System to translate Chinese into English

Citation

(1999), "System to translate Chinese into English", Asian Libraries, Vol. 8 No. 10. https://doi.org/10.1108/al.1999.17308jab.003

System to translate Chinese into English

System to translate Chinese into English

The Executive Yuan of the Republic of China has decided to adopt the Hanyu Pinyin system, which is popular around the world and has been widely used in the People's Republic of China (PRC). Vice-Premier Liu Zhaoxuan said that the Ministry of Education would issue standards and co-ordinate with the Ministry of Transportation and local governments to change all romanised street names. Some place names that have cultural or historic background and those that have a long history may retain their current translated names. The translation of personal names is not enforced to conform with the new Pinyin system.

Over the decades the PRP was alone in not adopting Pinyin, chiefly owing to ideological considerations. It is a remarkable breakthrough that the Executive Yuan decided to adopt the Hanyu Pinyin system.

Vice-Premier Liu Zhaoxuan iterated that the current decision had nothing to do with ideology. According to information sources, some scholars on the Educational Reforms Task Force advocated that some modifications be made before adopting Pinyin in order to differentiate it from the Hanyu Pinyin used in the PRC. But their view was rejected. Liu Zhaoxuan concluded that there is "no need to make unnecessary modifications".

Liu Zhaoxuan said that the Ministry of Education would issue a series of standards on Hanyu Pinyin for the whole country to use. The government would co-ordinate with the Ministry of Transportation, local governments and other relevant units to change the English names of all streets.

For more information look at http://www.chinatimes.com.tw/news/papers/ctimes/cfocus/88072701.htm