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Why phonetic English? Using the English phonics system simply eliminates many of the complication of learning Mandarin. The beginning student of Chinese no longer needs to decipher the old fashioned, ineffective Wade-Giles Chinese-to-English system, or trudge through the current, but just as difficult Pinyin Romanization method in order to speak Chinese. As a native English reader and speaker, you can sound out words and phrases exactly the same way you learned to pronounce your vocabulary in grade school. It's that E-Z!

A Brief History of the Romanization of Chinese

Mandarin, called Putonghua, “The Common Language,” is the official language of China. It uses four tones: level, rising, falling, and high-rising, to distinguish words or syllables with the same consonants and vowels but with different meanings. As you know, the written Chinese language consists of a plethora of symbols and characters that are completely foreign and abstract to the westerner.

The Wade-Giles Romanization system was originally devised to simplify Chinese characters for the western world. Initiated by British scholar Sir Thomas Francis Wade, and later modified by Professor Herbert Allen Giles in 1912, the system became the preferred Chinese transliteration method among academies. Through the use of this method, English speakers were able to systematically and consistently butcher the Chinese language through mispronunciations for over a half a century! Why did the Wade-Giles translation fail so miserably? Unless an individual had been taught how the system worked, inevitably, words were mispronounced.

Several other attempts were made in the 1920's and 30's to integrate a Latin alphabet for Chinese, but there was little success. Finally, the Pinyin Romanization method officially replaced the Wade-Giles system in 1958. China 's acceptance of Pinyin signified the government's commitment to promote a national, standardized Putonghua for both westerners and the country's minorities. Pinyin is now extensively used throughout China.

As native English speakers quickly discover while studying Mandarin, many of the vowels and consonants written in Pinyin are pronounced similar to their English counterparts, and many are not. Thus, the native English speaker (trained since primary school days to sound words out phonetically) must first learn the Pinyin system before being able to read and enunciate clearly in Chinese.

An Easier Way

Many of you are already familiar with one of our favorite guests at the Cathay Cafe; you have probably listened to some of his songs or viewed his photographs on our site. This month, we would like to share more about this brilliant musician, talented photographer, and renaissance sort of guy, our friend, David Casler.

After procuring an MBA from the University of Miami, David spent ten years drifting between work in the computer industry, teaching English in Japan, and performing in rock bands, all the while juggling a second Masters from the University of Mississippi. He is currently working as a math and computer teacher in China , where he composes music part-time from his home based techno-studio.

"Music has been the only constant in my life," says David. "And it will most likely continue being so forever."

David began playing piano at the age of seven and later learned guitar during his high school years. One of his earliest influences was the folk music his father often played on the stereo at home. Later on, 80s Rock & Roll made an impact, which he shaped into his own slightly grunge style.

Asked about his music, David responded: "The Creative process usually starts with a feeling that seems to be stuck inside. It builds and festers until I am able to sit down and allow it to flow out musically. Over a few weeks it develops into a song. Or it may develop into more than one song. My music usually expresses pain of some sort: loneliness, loss, regret or fear. It is my therapist. Without my music, I would certainly be addicted to drugs or in jail."

David plans on releasing his first album sometime next year, in collaboration with INCITE. "I have over a hundred songs now, but choosing the right ones for the album will be the greatest challenge."

Like many of David's friends, we're looking forward to hearing more from this gifted musician. You can check out a few of David Casler's songs under Cool Stuff/Music at the Cathay cafe.com. Keep on rock'n, Casler!