Subject: bopomofo alphabet. suggestion

From: H u a n g Yolin <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 25 Jan 1992 17:01:04 EST

To demonstrate the feasibility for an improved alphabetization for the
syllabary bopomofo, posted to CCNet-L earlier,

1) an ETen phrase.box (modified from the pinyin.box introduced by Carlos
McEvilly in Nov 91, with about 6k+ Big5 script)

			92py100.box

is prepared, zipped in 92py.zip, and uploaded to ahkcus.org
[192.55.187.25] for your scrutiny.

The usage is similar, enter

	etinmd /q		to clear the RAM, and then
	etinmd /ph=92py100.box	to read the phrase.box into RAM;

as listed in 92py1.bat.

And use Ctrl-Shift, Ctrl-Space, or Ctrl-Alt-Space to select input mode.

If key-in the regular PinYin[50's], there will be a pointer to the
modified input.

2) There is also a
			92py200.box.

In which, {jr cr sr r} is used instead.  And all the multiplicities of i, u,
and ui are further singularized:
			"i y yi" => "i",
			"u w wu" => "u",
			"ui wei" => "ui", 	plus
			"u Umlaut" => "v".	(< Ned Walsh)
The usage is similar.

The contents of 92py.zip are:

 Length  Method   Size  Ratio   Date    Time   CRC-32    Name
 ------  ------   ----  -----   ----    ----   ------    ----
   1120  Implode    791  29%  01-24-92  23:55  8645aea4  readme
   8980  Implode   4156  54%  01-24-92  23:49  d9bf7968  bopomofo.abc
  68959  Implode  35751  48%  01-18-92  10:50  ae03cd5e  92py100.box
     35  Shrunk      34   3%  01-24-92  23:58  5855adc0  92py1.bat
  70987  Implode  36850  48%  01-20-92  21:51  00525d38  92py200.box
     35  Shrunk      34   3%  01-24-92  23:59  61d89105  92py2.bat
 ------          ------  ---                             -------
 150116           77616  48%                             6

The file "bopomofo.abc" is appended bellow.

Please give it a try.
Please comment, - ? or +, to the [email-masked].

Thanks.

Yolin Huang, [email-masked]
--------------------
ETen is a trademark of the ETen Information System Co., Ltd.

============================================================
bopomofo.abc:
------------------------------------------------------------
bopomofo alphabetization suggestion
===================================

The syllabary bopomofo [NanJing, 1910's] was romanized to the current PinYin
[BeiJing, 1950's], with a diligent one-to-one correspondence.  But, somehow
in a Great Leap Forward manner with insufficient alphabetical analysis, such
that it still retains some syllabic nature, despite of its alphabetical
appearance.  The result is that while the phonetic values are somewhat clear
at the syllabary bopomofo level (with FanQie), they are only implicit
(i.e. ambiguous) at the alphabetical level.

With the following Table 1, it can be seen that "i" and "u" have multiple
phonetic values.  And "j q x" and "z c s" are separate only to imply a
different "i" or "u" pronunciation.  This duo-set can be simplified to a
uni-set, and followed by different vowels, as displayed in Table 2.

Table 1. ------------------------------------------------------------
	j q x		i(yi, y)		u(yu, u:)	<= (extreme
(and	bi di li mi ni pi ti)			(lu: nu)	lip forms)

	z c s r		   i   e   a   o   u(wu w)
(and	f g h k w)

unused: v
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 2. ------------------------------------------------------------
		(syllabic)	(alphabetical)
				the suggested new phonetic matrix

		same		same
		vowel		vowel

	ji	zi	  |	ji	jee
		   zhi	  |		   <jree>jhee
			  |
same	qi	ci	  |	ci	cee
consonant	   chi	  | 		   <cree>chee
			  |
	xi	si	  |	si	see
		   shi	  |		   <sree>shee
			  |
	(i)	(i)	  |	(i)	(ee)
		   ri	  |		     ree
			  and ---------
			  bi di li mi ni etc.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

The "ee" has to be given, since it was pulled out of the "zi ci si"
syllabary implication.

"j" signifies an initial, with closed teeth, but without rounded lips like
in English.  A symbol with a slightly different phonetic definition.  The
lips are unstressed.

"c" = "ts", but shorter to type.  A closed teeth frictional initial, with
air-flow (aspiration).  Similar to High German (Centrum), or Italian
(ciao).  The lips are also unstressed.

The "h" is to represent the "JuanSheYin", with tongue rolled upward
(retroflex), somewhat like in the initial for an English "r" but not
rolling.  Hence, some would like to add "r" to it.  A set of {jr cr sr r}
would make great sense in its consistent implication of the intrinsic "r".
I am also inclined toward this {jr cr sr r}.  But, it would probably cause
more confusion than {jh ch sh r}, because of the wide publicity of ch and
sh.  No serendipity from Sri Lanka yet.  The lips are again unstressed with
"jh ch sh", unlike in English ch sh.

=====

The other confusion is in the pronunciation in the following (group 1):

bian, dian, jian, juan, lian, mian, nian, pian, qian, quan, tian, xian,
xuan, yan, yuan

where the "an" is pronounced differently from the following (group 2):

chuan, chuang, cuan, duan, guan, guang, huan, huang, jiang, kan, kang, kuan,
kuang, liang, luan, nan, nang, niang, nuan, pan, pang, qiang, ruan, san,
sang, shan, shang, tuan, yang, ShaanXi, XiAn

In bopomofo syllabary with FanQie, the "an" in group 1 could be passable.
Because only either the initial or the final part of a syllabary is
significant, since a syllabary is phonetically not finer resolved.  But in
alphabetical, the "an" in group 1 is actually pronunced closer to "en",
whereas the "a" in group 2 is consistent with the rest of PinYin[50's].  So,
a revision to "en" is suggested.

=====

The "u"=>"oo" idea has been discarded, because there are many "uo"
pronunciations.

The "u-umlaut" is to be consistently denoted by "yu"

Then, the major vowels are
		i ee e a o u yu

The "i a o u" are similar to High German.  "e" more relaxed than in High
German.  "yu"=u Umlaut.  "ee" is unique to North China HanYu pronunciation
(majority, Court standard, with pastoral inter-mixing, but not necessarily
older than some Southern minority HanYu dialects.)  The ee size is longer.
But, since it is the same e typed twice, this revision will not slow down
the key-in that much.

=====

In this way, I only consolidated the multiplicity, trimed the fat so to
speak, and reduced the confusion.  The purpose is to reduce the existing
headache, not to make up a new beast.  The rest of PinYin[50's] is quite
accurate.

The only multiplicities left are: i=y=yi, u=w=wu, and ui=wei; retained for
convenience.  Some would like to further consolidate these to one unique
symbol: "i y yi" => "i", "u w wu" => "u", "ui wei" => "ui"; plus use "v" or
"y" for "u Umlaut".  It can further increase the type-in speed.  But it is
probably more mnemonic than colloquial.

A list of suggested revision is given in the following:

Table 3. ------------------------------------------------------------
PinYin[50's]	revision

bian		bien
chi		chee
ci		cee
dian		dien
jian		jien
ju		jyu
juan		jyuen
jue		jyue
jun		jyun
lian		lien
lue		lyue
luu		lyu
mian		mien
nian		nien
nuu		nyu
nue		nyue
pian		pien
qi		ci
qia		cia
qian		cien
qiang		ciang
qiao		ciao	similar to Italian
qie		cie
qin		cin	-/\/-> China !
qing		cing
qiong		ciong
qiu		ciu
qu		cyu
quan		cyuen
que		cyue
qun		cyun
ri		ree
shi		shee
si		see
tian		tien
w=u=wu
xi		si
xia		sia
xian		sien
xiang		siang
xiao		siao
xie		sie
xin		sin
xing		sing
xiong		siong
xiu		siu
xu		syu
xuan		syuen
xue		syue
xun		syun
y=i=yi
yan		yen
yu=u-Umlaut
yuan		yuen
za		ja
zai		jai
zan		jan
zang		jang
zao		jao
ze		je
zei		jei
zen		jen
zeng		jeng
zha		jha
zhai		jhai
zhan		jhan
zhang		jhang
zhao		jhao
zhe		jhe
zhen		jhen
zheng		jheng
zhi		jhee
zhong		jhong
zhou		jhou
zhu		jhu
zhua		jhua
zhuai		jhuai
zhuan		jhuan
zhuang		jhuang
zhui		jhui
zhun		jhun
zhuo		jhuo
zi		jee
zong		jong
zou		jou
zu		ju
zuan		juan
zui		jui
zun		jun
zuo		juo

---------------------------------------------------------------------

==========

The adventages of this modified alphabetization over PinYin[50's]:

The unnerving "z q x" are removed.  So
ZhouKouDian 	=>	JhouKouDien;
QuYuan 		=> 	CyuYuen,
XiShi 		=> 	SiShee,
CiXi 		=> 	CeeSi,
SiChuan 	=> 	SeeChuan,
XiAn 		=> 	SiAn,

Since they are on the left extreme of the keyboard, absense of "z q x"
will also increase the key-in speed.

The phonetic affinity is explicit and clear, for instance: between
	jyu, nyu, syu, yu,	or
	jyuen, cyuen, syuen, yuen,	or
	bi, ci, di, i, ji, li, mi, ni, pi, si, ti, etc.;
whereas "i" and "ee" are made unique and clear, their difference explicit.

It doesn't deviate too much from the existing PinYin[50's] rules.  Major
phonetic rules are kept intact.  So very easy to adapt to.  Veteren students
of PinYin[50's], having spent aeons under candle light and having won thick
glasses already, probably don't want to bother.  But, for those just have a
taste of PinYin, it can help maintain the serenity, and increase the
efficiency.  Here, a one-to-one correspondence to the PinYin[50's] is
maintained, so won't cause too much turbulence.

Most multiplicities are reduced.  Fairly accurate, and highly consistent
phonetics.  Even though it makes no difference to the machine; it reduces
the confusion to the user, reduces the load to the mind, so the thought
stream flows much better.  Hence, it can increase the key-in speed.  (I
guess, the kids must have long questioned about the phonetic inconsistency
in PinYin[50's].  But, weren't the kids always being told to shut up and
stay put?  When grown up, like trained elephant tied to an wood stock, good
memory but don't raise questions any more.  However, frequent wrong
spellings in PinYin[50's] reveal a commonly strained memory, albeit
well-trained.  Variation in pronunciation is another story.)

=====

The advantages of this over syllabary bopomofo:

If familiar with syllabary bopomofo, and confident with pronunciation, this
is easy to adapt to.  And there is no need to memorize a dedicated syllabary
bopomofo keyboard layout.  (Besides, it has no political side effects.)

Alphabetical has higher phonetic resolution than syllabary bopomofo, that is
what the Western scripts have struggled through from the Mesopotamian to the
Hellenistic quite a while ago.  I am not here advocating for any radical
alphabetization of the language.  But Roman alphabet is useful, since the
QWERTY keyboard is everywhere, and more and more people are getting familiar
with it.

It is easier to sort with existing computational utilities.  With catalogs
arranged in alphabetical manner, it is much faster to find what being looked
for than sorted with the syllabary bopomofo.  A good pronunciation education
is certainly essential.  Radicals and stroke counts are more reliable, but
much slower.  They can still be referenced when in doubt, and need be
provided as secondary indices somewhere.