Quote:
Originally Posted by LDBoblo
And for Hanyu Pinyin's usability as a language replacement...there were some publications done entirely in pinyin with some degree of effectiveness, but solidarity is limited. Your example of Xi'an ignores the use of apostrophes that are conventionally used to distinguish the characters. Tones can also be represented over the dominant final, though I am too lazy to work them up.
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They should write Xi'an, but usually they don't, even at airports I have seen that. No sign on the freeway ever is with the apostrophy. You see signs such as "Baihuogongshi" in PinYin everywhere. And no tonal marks in sight, usually because the English keyboard layout makes no provisions for them, is my guess. Pin-Yin could be done well, but I have never seen that, except in textbooks for foreigners!
The phonetic mess for street signs in Taipei, of course, are a different story. A matter of politics, more than anything else. A matter of Taiwanese pride.
To make my final assessment on this matter, Chinese are doing quite well with the Hanzi characters. The system does have its advantages, even though the learning curve is much steeper. Today's technology makes using Hanzi much easier, even for Chinese and their children. They will not switch in the foreseeable future.