The Pronunciation of Chinese Names

Abstract

SOMEWHAT after date, I beg to return to the subject of Anglo and Franco-Chinese orthography, referred to in NATURE, vol. xxx. p. 592. In a short paper of mine published in the Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society, vol. xxii. No. 6, 1877, I alluded to the desirability of a uniform or fixed “Roman equivalent” for Chinese characters standing for names of places, &c. I inclose a copy of this paper for insertion if desirable. To my mind the Italian vowels, &c., come nearest to the sounds of the Chinese characters. Tung-King, meaning “Eastern Capital,” is the usually accepted form of Tonquin, or Ton-Kin, the terminal g being but slightly sounded. Shang-hai, the “Upper Sea,” or the place “of going up to the sea,” should be pronounced with the g, and is so spoken (Shanghai) by English and American authorities. Dr. Wells Williams has, I believe, in manuscript a standard Chinese Gazetteer of the World, in which all proper names likely to be used in telegraphy, newspapers, &c., are smoothly transliterated into Chinese characters. For translations from Chinese it is very necessary to adopt some such plan as Dr. Hunter has suggested for Indian names. Although his plan has come too late into the field to induce people to spell Calcutta as Kolkata, this is hardly the case as yet with Chinese names. The old native names of places should always be literally preserved. How much more beautiful is the old Franco-Indian name Stadaconda than Quebec for the scene of the death of Wolfe ! I should be glad to co-operate or correspond with any interested in this matter, so prominent and important at the present juncture.