Re: Mixed writing systems (WAS: Newbie says hi)

Florian wrote:
>
> >You might argue that the non-existence of written Shanghainese in itself
>is
> >a evidence of linguistic repression.
>Maybe. I am not sure. if so, how do you explain that cantonose can be
>writen. But i think here the debate would need more historical knowledge
>than i have.
>
I'm not much into Chinese history either, but a possible explanation that
suggest itself are weaker central control in deep south. Then of course any
number of social/economic factors may've been at work at various periods to
give the Cantonese a stronger feeling for their regional linguistic
identity. Or if Cantonese is more different from Mandarin than is
Shanghainese (I don't know if it is, but looks likely on geographical
grounds), then the practical problems that would be caused by writing solely
in Mandarin are greater in the Cantonese area.

> >>So even if the chinese governement encouraged teaching how to write the
> >>dialect in schools, teacher whould face the problem that no one knows
>how
> >>to write this.
> >>
> >Then perhaps the authorities should begin with encouraging the creation
>of a
> >written Shanghainese.
>Maybe, but if so, they should encourage it for each dialect, with means
>allmost each city. And you know that there are quite many cities in china.
>It may be a good idea. But many chinese people don't feel the need of it.
>But you can argue that they don't feel this need because they have not
>thought about it, and that if they actualy had it, it would be convenient.
>I don't know.
Me neither, but it does seem somewhat weird for languages with millions of
speakers in a writing society to lack a written form.


        Andreas

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