Other replies answered what’s what. I think the reasoning for this many names is just there are many variants. After all, the current “nation” is several ethnic groups (many with their own languages) merged together for over thousands of years, spanning a large area.
Comment on It's easier to rhyme in Mandarin than in English
Cocodapuf@lemmy.world 2 days agoOk, it’s a bit off topic, but can I ask a naive question?
What the reasoning behind the different terminologies for the Chinese languages? Usually I see them then referred to as Mandarin and Cantonese, but sometimes I see the terms “simplified Chinese” and “traditional Chinese”. Or have I totally misunderstood what those terms mean? (Entirely possible)
Please forgive my ignorance.
Phoenix3875@lemmy.world 2 days ago
YICHM@lemmy.world 2 days ago
- (Standard) Mandarin: the Chinese “dialect” that most westerner learns.
- Chinese: languages such as mandarin, min, yue, which are not necessary mutually comprehensible. For example, there are eight tones in zh-min-nan, compared to four in standard mandarin. The grammar, common words and idioms are also somewhat different, although sloppy translations are unifying the grammar of zh-min-nan and mandarin in Taiwan.
- SC, TC: They both refer to Standard Mandarin in most contexts, but different script and words are used. Mostly mutually comprehensible disregarding political issues. However, these two terms can also refer to the script (simplified vs. traditional) themselves. Note that TC shouldn’t be mapped to zh-tw, since zh-tw and zh-hk are no less different that en-us and en-gb.
DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works 2 days ago
“Chinese” can refer to a variety of languges in China.
It could refer to 中文 --> Chinese Characters
It could refer to 国语/普通话 --> National Language / Mandarin
If its overseas, the English term “Chinese” could also refers to the overseas lingua franca, which histoically had be Taishanese, but now is Cantonese, and slowly being replaced by Mandarin as more non-Cantonese Chinese people emigrate.
Cantonese-Chinese people usually just ask “識唔識白話” (“Do you speak Cantonese?” in Cantonese), then if no response, immediately switch to Mandarin “普通话？” (“[Do you speak] Mandarin?”)
Cantonese, [could be refered to as any of the following: 廣東話/廣州話/廣府話/粵語/白話], is a variety of Chinese known as Yue-Chinese. In Chinese, it’s referred to as a “dialect”. It’s only used in Hong Kong and Guangdong, but overseas it was, and still kinda is, the lingua franca due to most of the diaspora being from there.
Traditional 繁體 is the older set of characters that has been in use for… idk how long but a very long time.
Simplified 简体 is the newer set of characters, standarized by the PRC Government after they won the KMT-CCP Civil War. ROC (aka Taiwan) didn’t adopt these simplifications. Hong Kong also didn’t adopt the simplifications afaik.
-Am a Native Speaker of both Cantonese and Mandarin, currently residing overseas
Cocodapuf@lemmy.world 2 days ago
I see, so the simplified/traditional specifically refers to the written characters. I appreciate all the extra context as well!