From: chou@cs.washington.edu (Pai Hsiang Chou)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.taiwan
Subject: Re: Language
Date: 31 Aug 92 04:04:07 GMT
Organization: Computer Science & Engineering, U. of Washington, Seattle

In article <1992Aug31.011711.7915@engage.pko.dec.com> li@sicvax.enet.dec.com (Tong-Kang Li) writes:
>I think the approach of the policy can be changed but not the goal of the 
>policy. In other words, speak common language (It just happened to be 
>Mandarin but majority of people on Taiwan feel Holo should be the one then 
>we switch to it) in the public places but can speak different languages 
>privately. TV etc media should provide spaces for all different languages.
>
>I just can not image that you speak your language and I speak mine and we 
>have to rely on translators at the meetings, etc public places.


Unfortunately, by discouraging the use of non-Mandarin mothertongues
in these "public places," it makes these languages something improper,
something less than legitimate, something useless, something shameful,
something ugly that you should hide in your home or little groups.
Given the current trend, it will just kill these languages.

Switzerland speaks German, French, Italian, and the aboriginal
languages.  Their language mix is roughly proportional to
H"ol"o, Mandarin, Hakka, and Taiwanese aboriginals.  They all
know how to speak at least three of these languages (in addition
to English).  Their government also sponsor summer or semester
language exchange programs -- a child lives with a family speaking
a different language and learns about their culture and language.
Many people often comment that Taiwan has a cultural vacuum, yet
why are we so willing to throw so much culture away by killing these
languages, and so ready to worship American and Japanese culture?

Most Taiwanese are multilingual already.  I don't see why it's so
hard to imagine these languages coexist in public places.
People who have been in Taiwan for decades but cannot speak
one of the non-Mandarin Taiwanese mothertongues either refuse
to learn or are victims of the language policy.
It is time to reform education.  Why waste time with political
brainwashing courses when something so fundamental as mothertongues
could be taught?



>>>BTW, just heard Holo Opera is coming to New York City in September and will 
>>>perform at Taipei Theater which owned by Taiwan government.
>> 
>> 
>>So what?
>
>Why angry? I entered it here because I read yesterday newspaper and thought 
>it encouraging and interesting. That's all.



I only asked for your point you are making with with that statement.
Does it mean anything to the language policy?  Or are they in essence
treating the language like an antique vace, like something that belongs
in a museum?  Something that normally shouldn't be displayed except
in your private own home and in the performance arts?
Is this being used as a pacifier to stop people from expressing
criticism?


Just yesterday the local station here showed CTS's Lien2Huan2Pau4
which depicted a clown type female character named
Chuan1Bang1Mei4 (i.e. a woman who whose underwear or some
part is exposed).  This character was played by a very 38 man, and
he spoke with a very heavy H"ol"o accent, obviously trying to
use all the negative stereotypes to their extreme.
This is outrageous, humiliating to a large group of the Taiwanese
citizens (including many people, their parents/grandparents,
people they respect), and they are reenforcing the shameful attitude
that is killing these languages.  Tell me this is something encouraging
or worth laughing.


Pai