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Transliteration of non-Chinese names

Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2003 8:09 am
by Valdis
Hi from Riga, Latvia (East Europe)!

My e-mail is valdis.jansons@rs.lv

Recently I started learning Chinese characters that are used for transcription of non-Chinese names, country names, city names. I do not have any learning material but still I think I am on the right way regarding the matter. Usually, in many cases it is quite clear how to write the name. As far as I can understand Valdis is WaErDiSi and it is always spelled with these characters. Thou it is clear that Jansons is YangSongSi, will it always be written in one particular way? I have discovered that "na" can be written differently in different names.

1. Are transcription rules official and approved?
2. Mainland and Taiwanese transcription - any difference?
3. Should characters when put together, have a meaning?
4. Should any character indicate whether it is a masculine/feminine name.
5. Should any of them be avoided because it means smth negative?