地やシンガポールは、アモイと泉漳両語の混ざり方が似ていた（どちらかというと泉州寄り）上に、イギリスの宣教師が訳した聖書も入ったので、アモイ語とほとんど同じ言葉をしゃべるようになりました。日本人は台湾を領有したときに台北を拠点にしたので、台湾語の辞書や教科書はこのアモイ語そっくりな台北の言葉になりました。今でも日本で売っている台湾語の教科書は、ほとんど台北よりの単語や発音です。
台湾では、地域によって、泉州寄りの言葉を喋っているところ（主に西部の海沿い）と漳州寄りのところ（西部内陸部と宜蘭）があります。南部の台南や高雄は、この台湾中の言葉が、割と漳州寄りに混ざって、新しい台湾語が発展しました。これが台湾の教科書やマスコミで使われている台湾語で、民主化時代以降、兵役や政治運動を通して男性を中心に広がりました。
東南アジアと台湾の福建語の違いは、もともと福建になかった西洋的や近代的なものや概念を、何語から借りたかです。マレーシア・シンガポールではマレー語と英語から、インドネシアではオランダ語から、フィリピンではスペイン語から、台湾では日本語から借りました。例えば、スーツのことをフィリピンでは「アメリカーノ」というのに、台湾では「セビロ」と言います。ただし戦後は北京語教育が普及したので、北京語を福建語読みした「セーツォン」もよく使われます。
香港やマカオには、インドネシアから移って来た華人がいっぱいいて、年配の世代は今でも福建語を使っています（子供たちには北京語で話しますが、結局彼らは広東語のモノリンガルに育ちます）。
違いはあるけれども、私はマレーシアやフィリピンに行って台湾語を喋って、ほとんど不自由なく通じました。実際、北京語以外の中国語が禁止されているシンガポールでも、台湾のテレビドラマの録画が、年配の世代を中心に人気がありました。
台湾人の中には、「台湾語」というからには台湾でしか通じないのか、と思っている人もいるかもしれません。香港や東南アジアに買い物に行ったとき、普段台湾で子供や外国人に聞かれたくないひそひそ話をするときに台湾語を使う癖がついつい出て、台湾語を喋ってしまうと、何を喋っているのかバレてしまう可能性があるので気をつけて。
余談ですが、今、日本に住んでいる福建省出身の人の多くは、福州の近くの福清の出身だそうです。そっちの方（福建省の北東部）は、アモイ語とは似ても似つかない言語を喋っています。福建省の言葉なのだから、彼らは自分たちが喋っているのを福建語というかもしれませんが、東南アジアでいう福建語や台湾語とは全然違う言葉で、全く通じないのであしからず。マレーシアのサラワクや、インドネシアの一部で話しているやつと近くて、Hokchiu とかHokchiaとか呼んでいます。台湾が有効支配している馬祖諸島でもこれに近いものを話しています。厳密には、福清語と福州語は違うが、福清人は多くが両方のバイリンガルだとも聞きます。福建省ではこの言語を話す人のほうがアモイ語を話す人より多いそうですが、東南アジアではマイナーな言語で、一部の群居地を除いては、周辺でメジャーな言葉に吸収されているようです。
私は福建語の未来に悲観的です。台湾を含め華人社会全体で北京語教育や現地語教育・英語教育が普及して、福建語はお祭りの儀式や教育を受けていないお年寄りとの言葉になっています。マレーシアなどでは若者が復興運動をやっていますが、影響力が今ひとつです。福建では強制的な北京語普及が行われていて、アモイの子供は半数以上福建語を話せないそうです。
こうなると、福建語存続のカギは台湾です。台湾では民主化以来、マスコミでも多く使われ、小学校の科目にもなっています。ですからほとんどの人が多少できますが、ほぼ台湾全土で、台湾語だけを日常的に使っている人たちは、やはり田舎のお年寄りなどが多い印象です。台湾語の牙城台南市での調査でも、小学生はほとんど家庭で北京語と英語しか使っておらず、台湾語を使うのは学校の台湾語の授業のときだけでした。最近、台湾政府が打ち出した「バイリンガル国家2030」という政策では、バイリンガルが指すのは北京語と英語のことです。このまま行くと、アイルランドのアイルランド語のように、象徴的な存在になってしまうでしょう。例えば、中国と対抗する意識を強調したい政治家が、普段の私生活は北京語と英語で行っているのに、演説のときだけわざと台湾語を使う、といった具合です。
台湾で、もともとは上から押し付けられた外来言語だった北京語ですが、台湾人に半世紀使用されて台湾のことを表現できるように台湾化して、学校や役所で使う「頭の言語」だけではなく、「心の言語」にもなっています。
最近、日本ではこの北京語を指して台湾華語という言い方も出てきましたが、私や私の家族は、詳細をいちいち説明するのは面倒くさいので、周りの日本人たちに対しては、この台湾化した北京語のことを敢えて「台湾語」と呼ぶときもあります。福建系の台湾人だけではなく、一部のお年寄りを除いたほぼ全員の台湾人に通じるのだから、福建語よりも、もっと「台湾語」と呼ばれる資格があるような気もしないではありません。
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Why a L2 variety is a better target model for expanding-circle learners
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.
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.
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.
Thursday, May 24, 2018
CEP Self-directed study portal
Self-directed Study Instruction (Last updated Fall 2024):
To master English, just attending classes is not enough. You also need exposure to English at least 30 minutes a day, five times a week. The best way to do this are:
- Read a book you're interested in without using a dictionary (Extensive Reading, ER)
- Use websites, watch videos or listen to podcasts about the topics you're interested in, then make sentences with the new words you learned in them in your vocabulary notebook (Self-directed study)
How to do your weekly self-directed study:
WHAT'S NEW
- Choose a website from this page. You can choose from:
- Type 1: Use English learning websites
- Type 2: Read online articles about your area of interest
- Type 3: Watch online videos or listen to podcasts
- Study/read/watch/listen to it.
- Write down any new words into your vocabulary notebook. Visit Cambridge Dictionary Online for definitions and example sentences, if necessary.
- Click the link and fill in self-directed study report form at least once a week:
WHAT'S NEW
Accurate English
A classic YouTube channel for learning the American accent.
BBC Learning English 👍
Now easier to navigate with a new look!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/
Now easier to navigate with a new look!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/
Sounds Right App 👍
A smartphone app with an interactive phonetic symbol chart. It helps you to remember phonetic symbols for British English.
Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/learnenglish-sounds-right/id387588128
VoiceTube
Watch K-Pop star's makeup video, Hayao Miyazaki anime with subtitles and Japanese translations to learn English! 👍
English Central
Record your voice after watching a video and check your score! 👍
TYPE 1: ENGLISH LEARNING WEBSITES
Learn English Online: British Council 👍
So many free English courses! Who needs eikaiwa schools any more?
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org
LearnEnglish Kids: British Council 👍
Learn English Online: British Council 👍
So many free English courses! Who needs eikaiwa schools any more?
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org
LearnEnglish Kids: British Council 👍
For kids, but also good for young adults.
LearnEnglish Teens: British Council 👍
Even if you are above 20 years old, it's still good.
BBC Learning English 👍
You can watch the English learning programs of the British Broadcasting Corporation for free.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/
Tim's Pronunciation Workshop
Learn British pronunciation the fun way.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/pronunciation
English in One Minute 👍
You can watch the English learning programs of the British Broadcasting Corporation for free.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/
Tim's Pronunciation Workshop
Learn British pronunciation the fun way.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/pronunciation
English in One Minute 👍
Short and easy way to learn British English.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/course/eiam/
VOA Learning English 👍
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/course/eiam/
VOA Learning English 👍
Free videos and audio files in different levels from the Voice of America.
https://learningenglish.voanews.com
VOA Special English TEXT and MP3 FILES
You can download the audio files of Voice of America programs in slower speed and read the scripts.
http://www.manythings.org/voa/scripts/
Test English
https://learningenglish.voanews.com
VOA Special English TEXT and MP3 FILES
You can download the audio files of Voice of America programs in slower speed and read the scripts.
http://www.manythings.org/voa/scripts/
Test English
Good for TOEIC and/or EIKEN preparation.
Duolingo 👍
You can take a placement test for free. It has a Japanese version.
https://www.duolingo.com
https://www.duolingo.com
ELSA Speak 👍
An app that helps you improve your pronunciation. It has a Japanese version.
TYPE 2: ARTICLES ABOUT VARIOUS AREAS OF INTEREST
MLB News
Are you a baseball fan?
https://www.mlb.com/news
Anime News Network
Are you an anime fan?
https://www.animenewsnetwork.com
Allkpop
Are you a K-pop fan?
https://www.allkpop.com
Game Informer
Are you an online game fan?
https://www.gameinformer.com
News in Levels 👍
You can read the news in different levels.
https://www.newsinlevels.com/#
News Reviews
Do you want to be able to read news in English? Here's the place to be.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/course/newsreview
Breaking News English
News stories that are designed to help you improve your English.
https://breakingnewsenglish.com
MLB News
Are you a baseball fan?
https://www.mlb.com/news
Anime News Network
Are you an anime fan?
https://www.animenewsnetwork.com
Allkpop
Are you a K-pop fan?
https://www.allkpop.com
Game Informer
Are you an online game fan?
https://www.gameinformer.com
News in Levels 👍
You can read the news in different levels.
https://www.newsinlevels.com/#
News Reviews
Do you want to be able to read news in English? Here's the place to be.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/course/newsreview
Breaking News English
News stories that are designed to help you improve your English.
https://breakingnewsenglish.com
For people preparing to become flight attendants.
American Kennel Clubs
For all the dog lovers out there.
TYPE 3: VIDEOS AND PODCASTS
Six Minute English👍
Six Minute English👍
A immensely popular podcast series from BBC Learning English
Nick's English
EIKEN interview practice videos (British accent)
JForrest English
Jennifer is another popular English-teaching YouTuber.
Nas Daily
That crazy guy on YouTube who makes a one-minute video every day.
https://www.youtube.com/user/nyassin14
English with Lucy
Probably the most popular English teacher on the web.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz4tgANd4yy8Oe0iXCdSWfA
Video Zone: British Council 👍
Authentic videos with transcripts and tasks
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/general-english/video-zone
That crazy guy on YouTube who makes a one-minute video every day.
https://www.youtube.com/user/nyassin14
Probably the most popular English teacher on the web.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz4tgANd4yy8Oe0iXCdSWfA
Authentic videos with transcripts and tasks
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/general-english/video-zone
Latifs Inspired
Are you into cooking? Try some British Indian food tonight.
Cathy Cat カティー
German girl YouTuber explains Harajuku kawaii culture.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIg-kRovqtSqWC1kjfKTTZQ
Izzy Sealy
German girl YouTuber explains Harajuku kawaii culture.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIg-kRovqtSqWC1kjfKTTZQ
Sam Chui
For people who want to become pilots, flight attendants, or are just interested in airplanes.
Easy Natural English with Liam
A British online teacher based in Japan
World Friends
Young people talking about different languages
https://www.youtube.com/@worldfriends77Izzy Sealy
Want to know what it's like to be a medical student at Cambridge?
BBC 6 Minute English 👍
All you need is six minutes to learn new English vocabulary and expressions.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english
The English We Speak 👍
Want to impress your teacher? The latest words and expressions you can use in everyday conversations are here.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the-english-we-speak
TED Talks
It is helpful for improving your presentation skills as well as English in general.
https://www.ted.com/talks
All you need is six minutes to learn new English vocabulary and expressions.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english
The English We Speak 👍
Want to impress your teacher? The latest words and expressions you can use in everyday conversations are here.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the-english-we-speak
TED Talks
It is helpful for improving your presentation skills as well as English in general.
https://www.ted.com/talks
Learn English with Gill
The most serene English teacher ever!
Friday, March 23, 2018
The Hokkien Blog: Ho ti lai-soaN (The tiger is deep in the mountains)
This post is a translation from my previous post in Japanese.
I sometimes converse with my wife in Hokkien in order to expose our kids to Taiwanese Hokkien. (They only speak Japanese, Mandarin and English, in this order of fluency.)
She asked me to bring something over in Hokkien, so I answered: "Ho."
To this, she responded: "Ho ti lai-soaN lah!"
It took me a while to figure out she was saying: "The tiger is deep in the mountains".
What the heck could this mean?
In no time, I figured out what this word play meant.
Let me explain.
As you may know, Taiwanese Hokkien is a mixture of the Quanzhou and Zhangzhou accents. In Taipei City, the traditional accent is closer to the Amoy accent, which belongs to the Quanzhou side.
In this accent, the pronunciation of "ho (good)" is rounded, as in "hoh".
However, the mainstream accent in Taiwanese media today is closer to the Kaohsiung accent (more toward the Zhangzhou side). In this accent, "ho" is centered, as if to say "her" non-rhotically.
So this word play is used by speakers of the latter accent to ridicule the former's pronunciation of "ho". (FYI, my wife is a speaker of the former. She probably heard someone say this to her parents, who have an even stronger Tong'an accent.)
There are some other jokes that utilize the differences in these two major accents in Taiwan, but some of them are quite vulgar, and not suitable for print.
I sometimes converse with my wife in Hokkien in order to expose our kids to Taiwanese Hokkien. (They only speak Japanese, Mandarin and English, in this order of fluency.)
She asked me to bring something over in Hokkien, so I answered: "Ho."
To this, she responded: "Ho ti lai-soaN lah!"
It took me a while to figure out she was saying: "The tiger is deep in the mountains".
What the heck could this mean?
In no time, I figured out what this word play meant.
Let me explain.
As you may know, Taiwanese Hokkien is a mixture of the Quanzhou and Zhangzhou accents. In Taipei City, the traditional accent is closer to the Amoy accent, which belongs to the Quanzhou side.
In this accent, the pronunciation of "ho (good)" is rounded, as in "hoh".
However, the mainstream accent in Taiwanese media today is closer to the Kaohsiung accent (more toward the Zhangzhou side). In this accent, "ho" is centered, as if to say "her" non-rhotically.
So this word play is used by speakers of the latter accent to ridicule the former's pronunciation of "ho". (FYI, my wife is a speaker of the former. She probably heard someone say this to her parents, who have an even stronger Tong'an accent.)
There are some other jokes that utilize the differences in these two major accents in Taiwan, but some of them are quite vulgar, and not suitable for print.
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