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A Beginner's Guide to Taiwanese: Difference between revisions

A Beginner's Guide to Taiwanese (view source)

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Most speakers of Taiwanese are not aware that there exist several ways to write it down. MTL and [[Taiwanese Romanization System]] both derive from ''[[Pe̍h-ōe-jī]]'' (POJ), which had over 100,000 users in the mid-20th century. While no single system has been widely adopted (whether romanized or in [[Harnji|Han characters]]), MTL is a very useful tool for learning Taiwanese. Most Taiwanese speakers may not be able to read any of these systems but will understand you better because you used it.
Most speakers of Taiwanese are not aware that there exist several ways to write it down. MTL and [[Taiwanese Romanization System]] both derive from ''[[Pe̍h-ōe-jī]]'' (POJ), which had over 100,000 users in the mid-20th century. While no single system has been widely adopted (whether romanized or in [[Harnji|Han characters]]), MTL is a very useful tool for learning Taiwanese. Most Taiwanese speakers may not be able to read any of these systems but will understand you better because you used it.


== Phonology ==
== Syllables ==
We will first introduce all of the phonetic sounds of Taiwanese, using the [[MTL alphabet]]. Some sounds have an approximation in English, while others may be less familiar. In the examples, we have underlined indicators (mainly ''f'', ''r'', ''x'', ''v'') that are silent, which we will explain later.
We will first introduce all of the phonetic sounds of Taiwanese, using the [[MTL alphabet]]. Some sounds have an approximation in English, while others may be less familiar. In the examples, we underline indicators (mainly ''f'', ''r'', ''x'', ''v'') that are silent, which we will explain later.


=== Initial consonants ===
=== Initial consonants ===
Here are the [[List of all initial consonants in MTL|18 initial consonants in MTL]], which come at the beginning of the syllable.
A syllable can start with one of the [[List of all initial consonants in MTL|18 initial consonants in MTL]]:


[[File:Initial_consonants.mp3|thumb|none|Consonants]]
[[File:Initial_consonants.mp3|thumb|none|Consonants]]
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! MTL !! Example !! Meaning  
! MTL !! Example !! Meaning  
|-  
|-  
| ai || {{xl|lai}} || sharp  
| ai || {{x|lai}} || sharp  
|-  
|-  
| au || {{xl|au}} || back  
| au || {{x|au}} || back  
|-  
|-  
| ia || {{xl|ia}} || to spread  
| ia || {{x|ia}} || to spread  
|-  
|-  
| {{xl|iu}} || {{xl|chviu}} || elephant  
| {{x|iu}} || {{x|chviu}} || elephant  
|-  
|-  
| iø || {{xl|kiøo}} || [[Kiøo (kauthofng)|bridge]]
| iø || {{x|kiøo}} || [[Kiøo (kauthofng)|bridge]]
|-  
|-  
| {{x|iau}} || {{xl|liau}} || material/stuff  
| {{x|iau}} || {{x|liau}} || material/stuff  
|-  
|-  
| ui || {{xl|ui}} || stomach  
| ui || {{x|ui}} || stomach  
|-  
|-  
| oa || {{xl|toa}} || big  
| oa || {{x|toa}} || big  
|-  
|-  
| {{xl|oe}} || {{xl|hoe}} || meeting
| {{x|oe}} || {{x|hoe}} || meeting
|-  
|-  
| oai || {{xl|koaix}} || weird  
| oai || {{x|koaix}} || weird  
|}
|}


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! MTL  !! Example  !! Meaning  
! MTL  !! Example  !! Meaning  
|-  
|-  
| va || {{xl|va}}  || filling (for dumplings etc.)  
| va || {{x|va}}  || filling (for dumplings etc.)  
|-  
|-  
| {{x|vi}} || [[hvi]] || ear  
| {{x|vi}} || [[hvi]] || ear  
|-  
|-  
| ve || {{xl|gve}} || stiff  
| ve || {{x|gve}} || stiff  
|-  
|-  
| vo || {{xl|gvo}} || to comprehend  
| vo || {{x|gvo}} || to comprehend  
|-  
|-  
| vai || {{xl|vai}} || to carry on back  
| vai || {{x|vai}} || to carry on back  
|-  
|-  
| vau || {{xl|gvau}} || [[liengvau|lotus root]]
| vau || {{x|gvau}} || [[liengvau|lotus root]]
|-  
|-  
| {{x|via}} || {{xl|thviaf}} || to listen  
| {{x|via}} || {{x|thviaf}} || to listen  
|-  
|-  
| {{x|viu}} || {{xl|sviu}} || to think  
| {{x|viu}} || {{x|sviu}} || to think  
|-  
|-  
| viau || {{xl|gviaugviaw}} || itchy  
| viau || {{x|gviaugviaw}} || itchy  
|-  
|-  
| voa || {{xl|voa}} || to exchange  
| voa || {{x|voa}} || to exchange  
|-  
|-  
| voai || {{xl|kvoaimngg}} || to close a door  
| voai || {{x|kvoaimngg}} || to close a door  
|}
|}


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| im || {{x|a'kim}} || aunt  
| im || {{x|a'kim}} || aunt  
|-  
|-  
| {{x|iam}} || {{xl|liam}} || to nag
| {{x|iam}} || {{x|liam}} || to nag
|-  
|-  
| {{x|an}} || {{xl|ban}} || slow  
| {{x|an}} || {{x|ban}} || slow  
|-  
|-  
| {{x|in}} || {{xl|kin}} || near  
| {{x|in}} || {{x|kin}} || near  
|-  
|-  
| {{x|un}} || {{xl|tun}} || dull  
| {{x|un}} || {{x|tun}} || dull  
|-  
|-  
| ien || {{xl|lien}} || to practice  
| ien || {{x|lien}} || to practice  
|-  
|-  
| {{x|oan}} || {{xl|goan}} || wish  
| {{x|oan}} || {{x|goan}} || wish  
|-  
|-  
| ang || {{xl|bang}} || dream  
| ang || {{x|bang}} || dream  
|-  
|-  
| {{x|eng}} || {{xl|teng}} || hard  
| {{x|eng}} || {{x|teng}} || hard  
|-  
|-  
| {{x|ong}} || {{xl|gong}} || dumb  
| {{x|ong}} || {{x|gong}} || dumb  
|-  
|-  
| {{x|iang}} || {{xl|liang}} || bright  
| {{x|iang}} || {{x|liang}} || bright  
|-  
|-  
| {{x|iong}} || {{xl|iong}} || to use
| {{x|iong}} || {{x|iong}} || to use
|}
|}


Notes: ''ien'' is often spoken without the ''i''. Also, ''eng'' sounds similar to the first part of "English" (''{{XL|Engbuun}}'').
Notes: ''ien'' is often spoken without the ''i''. Also, ''eng'' sounds similar to the first part of "English" (''{{x|Engbuun}}'').


=== Syllabic structure ===
=== Syllabic structure ===
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All five shouting substitutions happen only when they end the syllable, so you still have ''{{x|irm}}'', ''{{x|irn}}'', and ''{{x|urn}}''. In contrast, the high shortcuts carry through, so you will see ''{{x|ym}}'', ''{{x|yn}}'', and ''{{x|wn}}''.
All five shouting substitutions happen only when they end the syllable, so you still have ''{{x|irm}}'', ''{{x|irn}}'', and ''{{x|urn}}''. In contrast, the high shortcuts carry through, so you will see ''{{x|ym}}'', ''{{x|yn}}'', and ''{{x|wn}}''.


==== Finals ====
=== Finals ===
Now that you've learned all the vowels and tones, you might be interested to hear that when you put them together, you get a "final". It's the rear part of the syllable, everything but the initial consonant, and uniquely spells out the vowel, tone, and any consonant endings.
What happens when you put a vowel and tone together? You get a "final", the rear part of the syllable, everything but the initial consonant. It uniquely spells out the vowel, tone, and any consonant endings.


Folding in the tones, there are just 70 commonly-used finals. Counting all the tones, the number expands to almost 270. See how many finals you can read from this [[table of all finals in MTL|chart of MTL finals]].
Folding in the tones, there are just 70 commonly-used finals. Counting all the tones, the number expands to almost 270. See how many finals you can read from this [[table of all finals in MTL|chart of MTL finals]].
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