with Hokkien understanding thinning out it can easily be
replaced by mandarin that the authority like to impose.
In this Youtube clip at 2m:13s, http://youtu.be/os5MA6jA2wc?t=2m13s,
this Gaelic elder forsees the future of the Gaelic language,
" Well, Gaelic will
survive.. Something will survive. But eh... the wealth of the
language won't survive. "
(Gaelic is some sort of Irish language spoken by the Irish
people before the government imposed English on the Irish speakers
and resulted in most Irish people shifting to the English
language... Irish is now only spoken by the elderly and in general
youngsters communicate in broken Gaelic)
* * * * * * *
* * * *
* * * *
* * * *
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* * * * *
I feel the same for Hokkien.
Somehow, Hokkien will
survive. Something will survive. But the wealth of the language
won't survive.
* * * * * * *
* * * *
* * * *
* * * *
* * * *
* * * * *
As Hokkien had been popularized as the intercommunal language,
it had to greatly reduce its complexity (in terms of its nuances
and its intricacies) to cater to communication.
To recognize and strengthen our awareness of the Hokkien
Language in order for preservation, our first step is to be
aware that many people have already mixed up some of the original
Hokkien usage over the times (for the better or for
the worse, for you to decide).
(
Penghulu, I hope that you could add on to my list below:
)
--------------------
1)
Tsh'iaN 請
(Yin-Shang Hokkien Tone) and Tsh'iaN 倩 (Yin-Qu Hokkien Tone). I have
mentioned this in my post in front of this thread. Even though the
2 words sound very similar, they convey some difference in meaning
in Hokkien. Tsh'iaN 請 is used for "invite" or "apply for"
whereas Tsh'iaN 倩 is used for "to employ". Thus a
potential employee can only use Tsh'iaN 請 for his job application, while an
employer can only use Tsh'iaN 倩 to mean "hiring an
employee".
In Singaporean Mandarin, 請 Qing is
used by both employee and employer to mean both "apply for" and
"hiring an employee". (Only some people use 僱 to mean "hiring")
Therefore
Hokkien has the ability to differentiate the fine difference that
Mandarin cannot convey.
But people
speaking the new "corrupted" Hokkien follows the Mandarin usage and
use Tsh'iaN 請 for both situations
now.
--------------------
2) Tsh'in 凊
and KuaN 寒. In Hokkien, there is a clear
demarcation between usage for these 2 words. Tsh'in 凊 refers to "cold" atmosphere,
temperature, things. (飯凊了, 凊心, 凊水, 房間真凊 Pang Keng Tsin
Tsh'in).
While KuaN 寒 refers to feeling "cold" in your body.
(我真寒 Wa Tsin KuaN).
In Singaporean Mandarin, 冷 Leng is
used to mean both "cold" temperature and feeling "cold".
Therefore
Hokkien can convey these nuances
accurately.
But people
speaking the new "corrupted" Hokkien follows the Mandarin usage and
use Leng 冷 for all situations now. (飯冷了,
心冷冷, 冷水, 房間真冷 Pang Keng Tsin Leng,
我真冷 Wa Tsin Leng)
Take note that even the Japanese
Language can differentiate between "cold" used for things and
"cold" used for persons. ("冷たい tsumetai" VS
"寒い samui")
--------------------
3) HiaN 燃
and Tsu 煮. In
Hokkien, HiaN 燃 should be used for "boiling",
"heating up". (燃燒水, 燃綠豆湯). While Tsu 煮
is used for "cooking". (煮飯, 煮食).
In Singaporean Mandarin, 煮 Zhu is
used to mean both "boiling" and "cooking".
Therefore
Hokkien as a standalone system can differentiate clearly in this
respect to Mandarin.
But people speaking
the new "corrupted" Hokkien follows the Mandarin usage and
use Tsu 煮 for all situations now. (煮燒水,
煮綠豆湯, 煮飯, 煮食)
--------------------
4) Lio 躼
and KuaiN 懸. In
Hokkien, Lio 躼 refers to "tall" in terms of measurements
of persons. (伊真躼 Yi Tsin
Lio).
While KuaiN 懸 refers to "tall" measurements of things and
places. (厝真懸 Tsh'u Tsin KuaiN).
In Singaporean Mandarin, 高 Gao is
used to mean both "tall" person and "tall" things and places.
Therefore Hokkien as the more
evolved language, kept the nuances.
But people
speaking the new "corrupted" Hokkien follows the Mandarin usage and
use KuaiN 懸 for all situations now.
(伊真懸 Yi Tsin
KuaiN, 厝真懸 Tsh'u Tsin
KuaiN).
--------------------
5)
Pun and Tsh'ue 吹.
In Hokkien, Pun is used when living
things act in terms of "blowing" into something or towards
something. (Pun氣球 Pun Kh'i Kiu,
Pun風 Pun Hong, Pun哎啊 Pun Ai
A). While Tsh'ue 吹 is used when
non-living things performs the action "blowing".
(大風吹 Tua Hong Tsh'ue, 吹風扇 Tsh'ue
Hong SiN).
In Singaporean Mandarin, 吹 Chui is
used to mean both living things "to blow" and non-living things "to
blow".
Therefore Hokkien IS a
language with a different set of worldview from Mandarin, in that
Hokkien has separate vocabulary for living things and non-living
things (SEE ABOVE: Living Things uses 寒 for
"cold", Non-Living Things uses 凊 for "cold" // Living Things uses 躼
for "tall", Non-Living Things uses 懸 for "tall" // Living Things
uses Pun for "blow", Non-Living Things uses 吹 for
"blow)
But
some people speaking the new "corrupted" Hokkien follows the
Mandarin usage and use Tsh'ue 吹 for all
circumstances. (吹氣球 Tsh'ue Kh'i Kiu,
吹風 Tsh'ue Hong)
--------------------
6) PuaN 搬
and WaN 換. In Hokkien, PuaN
Tsh'ia 搬車 refers to "transfer bus"
while WaN Tsh'ia 換車 refers to "changing
a vehicle".
In Singaporean Mandarin, 換車 or 轉車 is
used to mean "transfer bus".
Therefore
people who speak the new "corrupted" Hokkien follows the Mandarin
usage and use WaN Tsh'ia 換車
or Tsuan
Tsh'ia 轉車
to refer to "transfer bus".
--------------------
7) PuaN 搬
and Tso 做. In Hokkien, PuaN
Hi 搬戲 refers to "acting out a show"
while Tso Hi 做戲 refers to "making a
show".
In Singaporean Mandarin, 做戲 or 演戲 is
used to mean "acting out a show".
Therefore people who speak the new "corrupted"
Hokkien follows the Mandarin usage and use Tso
Hi 做戲 to refer to "acting out a
show".
--------------------
8) Nih 囁
and Siam 閃. In
Hokkien, Nih 囁 is strictly used for
lights "blinking" as well as eyes "blinking". (囁車火 Nih
Tsh'ia He, 青紅火無囁 Tsh'iN Ang He Bo
Nih, 目珠直直囁 Bak Tsiu Tit Tit
Nih). Siam 閃 does not possess
the meaning of "blinking".
In Singaporean Mandarin, 閃 Shan is
used to mean lights "blinking" while 眨 Zha is used to mean eyes
"blinking".
Therefore people who speak the new "corrupted"
Hokkien follows the Mandarin usage and
use Siam 閃
or Tsah 眨 to refer to lights "blinking"
or eyes "blinking". (眨車火 Tsah Tsh'ia He,
青紅火無閃 Tsh'iN Ang He Bo Siam,
目珠直直眨 Bak Tsiu Tit Tit
Tsah).
--------------------
9) Kim 禁
and KuiN 關. In
Hokkien, Kim 禁 should be used for
"turning off", "switching off". (禁電視機 Kim Tien Si
Ki, 禁水龍頭 Kim Tsui Leng Th'au,
禁手電Kim Tsh'iu Tien, 禁電火 Kim Tien
He). While KuiN 關 should be
used for "closing". (關門 KuiN Mng,
關店 KuiN Tiam).
In Singaporean Mandarin, 關 Guan is
used to mean both "turning off", "switching off" as well as the act
of "closing".
Therefore people who speak the new "corrupted"
Hokkien follows the Mandarin convention and
use KuiN 關 for all situations now.
(關電視機 KuiN Tien Si Ki, 關水龍頭KuiN Tsui Leng
Th'au, 關燈 KuiN Teng,
關門 KuiN Mng, 關店 KuiN
Tiam).
--------------------
10) Ngiau 蟯
and TsiuN 癢. In
Hokkien, Ngiau 蟯 should be used for
"ticklish". While TsiuN 癢 should be used
for "itchy".
In Singaporean Mandarin, 癢 Yang is
used to mean both "ticklish" as well as "itchy".
Therefore people who speak the new "corrupted"
Hokkien follows the Mandarin convention and
use TsiuN 癢 for all situations
now.
Take note that even the Malay
Language can differentiate between "ticklish" and "itchy".
("miang" VS "gatal")
--------------------
While some other notable ones include:
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Clearly, Hokkien is a separate, standalone language by itself
with its own unique history and rich cultural heritage.
It does not have much to do with Mandarin, which is the external
foreign dialect which was brought in by the Northerners which
doesn't represent the mother tongue of the Hokkien people whether
in any place or at any time.
As a separate lineage of its own, we have to value
the wealth of the language. If not,
Hokkien will only survive. However, the wealth of the language
won't survive.
* * * * * * *
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