Jainarayan Posted June 11, 2013 I know the name of the site is Tao Bums, but I've seen it spelled both ways. Is one more correct than the other? I have an odd view of things, and I'm interested in linguistics and phonology. To that end I hear and feel a slight aspiration with Tao Te Ching that I don't with Dao De Jing. Or maybe this is just too minute a concern. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
silent thunder Posted June 11, 2013 Dao De Jing is spelled more in line with how it's pronounced. Either is fine. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jainarayan Posted June 11, 2013 I thought so, thanks. I know there's been a big change in bringing transliteration of Chinese into English more in line with pronunciation of Chinese. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wu Ming Jen Posted June 11, 2013 Wade giles or pinyin, harvard has a spelling more like it sounds in chinese. "DOW" in chinese is the broad sword so if you ask chinese about dao they might swing their arms around like sword play. When I travel in china pronunciation of words can change with each region. D and T have the same tongue movement Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jainarayan Posted June 11, 2013 Thanks. Somehow I think that reference to the sword and flailing arms shouldn't be funny, but it is. Probably because one of the few things (very few) I know about Chinese is that it's a tonal language and that one word can have completely different meanings based on the tone. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BananaMonkey Posted June 11, 2013 I learned pinyin first and still think it's more systematic and intuitive for beginners. Although it also has its irregularities such as the i in zhi and in ji. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wu Ming Jen Posted June 11, 2013 Thanks. Somehow I think that reference to the sword and flailing arms shouldn't be funny, but it is. Probably because one of the few things (very few) I know about Chinese is that it's a tonal language and that one word can have completely different meanings based on the tone. I find it funny as well because I witnessed it happen. The person asking the question was frustrated in a funny way trying to ask the question over and over and getting the same result (the arms swinging around) I showed someone the pictograph for Tao that did not speak english and like charades proceeded to walk down a path following their head. Having a good time and being a good person is more important than all the words ever written. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jainarayan Posted June 11, 2013 Truer words have rarely been spoken. Â Having a good time and being a good person is more important than all the words ever written. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kajenx Posted June 12, 2013 The Tao that can be spelled properly is not the eternal Tao. Â Sorry, I had to. 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jainarayan Posted June 12, 2013 I really should have seen that coming. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BananaMonkey Posted June 12, 2013 The Tao that can be spelled properly is not the eternal Tao. Â Sorry, I had to. Â I lol'd 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Basher Posted June 19, 2013 Shouldn't Chinese actually be spelt Dhinese ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
