Re: Pinyin

[John Cowan <[e-mail]>]

Randy Presuhn scripsit:

> So, returning to the topic of this thread, are we confident that Mandarin as
> spoken (and consequently rendered into Pinyin) in Taiwan is and shall remain
> indistinguishable from that spoken in other regions where Mandarin is spoken?

There are already differences in phonology, lexis, and subject matter,
as a result of ideology, drift, and the influence of Taiwanese (the local
dialect of Min-nan Chinese).  But these could be handled in future by
cmn-taiwan or the like.

> I'd hate to end up in a situation where someone needs to indicate "this is
> Taiwanese usage of Mandarin rendered in Hanyu Pinyin" but our tagging
> structure only lets them (incorrectly) say "this is Tongyong Pinyin."

Given that Tongyong Pinyin (a wonderfully ironic name, since 通用,
tong1yong1, means "universal usage") has now been officially dethroned,
I'd be happy to omit mention of it and wait for a request (which may
never be forthcoming) to give it a subtag or to rule that it falls within
the 'pinyin' subtag.

-- 
John Cowan   [e-mail]    http://ccil.org/~cowan
I come from under the hill, and under the hills and over the hills my paths
led. And through the air. I am he that walks unseen.  I am the clue-finder,
the web-cutter, the stinging fly. I was chosen for the lucky number.  --Bilbo