Taiwanese Dictionary

[Kobo-Daishi]

Dear all,

This is a snippet from an old article found at the Taipei Times web site:

Scholar unveils Taiwanese dictionary

LANGUAGE: The 92-year-old former professor of Mandarin at NTU has finished a comprehensive dictionary that uses `bopomofo' pronunciation for Taiwanese characters
By William Hsu
STAFF REPORTER
Saturday, Aug 12, 2000,Page 1

After 22 years of research, Professor Wu Shou-li (吳守禮), a 92-year-old lexicographer, has completed his 2,863-page Practical Mandarin-Taiwanese Dictionary (國台對照活用辭典), which was presented to the public yesterday at National Taiwan University (NTU).

Professor Tung Chung-si (董忠司) from National Hsinchu Normal University said the achievement marks a milestone in academic work.

"Since the Taiwanese-Japanese Dictionary (台日大辭典) which was published in 1932, there has been no single work that matches the meticulous attention to detail that Wu has provided with his new dictionary," Tung said.

Released by Yuan-Liou Publishing Company (遠流出版社), Wu's new dictionary contains 12,956 characters and more than 60,000 phrases. "It is the most comprehensive Taiwanese dictionary ever," Tung said.

Wu was a well-known professor of Mandarin at National Taiwan University (NTU). He started working on the dictionary after his retirement from the university.

Wu's approach to the pronunciation of Taiwanese was to use the National Phonetic Symbols for Mandarin (注音符號) also known as bopomofo, to compose and systemize his dictionary.

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To read the full article click on the link:
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/archive ... 0000047429

Does anyone have the dictionary or have seen a copy and can give us his impression of the work?

Kobo-Daishi, PLLA.

[Ong]

I don't think the Taiwanese Government is very keen to promote the Taiwanese Hokkien language eventhough it is the language of the overwhelming majority of the Taiwanese population. That is why there is very little publicity on the dictionary. The publicity on promotion of Hakka language seems to be given greater emphasis and funding by the government. Look like there is some conspiracy by both the ruling DPP and opposition parties against the revival of the Taiwanese Hokkien language. Perhaps those in the position of power are mainly non-Taiwanese Hokkiens. I think the plan by TSU lawmakers to introduce a proposal to make Taiwanese Hokkien a second official language could not materialise as the opposition by the combined force of Mandarin, Hakka and Aboriginal legislators in Taiwan seems to be stronger than anticipated. The majority Taiwanese should review their voting pattern to ensure that proposals such as that planned by the TSU lawmakers will get the support of the legislature.

[Ong]

Correction to the above message i.e 'non-Taiwanese Hokkiens' should read 'not Taiwanese Hokkiens'. Thanks.

[Ong]

May I know the address to order this dictionary from Taiwan along with -xiamen fanyang cidian 1998.

[Ong]

I know that genesha-publishing.com have douglas dictionary and schoenhofs.com have Bodman tape sets.

[Kobo-Daishi]

Dear Ong,

Here is the web address for the publisher of the Taiwanese dictionary:

http://www.ylib.com/

You can find the book using their search feature. The book has an ISBN #：9573240882 and an EAN #：9789573240884.

I’ve never ordered any books over the Internet let alone from overseas.

I think you could probably get a local bookstore to special order it for you if you don’t want to do it over the Internet.

Kobo-Daishi, PLLA.