Re: Bopomofo and pinyin

John Cowan <jcowan@...> wrote:

(on my question on bopomofo)
> At charts.unicode.com, but as I remember you can't see
> the Web, or is it just that you can't do interactive
> lookup?  If the latter, then the relevant page
> (graphics-heavy, obviously) is
> http://charts.unicode.org/Unicode.charts/normal/U3100.html
I can't see the web directly -- I order pages by email, which
makes it uncomfortable and tiresome unless you know the exact
URL. But I'm having some hours of access this weekend, so thanks
a lot.

> Mapping Wade-Giles to Pinyin is pretty easy, though:
>
> For initial stops, W-G p,t,k -> Pinyin b,d,g;
> W-G p',t',k' -> Pinyin p,t,k.
>
> Pinyin uses sh,zh,ch for retroflex sounds and
> x,j,q for the corresponding alveolopalatal ones.
> These latter can happen only before an i or i-glide.
> The only time they are in opposition is before /i/
> itself.
Alveolopalatal? <x> = /S/ and <j> = /Z/? But that can't be,
they are postalveolar... I understood that <q> was /ts/
(affricate).

> W-G uses zh and ch throughout, and uses "ih" as the
> rhyme for retroflex, "i" for alveolopalatal initials.
> Oddly, W-G does distinguish between sh retroflex,
> hs alveolopalatal, so shih but hsi (Pinyin shi, xi).
> This seems pointless, but there it is.
Yes, and the whole system is pretty confusing.

> W-G j is Pinyin r.
And they are pronounced...?

I'm going to search for a Chinese pronunciation guide,
but if you already have one or the URL for one, I'd be
grateful.


--Pablo Flores
  http://www.geocities.com/pablo-david/index.html
  http://www.geocities.com/pablo-david/draseleq.html