Consummate dilettantism!

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

More Sinoagitprop

My Chinese textbook includes the following line, which I kindly translate for you here:
As simplified characters are helpful to new students [of Chinese] and aid in advancing the cultures of [Chinese] ethnic groups, they have been welcomed by all.

(简体字有利于初学者,也有利于提高全民族的文化水平,因此受大家的欢迎。)
Oh really, Chinese government? Must explain the resounding success of round two, I guess. Or that people everywhere but those in the glorious People's Republic use traditional characters. Nothing at all to do with the massive, single-minded state apparatus behind their promotion.

Also, I don't get that bit about "advancing the cultures of [Chinese] ethnic groups". It's not a linguistic issue, it's a cultural one; we don't talk about "advancing culture" anymore. The Chinaman's Burden?

[Click here for my somewhat comprehensive takedown of simplified characters.]

[Sinoagitprop = a word of mine own coinage. You heard it here first, folks. At the time of writing, Google records 0 hits.]

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