Speak Dialects, you feel tribal ! Speak mandarin, it will break unity!

[TeeKee]

dun speak dialects?

you loose more votes!

dialects invoked the deepest feelings in people.

 

[zhihau]

Speaking dialects in Singapore will bond local people together, in addition, you feel tribal among the local tribe.

Keep your dialects, teach your children and learn mandarin only when necessary.

Dont be conned to speaking Mandarin, it will break up local unity.

Please speak dialects at home, you child will learn more about his or her roots as local singaporeans.

the truth must be told. mandarin is just another dialect.

 

[char_jig_kar]

its politics la... mandarin gives them a way to control the chinese populace

give who a way to control the chinese populace? don't tell me other countries, they don't have a official language in the country?? so whats wrong for China to have one official spoken language???

 

[lancheowman]

give who a way to control the chinese populace? don't tell me other countries, they don't have a offical language in the country?? so whats wrong for the Chinese in China to have one official spoken language???

give your uncle and your mother .....give who somemore

 

[char_jig_kar]

Speaking dialects in Singapore will bond local people together, in addition, you feel tribal among the local tribe.

Keep your dialects, teach your children and learn mandarin only when necessary.

Dont be conned to speaking Mandarin, it will break up local unity.

Please speak dialects at home, you child will learn more about his or her roots as local singaporeans.

Speak Mandarin will break up local unity? What kind of screw up logic is that? Mandarin unite all Chinese dialect group.

Nothing wrong to speak Mandarin. What is wrong with LKY, is that, he is trying to eradicate dialect. He's like saying, the dialect our grandfather using, its shit. He has got no respect for dialect.

Don't get confuse with the issue.

 

[char_jig_kar]

give your uncle and your mother .....give who somemore

i don't see anything wrong for china to have a official language.

 

[char_jig_kar]

If I am not wrong, all different province in China, the people use dialect among themselves, and mandarin as the official language. So, its not a zero sum game between dialect and mandarin.

But despot Lee try to paint a picture, that its zero sum game between dialect and mandarin.

 

[yansen84]

I was incensed and infuriated when I heard the old fart on national TV and radio speaking out against dialect use. For many years, I have been sceptical on his dual language and speak mandarin and whatever else mickey mouse policies on language. First of all, it must be inherently wrong to deny someone a chance to learn his own mother tongue, and force a foreign language on him/her. Second, I take issue with his simplistic and unresearched comments on our brains not being having '100GB' or something along those ridiculous lines, implying that learning one language necessarily lessens the capacity of one to master another. Many of us in this forum and in SG can speak English and Mandarin well enough, along with at least one dialect. I believe I am conversationally proficient in Hokkien and Teochew (from my parents), and have picked up Canto as well from TVB dramas. Somehow, I don't feel my grasp of English and Mandarin diminishing one bit. Rather than the inability to master languages, I think the sole reason why many young Singaporeans are not able to speak any dialect whatsoever is obviously down to the the old fart's crackdown on dialect, and that is disappointing. I understand economic benefit excuses lie behind the despot's actions, but surely not everything should be judged on the basis of economic benefit? Surely national culture and identity should be preserved?

Using Switzerland as an example, we just have to look at its brightest athlete, a certain Roger Federer, who speaks fluently in English, French and German (he might yet speak more languages, these are the 3 I've seen myself) to know there is no basis for the old fart's assertions. Fuck him.

 

[lancheowman]

i don't see anything wrong for china to have a official language.

did uncle say there was anything for china to have an official language/

 

[yansen84]

Speak Mandarin will break up local unity? What kind of screw up logic is that? Mandarin unite all Chinese dialect group.

Nothing wrong to speak Mandarin. What is wrong with LKY, is that, he is trying to eradicate dialect. He's like saying, the dialect our grandfather using, its shit. He has got no respect for dialect.

Don't get confuse with the issue.

For years now for my Chinese entertainment feed I've just been watching the Taiwanese and HK channels instead of 8 and U from Mediacock, and listening to Malaysian Chinese radio stations. Let's all boycott local Chinese TV and radio stations, they're fit for just the PRCs!

 

[char_jig_kar]

For years now for my Chinese entertainment feed I've just been watching the Taiwanese and HK channels instead of 8 and U from Mediacock, and listening to Malaysian Chinese radio stations. Let's all boycott local Chinese TV and radio stations, they're fit for just the PRCs!

like i said, please don't get confuse with the issue. nothing wrong with mandarin. mandarin and dialect co-exist throughout chinese communities. nothing wrong with mandarin radio statio or tv station.

problem is with LKY and PAP. their attitude towards dialect. they treat dialect as dirt.

 

[char_jig_kar]

did uncle say there was anything for china to have an official language/

so u buay song about what? that the mandarin as official spoken language in china?

 

[char_jig_kar]

I was incensed and infuriated when I heard the old fart on national TV and radio speaking out against dialect use. For many years, I have been sceptical on his dual language and speak mandarin and whatever else mickey mouse policies on language. First of all, it must be inherently wrong to deny someone a chance to learn his own mother tongue, and force a foreign language on him/her. Second, I take issue with his simplistic and unresearched comments on our brains not being having '100GB' or something along those ridiculous lines, implying that learning one language necessarily lessens the capacity of one to master another. Many of us in this forum and in SG can speak English and Mandarin well enough, along with at least one dialect. I believe I am conversationally proficient in Hokkien and Teochew (from my parents), and have picked up Canto as well from TVB dramas. Somehow, I don't feel my grasp of English and Mandarin diminishing one bit. Rather than the inability to master languages, I think the sole reason why many young Singaporeans are not able to speak any dialect whatsoever is obviously down to the the old fart's crackdown on dialect, and that is disappointing. I understand economic benefit excuses lie behind the despot's actions, but surely not everything should be judged on the basis of economic benefit? Surely national culture and identity should be preserved?

Using Switzerland as an example, we just have to look at its brightest athlete, a certain Roger Federer, who speaks fluently in English, French and German (he might yet speak more languages, these are the 3 I've seen myself) to know there is no basis for the old fart's assertions. Fuck him.

*thumbs up* well said.

 

[yansen84]

like i said, please don't get confuse with the issue. nothing wrong with mandarin. mandarin and dialect co-exist throughout chinese communities. nothing wrong with mandarin radio statio or tv station.

problem is with LKY and PAP. their attitude towards dialect. they treat dialect as dirt.

no, I am not confusing the issue at all. You've got the admit the PAP and old fart indirectly control the TV and radio stations that broadcast to us. If not for their rubbish policies, would we not have more dialect fare for viewing pleasure? Now even those imported Taiwanese variety shows, notice how when one artiste starts speaking in Hokkien/Taiwanese, there is a sudden jump to another scene? Even a little bit they also cannot tolerate. I'm not against Mandarin don't get me wrong. But Mandarin 24/7 is not the way to go!

 

[scroobal]

Speak Mandarin will break up local unity? What kind of screw up logic is that? Mandarin unite all Chinese dialect group.

Nothing wrong to speak Mandarin. What is wrong with LKY, is that, he is trying to eradicate dialect. He's like saying, the dialect our grandfather using, its shit. He has got no respect for dialect.

Don't get confuse with the issue.

You are not very bright. You have been discriminated and you still have no clue. China did not ban other dialects. There are radio stations, plays, operas where dialects are used.

In Singapore all dialects except for Mandarin cannot be used in any form. No radio, no TV, nothing except within individuals

Please don't tell me that Mandarin is your mother tongue.

 

[char_jig_kar]

You are not very bright. You have been discriminated and you still have no clue. China did not ban other dialects. There are radio stations, plays, operas where dialects are used.

In Singapore all dialects except for Mandarin cannot be used in any form. No radio, no TV, nothing except within individuals

Please don't tell me that Mandarin is your mother tongue.

i know the situation here. the tv and radio had ban the dialects. yes. but wat LKY doing is carrying on with this kind of discrimination against dialect. further down the road. actually, i don't know why he wanna bring up this issue. its pretty much done deal for the dialect here. many of the youngsters cant speak dialect.

wat about my mother tongue? whats that gotta do with anything here?

 

[makapaaa]

Switzerland had German, French, Italian and English multi-media. No trouble, no racial riot and no civil war for centuries. However, Singapore isn't Switzerland. Switzerland's multi-racial proportion is rougly balanced, no German-, French- or Italian-Swiss felt slighted. Whereas, Singapore has 75% Chinese, and like you've always said, why couldn't the language of a 75%-majority be the national language? That'd cause understandable problems with the minorities. Democracy and civility shouldn't be tyranny of the majority over the minorities, especially when it's a overwhelming majority. Witness southern Thailand.

This was never an issue till the Familee-sponsored influx of FTrash inton Peesai!

 

[char_jig_kar]

no, I am not confusing the issue at all. You've got the admit the PAP and old fart indirectly control the TV and radio stations that broadcast to us. If not for their rubbish policies, would we not have more dialect fare for viewing pleasure? Now even those imported Taiwanese variety shows, notice how when one artiste starts speaking in Hokkien/Taiwanese, there is a sudden jump to another scene? Even a little bit they also cannot tolerate. I'm not against Mandarin don't get me wrong. But Mandarin 24/7 is not the way to go!

these people are sick. LKY and the lot. dialect had been k.o. (knock out) liao. many of the youngsters don't know how to speak dialect. and this LKY still wanna rub salt to the wound, still wanna kick the fallen (dialect)? disgusting.

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

I was incensed and infuriated when I heard the old fart on national TV and radio speaking out against dialect use. For many years, I have been sceptical on his dual language and speak mandarin and whatever else mickey mouse policies on language. First of all, it must be inherently wrong to deny someone a chance to learn his own mother tongue, and force a foreign language on him/her. Second, I take issue with his simplistic and unresearched comments on our brains not being having '100GB' or something along those ridiculous lines, implying that learning one language necessarily lessens the capacity of one to master another. Many of us in this forum and in SG can speak English and Mandarin well enough, along with at least one dialect. I believe I am conversationally proficient in Hokkien and Teochew (from my parents), and have picked up Canto as well from TVB dramas. Somehow, I don't feel my grasp of English and Mandarin diminishing one bit. Rather than the inability to master languages, I think the sole reason why many young Singaporeans are not able to speak any dialect whatsoever is obviously down to the the old fart's crackdown on dialect, and that is disappointing. I understand economic benefit excuses lie behind the despot's actions, but surely not everything should be judged on the basis of economic benefit? Surely national culture and identity should be preserved?

Using Switzerland as an example, we just have to look at its brightest athlete, a certain Roger Federer, who speaks fluently in English, French and German (he might yet speak more languages, these are the 3 I've seen myself) to know there is no basis for the old fart's assertions. Fuck him.

Hey u know old fart to paraphrase a chinese saying in english. He says 1 who dares to say 2?

His words are the gospel truth. How could the citizens of sg, whom are peasants to him, ever hope to challenge his knowledge and wisdom?

So when he says sinkees are not smart enough to master a few language well he is right.



The next thing about switzerland. Yes they can speak a few languages. In the US ppl learn spanish along with english yet the point is these languages belong to the same family. English and german are in the same germanic branch, french and spanish are romance languages and all are classified under indo-european. Now take chinese and english for eg. Both are as different as night and day.

Mastering both languages to use both proficiently definitely takes much more effort to learn compared to mastering say english and spanish. Chinese words alone can kill even chinese ppl.

Learning those ang moh languages is somthing like teochew ppl learning hokkien. I grew up in a teochew speaking environment but i could understand hokkien when i served ns. Hence i actually learned a new dialect just like that.

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

two things, the chinese characters in its written form did not change since the time of confucius, only the sounds changed.

and many regional dialects were remnants of spoken languages of political and cultrual entities that have cased to exist., e.g. shanghai dialect from the language of the wu or chu kingdom.

I read in encyclopedias about how chinese characters evolved like they used to be simple stick figures then slowly became traditional words then simplified etc.

Anyway i assume that by the tang dynasty the words were already more or less like today's words am i right????


ANyway most sinkees learnt simplified so that's also gonna be a problem reading those poems since they would be in traditional.

Btw can u read tang poems in say hokkien and the meaning be even more meaningful??



I wish you could elaborate more on teochew, hokkien were they what the ancients spoke?

So among all the dialects the southern ones are the most chinese?