Tag: Speech

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Culture History Language Learning Technology Theocratic

jiùsuàn

jiùsuàn (jiù·suàn {even if} · {figuring → [considering]} 就算) ← Tap/click to show/hide the “flashcard”

I have long especially liked 1 Corinthians 13. It contains counsel on what really does and doesn’t matter in life, an extensive description and definition of the most important kind of love, and a sublime discussion about the need to become complete, mature, as a person. As these apply to life in general, so too do they apply to our lives as Mandarin field language learners.

As Mandarin field language learners, it can benefit us greatly to consider what we can learn from 1 Corinthians 13, and along the way, we can also consider some of the Mandarin expressions used in that chapter in the current version of the Mandarin New World Translation Bible (nwtsty).

“If…”

The second Mandarin expression that occurs in verse 1 (WOL, Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus) of 1 Corinthians 13 (after “Wǒ (I 我)”) is this week’s MEotW, “jiùsuàn (jiù·suàn {even if} · {figuring → [considering]} 就算)”.

Screenshot of “jiùsuàn” in 1 Co. 13:1 (nwtsty, CHS+_Pīnyīn_ WOL)

(Dark mode for the Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY (WOL) website, as shown in the above image, can be enabled in the Safari web browser by using the Noir Safari extension.)

“Jiù (then; already | exactly | regarding | immediately | merely | {move towards} | {engage in} | accomplish; make | accommodate | {go with} | {even if} 就)” can mean many different things, as can be seen from its Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus information. The meaning that seems to apply in “jiùsuàn (jiù·suàn {even if} · {figuring → [considering]} 就算)” is “even if”.

Calculating…

As for “suàn (calculate; compute; figure | count (v) [→ [consider/regard as]] 算)”, one of its meanings is “calculate”. (In fact, a “jìsuàn jī ((jì·suàn computing · calculating 计算 計算) (jī machine 机 機/机) → [computer | calculator (Taiwan)])” is a computer, or a calculator.)

There certainly is a long history of calculating done in the long history of China, such as all the calculating done to save face, advance ambitions, and acquire status in the official bureaucracy and in the imperial court. Perhaps because of Chinese cultural tradition or out of habit inherited from the world, some may have a tendency to do similar calculating in the Mandarin field. Rather than focusing on the work of praising Jehovah and preaching to and teaching Mandarin-speaking ones, some might be focusing on ways to receive “glory from one another”.—John 5:44.

1 Corinthians 13:1–3 admonishes us though, that jiùsuàn (jiù·suàn {even if} · {figuring → [considering]} 就算) this is done, even if such calculating is done to figure in things like ‘speaking in the tongues of men and of angels’, ‘understanding…all knowledge’ (perhaps, for example, knowledge of Chinese characters), various boastworthy deeds, etc., if one does not have love, then all those other things mean nothing:

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but do not have love, I have become a clanging gong or a clashing cymbal. 2 And if I have the gift of prophecy and understand all the sacred secrets and all knowledge, and if I have all the faith so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my belongings to feed others, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I do not benefit at all.

Let us, then, examine our hearts to make sure that we avoid letting pride be our motivation. Instead, let us cultivate love for Jehovah and for our Mandarin-speaking neighbours, so that love is what motivates us in our efforts to learn the language and serve in the Mandarin field.

Categories
Culture History Language Learning Theocratic

yíyì‐gūxíng

yíyì (yí·yì {(having) one} · intention → [stubbornly] 一意)‐gūxíng (gū·xíng {orphaned → [alone]} · {go; walk → [do]} → [cling to one’s own course; insist on having one’s own way] 孤行) ← Tap/click to show/hide the “flashcard”

Appendix A2 of the English New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition), entitled “Features of This Revision”, discusses vocabulary changes that have been made in the current revision, words that have been translated differently than before. As noted in various entries in the excellent resource Referenced Theo. Expressions (RTE), Appendix A2 of the current Mandarin version of the New World Translation Bible (nwtsty) correspondingly discusses words that have been translated differently in the current revision of the Mandarin NWT Bible, compared to how they had been translated before.

Since we base what we say in Jehovah’s service on his Word the Bible, the vocabulary used in it—and the way those vocabulary words are translated—should be reflected in how we speak in our ministry, at our meetings, etc. So, it is beneficial for us Mandarin field language learners to be familiar with the latest thinking from the organization on how Bible terms should be translated into Mandarin.

Communication and Love

Appendix A2 of the current Mandarin version of the New World Translation Bible (nwtsty) mentions that one of the goals for this version was to reduce the number of hard-to-recognize, hard-to-read Chinese characters used, and to replace them with more commonly used characters. One example it provides is that “gāngbì (gāng·bì {[is] firm} · {[is] wilful} 刚愎 剛愎)‐zìyòng (zì·yòng {[is] self-·applying} → [[is] opinionated] 自用)” was changed to this week’s MEotW, “yíyì (yí·yì {(having) one} · intention → [stubbornly] 一意)‐gūxíng (gū·xíng {orphaned → [alone]} · {go; walk → [do]} → [cling to one’s own course; insist on having one’s own way] 孤行)”.—2 Timothy 3:4.

2 Timothy 3:4 (WOL CHS+Pinyin Parallel Translations)

In this case, a relatively unfamiliar, hard-to-parse expression was replaced with a different one that conveys the intended meaning, while being more familiar and easier to understand. This helpful simplification reminds us that the ultimate goal of language should be to communicate, not to show off one’s knowledge of hard words or whatever. And, as the September 1, 1991 Watchtower emphasizes, good communication is motivated by unselfish love:

Christian communication especially needs to be effective because it has as its goal the reaching of people’s hearts with the truth from God’s Word so that, hopefully, they will act on what they learn. Uniquely, it is motivated by unselfishness, by love.

Yes, as 1 Corinthians 8:1 says:

Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

More Understandable Alternate Expressions

As discussed in the article “Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Was Plan A”, Zhōu Yǒuguāng ((Zhōu {Circumference; Circle (surname)} 周 周/週) (Yǒu·guāng Has · Light 有光) (Chinese linguist, etc., known as “the father of Pīnyīn”)) (Wikipedia article), who led the team that designed Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音), pointed out that assigning alternate expressions with different pronunciations is a good way to address Mandarin’s so-called homophone problem. (Homophones are words that have the same pronunciation, but different meanings.)

From the examples referred to in the Mandarin NWT Appendix A2, we can see that assigning alternate expressions can also be a good way to address the problem of excessively hard-to-recognize or hard-to-understand expressions. Rather than being attached to the idea that particular characters are required to represent certain meanings, as perhaps suggested by the Ideographic Myth, the translators of the Mandarin NWT Bible recognized that representing easily understandable speech is the true priority for God’s people.—1 Corinthians 14:8–11.

So, let us not be yíyì (yí·yì {(having) one} · intention → [stubbornly] 一意)‐gūxíng (gū·xíng {orphaned → [alone]} · {walking → [doing]} → [clinging to one’s own course] 孤行), insisting that the new translated expressions in the current Mandarin NWT are not as good as the old expressions, or clinging to old, erroneous ideas like “Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) could never work as a writing system for Mandarin because characters are needed to deal with all the homophones in Mandarin.”

Categories
Culture Language Learning Science

duōyú

duōyú (duō·yú {(too) much/many} · surplus; excess → [unnecessary; surplus; superfluous; uncalled-for; redundant | excessive] 多余 多餘) ← Tap/click to show/hide the “flashcard”

Following on from last week’s MEotW post that discussed unnecessary ceremony, this week’s MEotW is “duōyú (duō·yú {(too) much/many} · surplus; excess → [unnecessary; surplus; superfluous; uncalled-for; redundant | excessive] 多余 多餘)”, which means “unnecessary; surplus; superfluous; uncalled-for; redundant”, or “excessive”.

Here are the usage examples for this expression provided by the Pleco app’s built-in dictionary:

📖 📄 📘 Shāndiào (Shān·diào delete · {to be dropped → [away]} 删掉 刪掉) duōyú (duō·yú {(too) many} · excess → [superfluous] 多余 多餘) de (’ 的) cíyǔ (cí·yǔ words · expressions 词语 詞語)

cut out superfluous words and phrases

📖 📄 📘 Zài (in 在) jíshì (jí·shì {gathered (things) → [country market]} · market → [country market] 集市) shang (upon 上) chūshòu (chū·shòu {put out} · {to sell} 出售) duōyú (duō·yú {(too) many} · surplus → [surplus] 多余 多餘) de (’s 的) nóng (farming 农 農) chǎnpǐn (chǎn·pǐn {given birth to → [produced]} · products 产品 產品)

sell surplus farm products in the market

📖 📄 📘 Shìshí (Shì·shí matters · {being solid} → [facts] 事实 事實) zhèngmíng (zhèng·míng proved · {to be clear} 证明 證明) wǒmen de ((wǒ·men us · [pl] 我们 我們) (de ’s 的) → [our]) dānxīn (dān·xīn {carryings on a shoulder pole → [bearings of (heavy)]} · hearts → [worryings] 担/耽心 擔/耽心) shì (were 是) duōyú (duō·yú {(too) many} · excess → [uncalled-for] 多余 多餘) de (’s 的).

Facts proved that our worries were uncalled-for.

Speaking of “unnecessary”…

Are Chinese Characters Necessary?

This question may be downright heretical to Chinese culture purists, who would say things like “Of course characters are necessary!” and “Chinese culture without the characters would be inconceivable, just inconceivable! Yes, that would be totally and utterly inconceivable!”

If one’s goal is to fit in with the current Chinese world, especially if one is living in a place where the characters are used in everyday life, government services, etc., then of course one will need to know at least some characters, eventually. But, does that mean that Chinese characters should be the primary focus of Mandarin field language learners from day one?

Both modern linguistics (language science) and God’s Word the Bible itself testify against this. A basic principle of modern linguistics is that speech is primary, not writing, and at 1 Corinthians 14:8–11, the Bible emphasizes the primary importance of understandable speech, not even mentioning writing when it does so:

8 For if the trumpet sounds an indistinct call, who will get ready for battle? 9 In the same way, unless you with the tongue use speech that is easily understood, how will anyone know what is being said? You will, in fact, be speaking into the air. 10 It may be that there are many kinds of speech in the world, and yet no kind is without meaning. 11 For if I do not understand the sense of the speech, I will be a foreigner to the one speaking, and the one speaking will be a foreigner to me.

So, while the characters seem necessary from the point of view of traditional worldly Chinese culture that’s intent on glorifying and perpetuating itself, someone whose primary goals in learning Mandarin are to praise Jehovah and to reach the hearts of Mandarin-speakers with the good news of the Kingdom should really primarily focus on understanding Mandarin speech and speaking Mandarin understandably, from the very beginning:

Your first linguistic goal should be to “utter speech easily understood.” [emphasis added] (1 Corinthians 14:8-11) Though people may be tolerant, mistakes or a heavy accent may distract them from listening to your message. Giving attention to proper pronunciation and grammar right from the start will prevent you from forming bad habits that are hard to break.
—“Serving With a Foreign-Language Congregation”, in the March 15, 2006 Watchtower.

A Simple, Elegant, Effective Alternative

The above quote also appears in the article “SPEECH is Top Priority, Not Characters”, which contains other information as well showing why it is that characters and their visual extravagances and traditional complexities are often duōyú (duō·yú {(too) much} · excess → [excessive] 多余 多餘) for Mandarin field language learners. Here is an excerpt:

Publishers need to learn to understand Mandarin speech to benefit spiritually from Mandarin meetings, because the talks, comments, etc. at such meetings are made of Mandarin speech, not characters. In fact, focusing on characters makes this problem worse because it makes learning Mandarin speech harder and slower. At the very least, it distracts from learning Mandarin speech.

In contrast, the simple, elegant Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) writing system handily does the job of representing Mandarin speech in written form without the unnecessary complexities and ceremonial baggage of the characters. When you do need to use a writing system for Mandarin, then, use Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) when you can, and just use characters when you have to. Seriously, doing so is not inconceivable!