44,868
edits
A Beginner's Guide to Taiwanese: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
m
A Beginner's Guide to Taiwanese (view source)
Revision as of 21:23, 29 December 2020
, 21:23, 29 December 2020→Tone sandhi
(→Syllable structure: e.g.) |
m (→Tone sandhi) |
||
| (6 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
'''''Li<u>e</u> hø<u>r</u>!''''' [[Taiwanese Hokkien|Taiwanese]] is a beautiful and musical language spoken in [[Taioaan|Taiwan]] and by Taiwanese people around the world. This '''''Beginner's Guide to Taiwanese''''' will provide you with a brief introduction to the spoken language as well as the [[Modern Literal Taiwanese]] writing system, which we call MTL for "Modern Taiwanese Language". | '''''Li<u>e</u> hø<u>r</u>!''''' [[Taiwanese Hokkien|Taiwanese]] is a beautiful and musical language spoken in [[Taioaan|Taiwan]] and by Taiwanese people around the world. This '''''Beginner's Guide to Taiwanese''''' will provide you with a brief introduction to the spoken language as well as the [[Modern Literal Taiwanese]] writing system, which we call MTL for "Modern Taiwanese Language". | ||
Most speakers of Taiwanese aren't aware that there are several writing systems for the language. ''[[Pe̍h-ōe-jī]]'' (POJ), also known as Church Romanization, might be the most popular romanization, though the government is now promoting a similar system called [[ | Most speakers of Taiwanese aren't aware that there are several writing systems for the language. ''[[Pe̍h-ōe-jī]]'' (POJ), also known as Church Romanization, might be the most popular romanization, though the government is now promoting a similar system called ''[[Tâi-lô]]''. We're going to use MTL here because we found it very useful while studying Taiwanese at the [[Washington DC Taiwanese School]], and we think it could help you too. True, most Taiwanese speakers won't be able to read any of these systems, but they will probably understand you better because you learned one. | ||
== How to make a syllable == | == How to make a syllable == | ||
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
=== Initial consonants === | === Initial consonants === | ||
A syllable can start with one of [[List of all initial consonants in MTL|18 initial consonants]]. Some sounds have an approximation in English, while others may be more exotic. For now, you can just ignore the silent indicators (mainly ''f'', '' | A syllable can start with one of [[List of all initial consonants in MTL|18 initial consonants]]. Some sounds have an approximation in English, while others may be more exotic. For now, you can just ignore the silent indicators (mainly ''f'', ''x'', ''r'', ''v''). | ||
[[File:Initial_consonants.mp3|thumb|none|Consonants]] | [[File:Initial_consonants.mp3|thumb|none|Consonants]] | ||
| Line 21: | Line 21: | ||
=== Vowels === | === Vowels === | ||
A syllable in Taiwanese can't go without having a vowel. [[ | A syllable in Taiwanese can't go without having a vowel. [[Media:Seven Tones of Taiwanese.pdf|This chart, ''Seven Tones of Taiwanese'']], shows how to write any vowel in any tone. For now, just look at the basic tone, and the five categories: simple, compound, plus three categories ending in nasals. | ||
==== Single vowels ==== | ==== Single vowels ==== | ||
| Line 119: | Line 119: | ||
| {{x|iong}} || {{x|iong}} || to use | | {{x|iong}} || {{x|iong}} || to use | ||
|} | |} | ||
Some pointers: | |||
* ''ien'' (from ia + n = ian | * '''ien''' (from '''ia''' + '''n''' = '''ian'''): used to sound like "yan", then "yen", now usually "en" | ||
* ''eng'' | * '''eng''' (from '''e''' + '''ng'''): used to sound as written, now is a little more like "ieng", but not quite "ing" | ||
==== Nasal vowels ==== | ==== Nasal vowels ==== | ||
| Line 220: | Line 220: | ||
===== Special vowels ===== | ===== Special vowels ===== | ||
For certain vowels in certain tones, | For certain vowels in certain tones, some ornamental substitutions/shortcuts are used. Refer to the [[Media:Seven Tones of Taiwanese.pdf|''Seven Tones'']] chart. | ||
* '''{{x|y}}''', '''{{x|w}}''': [[high tone]] of '''i''' and '''u''' | |||
* | * '''{{x|ie}}''', '''{{x|uo}}''', '''{{x|ea}}''': [[shouting tone]] of '''i''', '''u''', '''e''' | ||
* '''{{x|ae}}''', '''{{x|ao}}''': shortcuts for "a + ie" and "a + uo" | |||
* '''{{x|øo}}''': shortcut for "øø" | |||
* None of these apply with NFCs except: '''{{x|ym}}''', '''{{x|yn}}''', '''{{x|wn}}''' | |||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
! | ! Syll. Tail !! Shortcut !! Example || Meaning | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | if, ifm, ifn || {{x|y}}, {{x|ym}}, {{x|yn}} || {{x|ty}}, {{x|kym}}, {{x|cyn}} || pig, gold, very | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | uf, ufn || {{x|w}}, {{x|wn}} || {{x|titw}}, {{x|zhwn}} || spider, springtime | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | ir || {{x|ie}} || {{x|lie}} || you; ... | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | ur || {{x|uo}} || {{x|kuo}} || (''of time'') long | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | er || {{x|ea}} || {{x|boea}} || tail | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | air || {{x|ae}} || {{x|hae}} || sea | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | aur || {{x|ao}} || {{x|kao}} || dog. nine | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | øø || {{x|øo}} || {{x|kiøo}} || bridge; eggplant | ||
|} | |} | ||
=== Syllable structure === | === Syllable structure === | ||
| Line 268: | Line 262: | ||
[[File:Tone Circles.png|right|frame|The seven tones, and how they change due to tone sandhi.]] | [[File:Tone Circles.png|right|frame|The seven tones, and how they change due to tone sandhi.]] | ||
The basic unit of speech is the syllable, which can change tone depending on its environment. This process | The basic unit of speech is the syllable, which can change tone depending on its environment. This process is generally called [[tone sandhi]] ("sandhi" is from the Sanskrit word for "joining") and in Taiwanese the rules for it are extensive. | ||
Generally, a syllable inside of a word changes tone according to the Tone Circles. For example, the single-syllable word for "duck" (bird): ''{{x|aq}}''. Its original tone is low-short. After adding the suffix ''{{x|ar}}'', the tone becomes high-short: ''{{x|ah'ar}}''. | Generally, a syllable inside of a word changes tone according to the Tone Circles. For example, the single-syllable word for "duck" (bird): ''{{x|aq}}''. Its original tone is low-short. After adding the suffix ''{{x|ar}}'', the tone becomes high-short: ''{{x|ah'ar}}''. | ||