I think Shanghainese and cantonese sound better, compared with the official language Mandarin, but it's said more people in China speak Mandarin, dialect could only be understood in special section. Learning Chinese, please check http://www.learnchinese.bj.cn
Which Chinese dialect do you like most? & Which sounds b
All of them sound funny. When I'm feeling a bit down, I listen to someone speaking Chinese. Always cheers me up.
I prefer Taiwanese Mandarin rather than the Beijing one because it sounds much softer and melodious. The Beijing dialect is irritating to listen to because it sounds so harsh.
The Cantonese dialect (or language?) of Chinese is fun to listen to as well. Its numerous slang is much more interesting than that of Mandarin.
The Cantonese dialect (or language?) of Chinese is fun to listen to as well. Its numerous slang is much more interesting than that of Mandarin.
I like Cantonese because they end every sentence with a rise in intonation which makes it sound like they are whining.
> ANNITA FROM SWEDEN: Some swedish dialects and standard swedish are mutually unintelligible but they are dialects of swedish.
These so-called Swedish Dialects (spoken language) and Standard Swedish (spoken language) are "mutually unintelligible", so they are different languages because they are just like the mutually unintelligible between spoken Dutch and spoken English.
Spoken Language, Writing System and Written Language are three different categories of knowledge:
1. Spoken Language:
about the knowledge of
family > group > branch > language > dialect > vernacular > accent
2. Writing System:
about the knowledge of
script: pictogram > logogram > syllabogram > letter
orthography: pictography > logography > syllabography > alphabetic writing
3. Written Language:
about the knowledge of
- Written Swedish, Written Gothic, Written English, Written Dutch, Written German, etc.
(which adopt in the form of "letter; alphabetic writing".)
- Written Mandarin, Written Wunese, Written Cantonese, Written Hokkienese, Written Hakkanese, etc.
(which adopt in the form of 1. "logogram; logography" or 2. "letter; alphabetic writing".)
These so-called Swedish Dialects (spoken language) and Standard Swedish (spoken language) are "mutually unintelligible", so they are different languages because they are just like the mutually unintelligible between spoken Dutch and spoken English.
Spoken Language, Writing System and Written Language are three different categories of knowledge:
1. Spoken Language:
about the knowledge of
family > group > branch > language > dialect > vernacular > accent
2. Writing System:
about the knowledge of
script: pictogram > logogram > syllabogram > letter
orthography: pictography > logography > syllabography > alphabetic writing
3. Written Language:
about the knowledge of
- Written Swedish, Written Gothic, Written English, Written Dutch, Written German, etc.
(which adopt in the form of "letter; alphabetic writing".)
- Written Mandarin, Written Wunese, Written Cantonese, Written Hokkienese, Written Hakkanese, etc.
(which adopt in the form of 1. "logogram; logography" or 2. "letter; alphabetic writing".)
I'm American (estadounidense, for some of you who are so PC!), and Mandarin is the only real choice for me. I think Shanghai dialect sounds great, but how am I going to practice it? I can't, so Mandarin is the logical choice of a Chinese language for me.
Mandarin can sound very pleasant if two calm educated people are speaking it politely. Chinese poetry is also very beautiful, but that's my
choice in beauty and maybe it is not for everyone.
Mandarin can sound very pleasant if two calm educated people are speaking it politely. Chinese poetry is also very beautiful, but that's my
choice in beauty and maybe it is not for everyone.
I haven't heard many Chinese dialects other than Cantonese, Shanghainese and Taiwanese but would rather stick with MANDARIN since it's easier to learn and is more useful in terms of business in addition to being spoken literally by BILLIONS.
再見！
再見！
Some scholars dispute that the Mandarin, Wu, Cantonese, Hakka, Gan, Hsiang, etc, are the Sister Language of Sinitic Group. But, other scholars dispute that the Mandarin, Wu, Cantonese, Hakka, Gan, Hsiang, etc, are the dialects of a single Han Language.
A. Viewpoints of Linguistics (Spoken Language):
Some scholars take the viewpoints of "Linguistics" that all about the research of "Mutual Intelligibility" or "Mutual Intelligibility" (Spoken Language), the diversity in vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation to prove the Mandarin, Wu, Cantonese, Hakka, Gan, Hsiang, etc, are Sister Language of the Sinitic Group.
1. Sino-Tibetan Family
2. Sinitic Group
3. Languages of the Sinitic Group
B. Viewpoints of Logogram (Writing System) and Archaeography (Written Language):
The other scholars take the viewpoints of "Logogram" and "Archaeography" that all about the research of “Chinese Character" (Writing System) and "Literary Chinese" (Written Language) in the "old books" which were printed before 1920s (The May Fourth Movement) to prove the Mandarin, Wu, Cantonese, Hakka, Gan, Hsiang, etc, are Sister Dialects of a single Han Language.
1. Sino-Tibetan Family
2. Sinitic Group
3. Han Language
4. Dialects of a single Han Language
Chinese Character (or Sinogram): Fangkuaizi that is a kind of logograms, and the logogram is a kind of scripts.
Literary Chinese (or Written Character): Wenyanwen that is a kind of written language.
A. Viewpoints of Linguistics (Spoken Language):
Some scholars take the viewpoints of "Linguistics" that all about the research of "Mutual Intelligibility" or "Mutual Intelligibility" (Spoken Language), the diversity in vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation to prove the Mandarin, Wu, Cantonese, Hakka, Gan, Hsiang, etc, are Sister Language of the Sinitic Group.
1. Sino-Tibetan Family
2. Sinitic Group
3. Languages of the Sinitic Group
B. Viewpoints of Logogram (Writing System) and Archaeography (Written Language):
The other scholars take the viewpoints of "Logogram" and "Archaeography" that all about the research of “Chinese Character" (Writing System) and "Literary Chinese" (Written Language) in the "old books" which were printed before 1920s (The May Fourth Movement) to prove the Mandarin, Wu, Cantonese, Hakka, Gan, Hsiang, etc, are Sister Dialects of a single Han Language.
1. Sino-Tibetan Family
2. Sinitic Group
3. Han Language
4. Dialects of a single Han Language
Chinese Character (or Sinogram): Fangkuaizi that is a kind of logograms, and the logogram is a kind of scripts.
Literary Chinese (or Written Character): Wenyanwen that is a kind of written language.
> "Mutual Intelligibility" or "Mutual Intelligibility" (Spoken Language),
correct,
"Mutual Intelligibility" or "Mutual Unintelligibility" (Spoken Language),
correct,
"Mutual Intelligibility" or "Mutual Unintelligibility" (Spoken Language),
Sumerian cuneiform and Chinese character.
The logogram (a kind of script):
includes; Sumerian cuneiform, Egyptian hieroglyph, Chinese character, etc.
The history of written languages that adopted the script of logogram are very similar in the same way; such as Sumerian cuniform and Chinese character. The Sumerian cuniform was adopted by the spoken languages of Sumerian, Semitic, Indo-European, etc. The Chinese character was adopted by the spoken languages of Semitic, Sino-Tibetan, Altaic, Mon-Khmer, etc.
1. Sumerian cuneiform (a kind of logogram):
The Written Language that adopt the script of Sumerian cuneiform.
Sumerian,
Akkadian,
Eblaite, Elamite,
Hurrian, Urartian,
Hattic, Hittite,
Luwian, Palai,
Old Persian,
Krite-Myken,
Ugaritic,
etc,
2. Chinese character (a kind of logogram):
The Written Languages that adopt the script of Chinese character.
Oracle and Bone Writing,
Classical Chinese,
Literary Chinese,
Mandarin,
Wu, Foochowese,
Cantonese, Hakka,
Hokkien, Teochewnese,
Korean, Japanese,
Vietnamese,
etc.
The logogram (a kind of script):
includes; Sumerian cuneiform, Egyptian hieroglyph, Chinese character, etc.
The history of written languages that adopted the script of logogram are very similar in the same way; such as Sumerian cuniform and Chinese character. The Sumerian cuniform was adopted by the spoken languages of Sumerian, Semitic, Indo-European, etc. The Chinese character was adopted by the spoken languages of Semitic, Sino-Tibetan, Altaic, Mon-Khmer, etc.
1. Sumerian cuneiform (a kind of logogram):
The Written Language that adopt the script of Sumerian cuneiform.
Sumerian,
Akkadian,
Eblaite, Elamite,
Hurrian, Urartian,
Hattic, Hittite,
Luwian, Palai,
Old Persian,
Krite-Myken,
Ugaritic,
etc,
2. Chinese character (a kind of logogram):
The Written Languages that adopt the script of Chinese character.
Oracle and Bone Writing,
Classical Chinese,
Literary Chinese,
Mandarin,
Wu, Foochowese,
Cantonese, Hakka,
Hokkien, Teochewnese,
Korean, Japanese,
Vietnamese,
etc.
J.C. Tue Jan 06, 2009 6:02 am GMT
I haven't heard many Chinese dialects other than Cantonese, Shanghainese and Taiwanese but would rather stick with MANDARIN since it's easier to learn and is more useful in terms of business in addition to being spoken literally by BILLIONS.
再見！
=============================
The so called Taiwanese is actually minnanhua (闽南话).
Mandarin Chinese is basically Beijing dialect!
I haven't heard many Chinese dialects other than Cantonese, Shanghainese and Taiwanese but would rather stick with MANDARIN since it's easier to learn and is more useful in terms of business in addition to being spoken literally by BILLIONS.
再見！
=============================
The so called Taiwanese is actually minnanhua (闽南话).
Mandarin Chinese is basically Beijing dialect!