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From: deb5@ellis.uchicago.edu (Daniel von Brighoff)
Subject: Re: Chinese dialects vs. Indoeuropean languages
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References: <DoI2ot.H8o@midway.uchicago.edu> <4in2bc$qn0@hagar.aspentec.com> <DoJLqp.Byt@midway.uchicago.edu> <4insun$lcd@hagar.aspentec.com>
Date: Wed, 20 Mar 1996 04:47:49 GMT
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In article <4insun$lcd@hagar.aspentec.com>,
Tak To <TTO@RANKIN.aspentec.com> wrote:
>In <DoJLqp.Byt@midway.uchicago.edu> deb5@ellis.uchicago.edu writes:

>> The system is "standard" insofar as the same characters are used the
>> same way in the various applications of it.
>
>Now that I understand what you meant, I would agree that there is an informal
>standard for _transcription_.  However, I would hestitate to call it a
>_language_ standard precisely because of what you have mentioned--that
>it is not used extensively in publications.  Let me also point out that even
>in subtitles, liner notes, gossip magazine articles, ads, etc; one rarely
>transcibe the whole sentences.  Usually, only just enough local vernacular is
>included to make it catchy; full transcriptions would slow down the reading
>speed by too much.

Funny, the subtitles I've seen pretty consistently transcribe every spoken
utterance.  And the same with the liner notes.  I do, however, see your
point about it being a transcription system rather than a full-fledged
written standard, though I must admit I'm very surprised to hear that there 
are no complete Cantonese novels.  After all, why would one use a system
that slows down reading speed dramatically to subtitle "Dou Sing 2" and "Se 
Diu Yinghung"?

>> Mandarin
>> and Cantonese are the only two Chinese languages with both a spoken and
>> written standard.  Hoklo has the former (Amoy), but not the latter--but
>> give Ekki and his kin a few more years. ^_^
>
>What about Wu?  It is not uncommon to see quotations or transcriptions of 
>vernacular Wu in passages written in Mandarin.  Also, there is Hai3Sang4Hua1,
>the only novel written entirely in Wu.  The system seems to be quite
>"standard".

I was wondering about Wu since even my compact Mandarin dictionary lists
several characters used exclusively for transcribing Wu words.  However,
I've never seen extensive passages in Wu and had no idea someone had 
written an entire novel in it.  Who is the author?

-- 
	 Daniel "Da" von Brighoff    /\          Dilettanten
	(deb5@midway.uchicago.edu)  /__\         erhebt Euch
				   /____\      gegen die Kunst!
