.
. . . . to.Taiwanese
edition in MLT/TMSS . to
Mixet-Taiwanese.
. to
EDUTECH
Entry Page
By the beginning
of 17th century, William Shakespeare transformed the savage tongue of England
into the elegant classics of English literature. This
language then gradually developed into the modern English of today through
the evolution of human society in the past four hundred years.
We know that a language of a nation is not simply the instinct chattering
of a person through the natural ability of speech that he acquired through
his own life, but is constructed with a great many portions of knowledge
of the whole humankind at the time being. What is more, the
most important part of a language is that it has a capacity for future
development along any possible change of that society. A language
should show the evolutionary course of that nation but also a promise of
her future.
As for a nation with culture,
a unified language is the base for unity of people. How
great it was to hear people sing and say "We, American!" after the 911
tragedy. It is a common word linking the mind of each person.
Why, then, we don't sing and say "We, Taiwanese!" for our national unity
for progress? In the midst of this, however, what will
happen if somebody jumps out and shouts, "Oh, no, we are not, we are Daiwanese!"?
Even a single word of the common language works as a hook to seduce the
deep emotional mind of people, so we say the human society is bound by
her language.
Sociologists admit that
the majority of human thought is the soundless language.
We get idea from books and other written sources much more than from what
we hear. Abstract concept, in particular, is acquired
and transmitted through the written language. This written
language influences the construction of the human idea and so created the
system of modern thought and established the institution of the society.
In most cases, the terminology of a new concept is recognized by its written
word rather than a certain oral sound.
Continued usage of Chinese
characters for well established terminology in Taiwanese documents is preferred,
in two respects. First, Taiwanese people has received Mandarin
education in which most abstract concepts are taught with terms of Chinese
characters, so the Chinese terminology in the document does directly reflect
the idea more than the corresponding Taiwanese sound. And,
second, a popular term in Chinese characters may be accepted by readers
regardless of their native tongues. For instance, the Taiwanese
word of "PARADISE" is pronounced by majority of southern people as "loghngg"
while people in Gilaan area pronounce it as "loghvuii"; the terminology
in Chinese characters is the same.
Chinese characters, however,
will meet two difficulties. First of which is the educational
process that requires more time and labor for children at their elementary
stage. And the second is its resistance toward the modernization
of Taiwanese people in this computer age.
Now, everybody knows
that Chinese character is absolutely inadequate for Taiwanese colloquial
words, especially for so many mono-syllable words which construct a large
part of Taiwanese verbs. Many colloquial words in Chinese characters
as suggested by Sinologists are not unique, that is the word can be read
and explained in more than one way. One may borrow a character to
represent the word, but nobody can guess while reading the whole sentence
what its adequate pronunciation nor meaning is. Somebody suggests
to use thousands of special characters which do not exist in the standard
set of 4800 Chinese characters taught in Taiwan.
Since colloquial
words occupy the main part of Taiwanese language for elementary stage of
education, it is advised to use alphabetic letters for kindergarten and
in early stage of elementary school. The spelling system developed
since 1943 and now known as TMSS (Taiwanese Modern Spelling System) is
the most adequate lettering system for texts of that stage.
Not being a phonetic system that requires an introspective analysis of
voice, those vocabulary in TMSS are simply to be "recognized" and remembered
just like those of all Western languages.
A way of arranging
those TMSS words in accord with Taiwanese grammar was developed since early
1950's by the author while translating Western literature into Taiwanese.
The scheme of arrangement is called MLT, the Modern Literal Taiwanese.
The intentional aiming at the "grammar" is the keypoint of MLT.
Usage of Chinese characters is acceptable. But, to be grammatically
explicit, the word-oriented TMSS vocabulary is recommended over the character-wise
arrangement of Chinese way of writing; the result is MLT/TMSS (MLT
by TMSS) or Totally Latinized MLT.
During 1980's, the study of
automated treatment of Taiwanese document with computer was carried out
privately, while chemical research papers such as "automated syntactic
analysis of chemical structural notation" were published around 1978 by
the author. An advanced idea of Formal-MLT appeared
through that study, following Dr. Noam Chomsky's novel grammatical concept
of Formal Language. By the end of the last century, the idea
was published on the internet website, and the idea of International Agency
Language with Formal-MLT was first explained and demonstrated in the November
Issue of MLT in order to elevate Taiwanese language as an internationally
useful one, especially as the East-West cultural exchange medium.
Since 1997, an Modern Literal
Taiwanese website, http://www.edutech.org.tw, started on the Internet.
The intention is to show to the world that Taiwanese people has her own
literal culture, with which we are now able to express ourselves with a
totally Latinized writing similar to those of Western world or with a mixed
writing with Chinese characters analogous to Japanese language.
There is a promise as well as a demonstration that Taiwanese people with
such a language system is a modern nation without any doubt.
Now remained is only that, under
the today's general educational system, Taiwanese people will accept it
over the backward Mandarin system or not. The MLT/TMSS
accepts all possible technical terms of foreign origin in a direct way,
that is, without translating them first into Chinese characters of Mandarin
pronunciation and then reread them with Taiwanese pronunciation.
All technical documents including science textbooks used in the university
are easily translated into MLT/TMSS. Even a machine translation
will become hopeful. Thus, we will be synchronized with advanced
nations all over the world.
All Chinese classics have already
their colloquial translations in Taiwan. Retranslating these
into MLT will be without problem. Rhymes in those old
poetry can be kept intact by utilizing TMSS as its phonetics.
Thus, every doubt of Sinologists can be resolved when we adopt the modern
literal system of Taiwanese language. Modernization
of Taiwanese Literature can be accomplished once they abandon their uneasiness
that the modernization could be anti-classics.
Actually, Taiwanese will remain as Taiwanese, but only the obstacle toward
the future development is removed. The Taiwanese
society will become open for the future through the modernization by the
renewing of our language system.
A Modern Nation Through
Her Language
submitted to NATPA on February 11, 2002
Ho
Taioaan Iuu
Gwbuun Cviazox Hiexntaixhoax-Kokkaf
Liim
Keahioong, Taioaan IOGTEG Bunkaux-Kikimhoe
.
. . . .. . orng
Engbuun-parn..
orng
Ym-Haxn
Hunhap-buun . . orng
EDUTECH
Siuo-iah
17-seakie-zhof yzeeng, William Shakespeare ciofng Engkheklaan ee thofoe
zoafn'voa-zox iugvar ee koftiern-Engbuun.
Cit'ee gwbuun ciu ti koeakhix ee siepah'nii-tiofng, baxnban suxntioh
jinlui-siaxhoe ee cirnhoax, cirntiern cviazox
Hiexntai-Engbuun. Larn lorng zay, cidee kokkaf ee gwgieen mxsi
ti hiaf ee laang eng svy+laai
ee kautaam-lenglek laai sui'ix teq korng ee oexguo naxtvia, ar khioksi
eng tongtai zoan'jinlui ee tieseg laai korseeng ee. Cirn'cidpo
laai korng, gwgieen ee zoex-tioxng'iaux ee poxhun si y thafng toeatioh
hit'ee siaxhoe ee itzhex khorleeng
ee piernchiefn, laai hoattiern ee lenglek. Gwgieen tioh
hiernsi kokkaf ti koeakhix sor-iefnhoax
ee tokexng, ar tongsii tioh ho laang
tuix kokkaf ee bixlaai oe khvoarzhud
hibang.
Tuix cidee u-bunhoax ee kokkaf laai korng, thorng'id ee gwgieen si bincioxng
kaxngsym ee kishor. Tngf larn ti 911-zhafm'axn-y'au thviatioh
laang teq chviux-korng "Larn, Bykog-laang!" ee sii u joaxniq'toa
ee karmtong+aq.
Zef si lienkied-tioh muy'cidee laang
ee laixsym ee kioxngtoong-oexkux. Larn naf'm laai uixtioh
kokkaf ee cirntiern ia chviux-korng "Larn, Taioaan-laang!" leq?
Ti cit'ee sizun, na uxlaang thiaux-zhutlaai jiarng-korng "Oh, mxtioh,
larn mxsi. Larn si Daioaan-laang!", afnny oe
u symmih taixcix hoatsefng? Kioxngtoong ee gwgieen-tiofng
ee cidkux oe, ia oe cviazox
boeq kaw-zhud zernglaang simtoea
ee zengsu, sofie larn korng, jinlui-siahoe si eng y ee gwgieen laai svalieen
ee.
Siaxhoexhag-ciar kongjim, jinlui-susiorng ee toa-poxhun si boo-svia'ym
ee gwgieen. Larn tuy zheq kab kithvar ee bunji-zuliau
sor-tid+tioh
ee tieseg, viakoex larn sor-thviaf+laai
ee. Tegpiet si, thiusiong ee koanliam khaq-zoe
tuy bunji tid+laai
koq teq thoanpox.
Citciorng sor-siar ee gwgieen efnghiorng-tioh
laang ee ieliam, ar ciu zhorngzo-liao
hiexntai-susiorng ee hexthorng, ia zeateng-liao siaxhoe ee kuihoan.
Ti toa-poxhun ee sizun, larn tuy sor-siafzhud ee gwsuu laai jixnzhud syn-koanlaim
ee sudguo ar mxsi tuy sor-thviaf ee oexym.
Uixtioh ykefng ti Taigwbuun-tiofng
sor-khaklip ee sudguo, larn aeboeq
keasiok sw'iong Harnji, u nngxee ly'iuu. Thau'cidee si, Taioaan-laang
siuxtioh Hoaguo ee kaoiok, ti hit'tiongkafn
toa-poxhun ee thiusiong-koanliam lorng eng Harnji laai oh+tioh,
sofie bunhiexn-tiofng ee Hoaguo-Harnji-kux ho laang pie Taiguo-ym khaq-tidciab
hoarn'exng-kaux lyliam. Ar, toexji si itpvoaf ee Harnji-kux
oe
ho bokaang toexhngf-gw'ym
ee thogciar khix ciapsiu; phiejuu korng, "PARADISE" ee Taiguo ti
Taioaan-lampo ee laang si "loghngg", mxkuo ti Gilaan-toexkhw
si "loghvuii"; yn ee Harnji-kux si siokang
ee.
Harnji ee zhay'iong khiog-oe guxtioh
nngxhang khurnlaan. Toexid
si, Harnji ee kaoiok ti gyn'ar ee zhopo-hagsip ee sii, su'iaux khaq-zoe
ee sikafn kab khaq-toa ee lokhor.
Ar toexji si, ti cit'ee tiexnnao-hoax
ee sitai+nih, y oe
tuix Taioaan-laang ee hiexntaixhoax cviazox
zolat.
Tvaf, muy'cidee laang lorng zaiviar, Harnji tuix Taioaan
khawguo-kux si zoadtuix boo-habgii ee; iukii tuix hiahniq'zoe
ee tvoa'imzad Taiguo khawguo-suu boo-sek'hap,
ciah'ee tvoa'imzad gwsuu korseeng toa-poxhun ee khawguo-toxngsuu.
Taioaan ee Harnhagciar ui ciah'ee Taioaan gwsuu sor-thezhud ee Harnji,
ofng'orng mxsi i'id ee, zef ciuxsi korng, cidee ji u cidee ysiong ee thaghoad
kab iesux. Yn ia sisioong cioh'iong
bor-cidee Harnji laai, mxkuo thogciar teq thak zoanpo ee buncviw
ee sii, khiog-mxzay hit'ee Harnji tioh
afnnar thak koq y ee iesux si symmih.
Uxlaang thegi boeq eng Taioaan piauzurn
ee 4800-Harnji-ygoa ee cvia'zheng'ee tegsuu Harnji.
In'ui khawguo si zhoterng-kaoiok-tiofng ee Taiguo ee toa-poxhun, goarn
thegi ti iuotixhngg kab siofhak ee
ke-nikib, sw'iong Engguo-jixbuo. 1943-nii-ylaai sor-hoattiern,
ar kimjit kiorzox
Taiguo Hiexntai Pengji Hexthorng (TMSS) ee pengji-hoad si zoex-sek'hap
ti cit'ee kaitvoa ee khorpurn
ee bunji. Hef mxsi tioh
hunseg laixsym ee imkarm ciaq siar-oexzhud
ee impiaw, sofie TMSS ee hiah'ee gwsuu si thafng tansuun "jixnbad" ar thafng
kie+teq ee bunji;
cviaa-chinchviu sofu ee Sehofng-gwbuun.
Ciofng ciah'ee TMSS-gwsuu zunciaux-tioh
Taioaan-oe ee bunhoad laai pailiet ee honghoad, tuy 1950-nitai-zhokii ciu
iuu purn-zokciar zu Sehofng-bunge-zokphirn ee Taiguo-hoan'ek ee tongtiofng
hoattiern+zhutlaai.
Cit'ee gwsuu-pailiet ee hongseg kiorzox
MLT, ciuxsi Taiguo Hiexntai-Bunsuhoad. Tegpiet ioxngsym khix
zuo'ix-tioh "bunhoad", si MLT ee koankien-tiarm.
Harnji, ti ciaf si thafng sw'iong ee. Mxkuo, uixliao
bunhoad-siong ee benkhag-sexng, zerngkox-gwsuu
zorzuo ee TMSS-gwsuu pie eng korpiet
ee Harnji zorzuo ee Hoabuun-siafhoad
khaq-siu laang hoangeeng. Cit'ee kietkor
si MLT/TMSS (eng TMSS ee MLT) iafsi kiorzox
Zoaan-Latengji-hoax ee MLT.
1980-nitai, eng tiexnnao laai zox zuxtong-hoax
ee Taiguo-bunsw-zhuolie ee giefnkiux ti sutoea-ha
cirnheeng; goarn khioksi kongkhay ti 1978-nii-cien'au hoatpiao-liao
"Hoarhak-korzoseg ee zuxtong-bunhoad-kaeseg"
itlui ee hoarhak-giefnkiux-luxnbuun. Ti ciah'ee giefnkiux-tongtiofng,
cixn-cidpo ee Hengsek'hoax-MLT ee koanliam iuu ciaf khaihoad+zhutlaai.
Zef si sengciab-tioh Noam Chomsky Phoksu
ee zarmsyn ee Hengsek'hoax-Gwbuun ee bunhoad-khaeliam laai ee.
Ti cieen-seakie-toea, cit'ee koanliam
ciu hoatpiao ti Kokzex-Baxnglo(Internet)-terng, jien'au uixtioh
boeq thesefng Taiguo-buun laai cviazox
kokzex-siong iw'iong ee gwbuun, ciu ti kuxnii ee 11-goeh
ee zoantoee-tiofng thau'cidpae ciofng
khy'iong-liao Hengsek'hoax-MLT ee Kokzex-Tioxngkaix-Gwbuun ee koanliam
soatbeeng koq tiefnsi.
Cit'ee syn-koanliam ee sidsy, thafng ho Taiguo-buun cviazox
Tanghofng kab Sehofng-siaxhoe ee bunhoax-kauliuu ee kangkhu.
Zu 1997-nii, Taiguo-Hiexntaixbuun-Baxngzam: http://www.edutech.org.tw ti
Internet-siong khaisie hoattong. Cit'ee ie'too si boeq
hioxng kokzex-siaxhoe tiefnsi Taioaan-jinbiin u kaki ee bunji-bunhoax,
ar jukym, larn thafng eng hef laai piawhien larn ee laixsym; sor-eng
ee, si chinchviu Sehofng-siaxhoe ee zoaan-Latengji-hoax ee bunji
iafsi chinchviu Jidbuun ee Ym-Haxn-Hunhap-Heeng ee bunji.
Ti ciaf sor-tiefnsi ee, si cidkhoarn ee hibang kab hiexnsit, korng, Taioaan-laang
eng citkhoarn ee gwbuun-hexthorng bogii
ykefng si cidee hiexntai-hoax ee kokkaf.
Ti ciaf sor-laau ee buxntoee kantvaf
si, siuxkoex tongkym ee kaoiok-thengsu,
Taiwaan-bincioxng si-mxsi goaxn'ix ciapsiu citthox
Taigwbuun-hexthorng khaq-viakoex
it'hioxng ee bohah-sigii ee Hoabuun-hexthorng.
MLT/TMSS thafng tidciab sw'iong goaxkog ee khoky-sudguo,
ar boo-su'iaux ciofng hiah'ee kaysiar-zox
Hoaguo-ym ee Harnji, jien'au koq zhaa
hiah'ee Harnji ee Taiguo-ym laai siafzhud ti buncviw ee laixbin.
Sofu ee khoky-sexng ee bunsw, paukoad
ti taixhak sor-eng ee khohak-khorpurn,
thafng iong'vi hoan'ek-zox MLT/TMSS.
Ti ciaf, eng tiexnnao ee zuxtong hoan'ek ma cviazox
u-hiban. Afnny, larn ciu thafng kab zoaan-seakaix ee
siencixn-kokkaf tongpo laai hoattiern.
Sofu ee Tiongkog-koftiern-zokphirn lorng ykefng ti Taioaan u khawguo-Hoabuun
ee hoan'ek. Tuy ciaf zaix-hoan'ek-zox
MLT/TMSS, oanzoaan boo khurnlaan.
Lieen hiah'ee koflor ee Harnguo-sy
ee uxnlut ma thafng eng TMSS tngzox
impiaw laai zux ti Harnji-terng laai oanzoaan pofliuu.
Afnny, Taioaan ee Harnhagciar sofu ee khoarlu, ti larn zhay'iong Taiguo
ee hiexntaixbuun-y'au thafng zoanpo kaykoad. Taigwbuun
ee hiexntaixhoax, ti yn kaytuu tuix "hiexntaixhoax si hoafntuix-koftiern"
ee gilu y'au ciu thafng oanseeng. Suxsit-siong,
Taioaan-laang ijieen si Taioaan-laang, ar kantvaf tuix larn ee bixlaai-hoattiern
ee zolat
oexthafng tuu+khix.
Taioaan-siaxhoe oe kengkoex
larn ee gwbuun-hexthorng ee hiexntaixhoax laai ho cionglaai kohkhaq
khaihoxng.
Ho
Taioaan Iuu Gwbuun Cviazøx
Hiexntaixhoax-Kokkaf
2002/2/11 thekaw NATPA