LANGUAGE IS OUR ROOT AND A DEEP-ROOTED
PROBLEM
China's recent crack down on nonunified use of the language on the
Internet and as commercial signs will lead to a time bomb long awaiting
to blow up in the faces of the leadership. Language is our
cultural root. China has not exactly recognize this fact.
For that, China will pay a high price in solving this now a deep-rooted
cultural-turned-social problem.
It really all started with the simplification of the characters in the
language. That sent out a signal of wanting for cultural
correction. Sure enough the kids are helping correcting the
languages on the Internet. And the general public has lost a
sense of discipline regarding the use of the various forms of the
language. Just wait for the language to debut in the world
scene. Foreigners may understand a country with two political
systems. But it would sure be tough to figure out why two
languages serving exactly the same function.
The Chinese leadership has pulled some incredible rabbits out of the
hat. I hope they continue this tradition. But just in case they
cant break loose from the extraordinary hold history has on them on
this issue. I would humbly offer a suggestion.
This is a cultural problem, so must not be solved as a political
problem. We must be very apprehensive of the big egos of the
authors and custodians of the simplified characters. They would
protect their turf even if the political problem turns military.
So, the leadership should do the mutually equalizing thing of getting
themselves and this simplification hardcore bunch out of the picture.
Instead, China should form an independent language evaluation committee
with members selected proportionally from all the general user
communities. For example, 10 members can be selected from China,
5 from Taiwan, 1 from Hongkong, 1 from oversee Chinese, 1 from Japan
and 1 from Korea. With a majority, China can assure her people
would accept the decision of the committee. The votes from abroad
would not improve diplomacy but also an opportunity to unify the
language.
I would sure like to know how many of the committee members from
mainland China really like the simplified characters.