On ChinesePod we’ve chosen to use simplified characters because they are the ones you are most likely to see on mainland China.
Traditional characters tend to have more brush strokes but they look better (and more complicated). In terms of recognition, it is possibly easier to identify the meanings of the simplified characters. Writing them is is definitely much easier.
China and Hong Kong use the traditional characters, as do some publications on the mainland. Generally speaking, however, it’s all simplified characters on the mainland.
Do you, as a learner, need to know the traditional characters? The answer depends on (a) your objectives, and (b) how much time you have to put into it. Generally speaking, you will be just fine with the simplified characters on the mainland - that itself is quite enough of a work load. I do know of some people, however, who feel robbed after studying the simplified characters for some years and realize they cannot read the traditional ones.
For more on this discussion, go here.
Let me know your thoughts.
Ken
It’s CHINA, Taiwan is a rebel province and HK has been reintegrated to the motherland! American universities are often staffed with teachers from Taiwan and thus teach the complex script, and much of the overseas Chinese materials available in the US comes from Taiwan. Unless, however, one plans to do a lot of business in Taiwan, and this is possible if you are into chip manufacturing, then simplified is the way to go. But I do understand the regret, I started learning complex characters, but now am fully immersed in simplified. Watching a dvd with complex character subtitles now makes my head hurt. Many older Chinese familar with complex characters cannot fully understand simplified. And heck if the Cantonese don’t use different characters!
I guess life is about choices. But check should be spelled check and not cheque! 加油！
It is said that traditional characters have are more meaningful while simplified characters de-emphasize meaning and go more for the pronunciation.
It’s true that the use of simplified characters has increased some ever since China took control of Hong Kong again, but I’ve heard that their use of characters is a strange and inconsistent mix of traditional and simplified characters. As for the comment in the last post about Taiwan being a rebel province, I’m guessing that it was made tongue-in-cheek because we might remember that the original 13 colonies in America were considered “rebel provinces” of the United Kingdom many centuries ago. It depends on one’s viewpoint of China/Taiwan situation. Something to keep in mind… We’re also assuming that language reform in China was a good thing and was done well…
I think each writing system has their own advantages and disadvantage. Anyway, when all’s said an done, it might be nice to offer a choice to chinesepod.com for traditional or simplified characters. That way the users can choose based on their own preferences.
I just wanted to add that both writing systems have their own advantages and disadvantages. I think you need both. And that’s why I mentioned “choice” in my previous post.
-B
My Taiwanese Teacher had me learn the Traditional characters. I think it would be better for Chinese pod if we have tradtional characters because in China, (at least what I have heard) knowledge of traditional characters is a sign of being somewhat of a scholar. I think it would be more impressive if students of Chinesepod were learning the way it once was rather than this new, ‘easier’ way. Plus, It is much easier to decrypt the meaning of a simplified character having known the traditional character firsthand. Having heard on the news, many mainland Chinese scholars are trying to bring back the traditional character sets instead of Mao’s instated ‘easy’ design. Well, that’s just my two cents.
谢谢，现在我应该去
Well, I can view the webpages using NJ Star Communicator (http://www.njstar.com/communicator/). It does automatic conversion from simplified to traditional characters for viewing webpages (which is what I need). It doesn’t work for the flash modules or the PDFs, but it’s at least a start.
At least now, I have some options and I hope others might find this useful too.
-BarryC
PS There’s a simplified to traditional character converter at:
http://www.wforum.com/online/g2b.htm
.