Different variants of minnan

[SimL]

Hi Andrew,

Penang Hokkien has "si3-kan1" for "time", right? As in "bo kau si-kan thang <x>" (= "not enough time to <x>").

(This is no way detracts from the point you are making, of course. "kan1" isn't used as a general (or even common) pronunciation of 間 - this is the only compound I know of where it is used.)

[General_Zhaoyun]

Since nobody seems to want to preserve E-mng which is supposed to be the 'standard', then I have to look at Taiwanese as the standard now, Taipei version and not the Tainan version.

I have already told many people here that Minnan is going to be extinct because Minnan has no standard like Mandarin, but people don't believe me. Here's your proof in Xiamen .

As modernisation goes to Cuan-ciu, it will have the same fate as Xiamen.

Xng

As I've already told you in China History Forum before, Taiwanese has already become the true force for today's "Standard Hokkien" due to a longer history of teaching the language in school, and because there was a large Hokkien media, government bodies supporting the "Mother tongue movement in Taiwan", literary bodies of Hokkien poets in Taiwan holding yearly literature seminars etc, not to mention Hokkien degree programs to produce talents to work in the Hokkien media industry/teaching career of Taiwan. Taiwanese is now a well-developed language in Taiwan.

While there are regional dialect/accent differences within Taiwan itself, Taiwanese Hokkien is generally more or less standardized through the entire island. If you intend to learn Standard Taiwanese Hokkien, you should learn the prestige accent (heard in radio). Those are based either on Taipei accent/Tainan accent, and is very close to Amoy Hokkien.

For me, Taiwanese Hokkien is my mother tongue, and I have no problems learning it. However, I'm also interested in understanding the differences between Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Amoy as well as the vocabularies from there. That's part of the dialect learning.

I recently went to http://www.penanghokkien.com and I'm beginning to understand more about Penang Hokkien.

[Christian Oey]

I am Chinese Indonesian. My grand grandfather was from Cuan Ciu. My grandfather didn't teach my father Cuan Ciu Hokkien. My grandfather (from my mother side) didn't teach Hokkien to my mother too. My Anchestors were affraid to teach my parents Hokkien, because of Indonesian Government policy (President Soeharto Era) that time. So, I didn't learn Hokkien from my parents. I am start learning Hokkien now (especially Coan Ciu dialect), but it's so difficult for me. Many variant Hokkien dialect confusing me. I am sorry, my English isn't good...

[xng]

I am start learning Hokkien now (especially Coan Ciu dialect), but it's so difficult for me. Many variant Hokkien dialect confusing me. I am sorry, my English isn't good...

That's why I said, some of the forummers here who grew up in their own dialect find it 'easy' but it has taken them years to learn from their parents/friends.

But beginners like you cannot possibly take 10-20 years to learn all the different dialects.

Why don't you start by watching Taiwanese hokkien shows, there are some minor differences too between different actors eg. Buy is Buei or Bay. But in general, try to learn the Taipei version as it is closer to the standard and closer to coan ciu.

[Christian Oey]

I am start learning Hokkien now (especially Coan Ciu dialect), but it's so difficult for me. Many variant Hokkien dialect confusing me. I am sorry, my English isn't good...

That's why I said, some of the forummers here who grew up in their own dialect find it 'easy' but it has taken them years to learn from their parents/friends.

But beginners like you cannot possibly take 10-20 years to learn all the different dialects.

Why don't you start by watching Taiwanese hokkien shows, there are some minor differences too between different actors eg. Buy is Buei or Bay. But in general, try to learn the Taipei version as it is closer to the standard and closer to coan ciu.

"Thanks for your advice!"
Kam sia..

[Andrew]

Hi Andrew,

Penang Hokkien has "si3-kan1" for "time", right? As in "bo kau si-kan thang <x>" (= "not enough time to <x>").

(This is no way detracts from the point you are making, of course. "kan1" isn't used as a general (or even common) pronunciation of 間 - this is the only compound I know of where it is used.)

Indeed, I should have said that kan is the standard reading form of keng, but is used in Ciangciu even e.g. as a classifier for houses.

[xng]

Hi Andrew,

Penang Hokkien has "si3-kan1" for "time", right? As in "bo kau si-kan thang <x>" (= "not enough time to <x>").

(This is no way detracts from the point you are making, of course. "kan1" isn't used as a general (or even common) pronunciation of 間 - this is the only compound I know of where it is used.)

間 has two pronounciation as has some other chinese characters.

1. Classifier for house

Kinn

2. Time

Kan

[xng]

I have been watching taiwanese serials and I hear two different sounds for

根 = Kun, Kin

Which dialect is Kun and Kin ?