[KS] pinyin system and Korean romanization

[Junghee Lee]

Dear list:

I talked to common people in Korea and I understand why they think it is natural 
for them to use "b" instead of "p" and so on and not use breve which 
is not familiar to Korean common people.
It may be because how English is taught in Korea, in written form 
traditionally.
If the rominization should be done only for foreigners, why do we accept Pinyin system 
in the west?
When I teach Chinese art, my students have majoe problems with Pinyin 
system, such as the pronunciation of "X" "Q" in pinyin.
Students argue that they cannot memorize Chinese terms because they 
cannot pronounce.
But we have to now use them, without being able to pronounce and was 
forced upon us away from Wade-Gile we were used to.
Probably  Korean government probably was aware of the change to the
pinyin system and trying to do the same thing, simplifing breve, etc.
to internationalize Korean language's use in the west.
Would it be possible we try to understand Korean position and work 
with them?  
Or  this is impossible and the Korean government proposal does not make any sense 
at all to the westerners?

Sincerely,




Junghee Lee
Department of Art
Portland State University
Portland, OR 97207-0751
Voice: (503) 725-3347
fax: (503) 725-4541
E-mail: leeju at pdx.edu
http://odin.cc.pdx.edu/~dilj/


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