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Re: Chinese writing systems

From:John Cowan <jcowan@...>
Date:Monday, November 4, 2002, 17:36
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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Douglas Koller, Latin & French <latinfrench@...>