Simplified or Traditional?

[wiim]

That's right, I'm referring to the Chinese characters!

This is just to see how many like one or the other. Why do you like the style you chose? For reading? For writing?

*This is not a place to insult an individual(s) if they disagree with you. Be nice! :3nod  

[bubbleangela]

Yay! I got the first vote! whee

Simplified Chinese has its own benefits:
1. It's probably easier to write (Not so sure about difficulty because I don't write in simplified Chinese. blaugh )
2. It's faster to write! Very important characterstic when you are writing an exam in Chinese and you are running out of time!!! eek

But I still prefer traditional Chinese simply because:
1. That was what I learned in Taiwan, and I am more familiar with it. 3nodding
2. I can read way faster if things are written in traditional Chinese.
3. Traditional Chinese looks nicer because it preserves the beauty of Chinese characters. wink  

[melonsoda]

I prefered the traditional Chinese, mostly because that's the one i learnt when i went to mandarin school when i was young... sweatdrop

Even though yah, it's much harder, but I believe it's a sense of culture and brings us back to the traditional roots of China. Each individual Chinese character has a story behind it, reason why that character looked that way. Simplifying them just loses that special something in the words.

That, or maybe reading too much about Mao's reign from history class makes me dislike the changes he made (like the Cultural Revolution), etc... Ok... so I'm bias... well anyways... sweatdrop

Ok... I'm gonna get flamed for this, aren't I? I never was a good debater... sweatdrop  

[~ HKC Guardian Angel ~]

melonsoda

IEven though yah, it's much harder, but I believe it's a sense of culture and brings us back to the traditional roots of China. Each individual Chinese character has a story behind it, reason why that character looked that way. Simplifying them just loses that special something in the words.

Agreed. 3nodding That's why i always prefer to write in trad. chinese, even when im running out of time in chinese exams sweatdrop (ahhh and i wont even touch any book in simp. chinese xp i'd rather die)  

[melonsoda]

~ HKC Guardian Angel ~

melonsoda

IEven though yah, it's much harder, but I believe it's a sense of culture and brings us back to the traditional roots of China. Each individual Chinese character has a story behind it, reason why that character looked that way. Simplifying them just loses that special something in the words.

Agreed. 3nodding That's why i always prefer to write in trad. chinese, even when im running out of time in chinese exams sweatdrop (ahhh and i wont even touch any book in simp. chinese xp i'd rather die)

I remember going back to China and all those road signs were in simplified form, i couldn't even read it, just... doesn't make sense to me...

I guess the best way for us Chinese right now is... to learn both, this way at least we can succeed in HK, Taiwan AND China... sigh... sad  

[kenzshinji]

[quote=""i'm very envy those who can read and write chinese character...
although i'm chinese, but can write,... can read abit..... crying
coz i'm english educated.
I'm bad at both reading and writing. sweatdrop  

[Hayashi Jun]

I can only read and write traditional....  

[Ruxender]

kenzshinji

i'm very envy those who can read and write chinese character...
although i'm chinese, but can write,... can read abit..... crying
coz i'm english educated.

ho ho ho...really? then next time all the china man customer i passs to u ok?hehehe.... xp  

[kenzshinji]

Wahhh....wan to be like tis meh friend....we can handle together la buddy.
haha.  

[tamcharles]

melonsoda

~ HKC Guardian Angel ~

melonsoda

IEven though yah, it's much harder, but I believe it's a sense of culture and brings us back to the traditional roots of China. Each individual Chinese character has a story behind it, reason why that character looked that way. Simplifying them just loses that special something in the words.

Agreed. 3nodding That's why i always prefer to write in trad. chinese, even when im running out of time in chinese exams sweatdrop (ahhh and i wont even touch any book in simp. chinese xp i'd rather die)

I remember going back to China and all those road signs were in simplified form, i couldn't even read it, just... doesn't make sense to me...

I guess the best way for us Chinese right now is... to learn both, this way at least we can succeed in HK, Taiwan AND China... sigh... sad

I'm trying to learn chinese myself and so far I'm still at the basic Mahjong-tile and basic character stage.

Although it's harder to learn and more complicated to write, I still feel more comfortable with the traditional form (and it looks cooler!) But this is just my personal opinion of course (and since no one else has said it)... simplified chinese seems like a dumb-down for the masses as a means to increase literacy.

No offense to those who feel strongly in support with the Chinese government but I feel that it shouldn't be about the quantity but rather about quality. In and of itself, the whole late 80's and 90's mass-production mindset and ideals are fine and dandy, but when you're post-industrial / pre-modern it's time to change.  

[melonsoda]

i heard that Zhu Rong Gi wanted to change the simplified Chinese back to traditional form starting with the elementary school students, but the change never happened... or did it?  

[Hanniekins]

traditional.. 3nodding the simplified version just confuses me...cant read them at all sweatdrop  

[Liambiam]

I only understand simplified Chinese unfortunately. crying  

[bubbleangela]

melonsoda

I prefered the traditional Chinese, mostly because that's the one i learnt when i went to mandarin school when i was young... sweatdrop

Even though yah, it's much harder, but I believe it's a sense of culture and brings us back to the traditional roots of China. Each individual Chinese character has a story behind it, reason why that character looked that way. Simplifying them just loses that special something in the words.
sweatdrop

Totally agree with you! smile  

[wiim]

Liambiam

I only understand simplified Chinese unfortunately. crying

Do traditional characters look very foreign to you? That's how I feel about simplified.

When did the writing style start to diverge anyway?