How the Number 0.473 Proves Chinese Isn't a Language

Comments · 1.5K

• CA

  @cantotomando · 1 month ago · pinned

  🚨 Cantonese Speakers: Get our Free Guide to Rapid Mandarin Fluency: <a href="https://www.thecmblueprint.com/youtube/why_chinese_isn&apos;t_really_a_language">https://www.thecmblueprint.com/youtube/why_chinese_isn&apos;t_really_a_language</a>

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• ZE

  @zenovyap8616 · 1 month ago

  tomato is a fruit to scientists and vegetables to a chef

  485

• BO

  @Bolpat · 1 month ago

  I have no idea why it would be so bad politically to admit that “Chinese” as a term referring to languages is akin to “Romance” or “Germanic” and isn’t a single language.

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• JO

  @johnkelly3886 · 1 month ago

  The linguist Max Weinreich put it best &quot;A language is a dialect with an army and a navy&quot;.

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• CY

  @cyjn198 · 1 month ago

  One important factor that allows chinese to operate this system is that its logographic not phonetic.

  285

• AZ

  @Aznbomb3r · 1 month ago

  In the 90s in Canada, if you received a phone call and the person asked if you spoke Chinese, it meant Cantonese 99% of the time. &nbsp;Mandarin wasn&apos;t prominent until after 2000s.

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• GR

  @grimmbartrides · 1 month ago

  I haven&apos;t finished watching the video yet, but I was reminded of this meme with the two persons staring at each other from oncoming cars:<br>&quot;Ex-Yugoslavian insisting their various dialects are different languages<br> Chinese insisting their various languages are dialects&quot;

  70

• CO

  @CouchTomato87 · 1 month ago

  The way I like to think of it is if I say “He speaks English” that means “he speaks the English language.” But if I say “he speaks Chinese,” that means “he speaks <b>a</b> Chinese language.” Chinese is just a group; but also often synonymous with Mandarin in the average context

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• SA

  @SakretteAmamiya · 4 weeks ago

  in short, Chinese language has 2 meanings: the language family, and specific Mandarin (most people considered)<br>Cantonese is in the language family, but not a dialect of Mandarin

  8

• BO

  @Bolpat · 1 month ago

  The language question in China is very similar to the language question in Italy. Many Italic languages are called dialects of (Standard) Italian. Most of them are really their own languages, but only a few are officially recognized by the Italian state.

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• AN

  @andrewdunbar828 · 1 month ago

  Linguists don&apos;t even define &apos;language&apos; and &apos;dialect&apos;. They avoid the whole thing and use the term &apos;variety&apos;. And some linguists don&apos;t even like that.

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• DA

  @DanielTheAu · 1 month ago (edited)

  The biggest reason Cantonese and Mandarin are considered Chinese dialects instead of separate languages, is centuries of Imperially mandated uniformity, not linguistics.

  136