RIP, Siti Aisya...

Kak Hayati and Siti Aisya...




Hi everyone,

Just a note to say that Siti Aisya has passed away, at 5pm (Malaysian time), April 19th, 2010.


I have no further news as I can't call the family from where I am, but I thought the readers who helped raised funds (about RM 14 450 in cash, with others donating/sponsoring in kind: diapers, milk, glucose, and food, which was enough to cover her needs for a year) for her would like to know. You have all made a difference in the little girl's life.




May her soul rest in peace, and may the family find some solace in their tremendous loss.

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The 'Banana' 2000 Years Ago in Ancient China...

I believe I have seen this email before, but naturally couldn't find it again. Today I saw it floating in my mailbox, and just had to put a post up:-

For those of you who remember the banana discussion I started a while ago (to which I find it interesting--not to mention, condescending--that people consider you a banana if you don't speak Mandarin; apparently, even if you speak other Chinese dialects, unless you can read and write, it doesn't count!), this is an interesting take on the Hokkien dialect:-


Here, I produce the email in it's entirety:-




"Ancient Imperial Language of China - 2,000 Years Ago.


If you're a HOKKIEN Take Note !!

Ancient Imperial Language of China – 2,000 Years Ago

How Did it Sound Like? (Mind you, it's no way similar to Mandarin)
Has this Ancient Language Survived?
Who Speaks it Today?

You'll be Surprised. You have heard it. You, your parents, or grandparents may still be speaking this ancient, archaic language!

Yes, it's HOKKIEN (Fujian/Minnan Hua)



Hokkien is:

1. The surviving language of the Tang Dynasty (618-907AD), China 's Golden Age of Culture.

Note: The Hokkien we hear today may have "evolved" from its original form 2,000 years ago, but it still retains the main elements of the Tang Dynasty Language.

2. Hokkiens are the surviving descendants of the Tang Dynasty -- When the Tang Dynasty collapsed, the people of the Tang Dynasty fled South and sought refuge in the Hokkien ( Fujian ) province. Hence, Hokkien called themselves Tng-lang (Tang Ren or People of the Tang Dynasty) instead of Hua Lang (Hua Ren).

3. Hokkien has 8 tones instead of Mandarin's 4. Linguists claim that ancient languages tend to have more complex tones.

4. Hokkien retains the ancient Chinese pronunciation of "K-sounding" endings (for in stance, Hak Seng (student), Tua Ok (university), Thak Chek (read a book/study) -- the "k" sounding ending is not found in Mandarin.

5. The collection of the famous "Three Hundred Tang Dynasty Poems" sound better when recited in Hokkien/Teochew if compared to Mandarin.

6. Consider this for a moment: Today, the Hokkien Nam Yim Ochestral performance still has its roots in ancient Tang dynasty music. Here's the proof: The formation of today Nam Yim ensemble is typically seen in ancient Tang dynasty paintings of musicians.


More Astonishingly:

Although not genetically-related, Hokkiens, Koreans and Japanese share many similar words (which are different from Mandarin).

That's because Hokkien was the official language of the powerful Tang Dynasty whose influence and language spread to Japan and Korea (just like Latin – where many words were borrowed by the English, French, Italian, etc). Here are just a few words in Hokkien, Korean and Japanese for your comparison (Daphne's Note: If something is missing, it's the Japanese word):


*Daphne's Note: Words are presented in this order of :-

Hokkien
Korean
Japanese


H: Sin Boon (news)
K: Sin Mun
J: Shinbun - newspaper

H: Cheng Hu (government)
K: Chong Bu
J:

Pang (room)
Pang


Chhia (car/vehicle)
Ch'a


Mui/M'ng (door)
Mun


P'hio (ticket)
P'yo


Eng Wan (eternal)
Yong Won


Chaek (book)
Ch'ae


Ki (flag)
Ki
Ki

Kang river)
Gang/kang


Poh Hiam (insurance)
Poh Ham


Sio Sim (caution)
Cho sim


Mo Kui (demon)
Ma gui


Cham (attend/join/mix)
Ch'am sok


Kantan (simple)
Gan Dan


Sin Sei Kai (new world)
Shin Sae Gae


Kok Ka (nation)
Kuk Kka


Hya (elder brother)
Hyaeng


Choon Pi (prepare)
Jun Bi


Si Kan (time)
Si Kan


Kam tong (emotion, feeling)
Kam Jong
Kanjoo

Kamsia (gratitude, thanks)
Kam Sa
Kansha

Keat Hoon (marriage)
Kyol Hon
Kekkon

Oon Tong (exercise)
Un Dong
Undoo

Tua Ok (university)
Tae Hak
Daigaku

Aun Chuan (safety)
An Jon
An Zen

Mua Chiok(satisfaction)
Man Jok
Manzoku

Ai Lang (lover)
Ae In
Aijin

Seng Kong (success)
Song Kong
Seikoo

Chhiu Sat (suicide)
Cha sal
Jisatsu

Pu Do (grapes)
P'o d'o
Budoo

Chin Por (progress)
Chin bo
Shinpo



To all 49 Million Hokkien Speakers:

Be Proud of Your Ancient Hokkien Heritage & Language! Speak it Loud and Clear. Teach Your Future Generation this Imperial Language, Less it Fades Away. Be Proud Children of the Tang Emperors.

To all Mandarin-speaking friends out there -- do not look down on your other Chinese friends who do not speak Mandarin – whom you guys fondly refer to as "Bananas". In fact, they are speaking a language which is much more ancient & linguistically complicated than Mandarin.

Keep in mind that Mandarin is just:

1. A Northern Chinese dialect (heavily influenced by non Han Chinese) that was elevated to the status of National Language by Sun Yat Sen for the sake of China’s national unity.

2. Mandarin was never spoken by your proud, imperial Tang Dynasty ancestors. It was probably spoken by the Northern (Non-Han) Jurchen, Mongols and Manchu minority. Start speaking the language of your ancestors today."



Hmmm...I wonder how true this is (Can anybody clarify?)...

It was obviously written by someone who knows their history better than I do, and who has obviously been called a banana by his/her Mandarin-speaking friends...



Because if it is, there is all the more reason why people should not make fun of Chinese people who can't speak Mandarin--besides the fact that no dialect/language is superior or people more superior just because they speak/read/write it. Because derogatory terms have no place in society if we decide they don't have a place.

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