Re: Chinese writing systems

Douglas Koller, Latin & French scripsit:

> One wonders how much this is actually true vs. how much it reflects a
> desire to feel separate and distinct from the mainland. When I lived
> in Taiwan, my Taiwanese partner would ask me to read letters for him
> from mainland relatives (I'm a non-native speaker) and would hand
> such letters to me like he was handling a piece of rancid fish.
MAYBE IT'S MORE LIKE THE EXPERIENCE OF READING ENGLISH IN ALL CAPS
AND IN A REALLY, REALLY UGLY FONT TO BOOT.

(Apologies for shouting.)

> I don't have proof per se, but I would imagine traditional -->
> simplified is easier than simplified--> traditional, and even *that*
> is not insurmountable.
Sure.  After all, when the traditional system ruled everywhere, educated
people still learned lots of simplified forms -- cursive forms, shorthand
forms, semi-standard forms, etc. etc.    Much of this material was drawn
on by the commission that developed the standardized simplified forms.
So it's mostly a matter of what order you learn what in.

--
John Cowan       http://www.ccil.org/~cowan        <jcowan@...>
        You tollerday donsk?  N.  You tolkatiff scowegian?  Nn.
        You spigotty anglease?  Nnn.  You phonio saxo?  Nnnn.
                Clear all so!  `Tis a Jute.... (Finnegans Wake 16.5)

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