Kung Fu?

[47MartialMan]

but generally, the chinese we have now is standardised so the anomalies are very few and very far between.

 

yes anomlaies are few (nowadays), but going back to the structure/orgin/interpretation/mis-interpretation. Not as the like of it nowadays

 

but this is where another problem arises.

 

certain characters, especially those that originated in the north have elements from another language. as a result, there might be some confusion about what that particular part might originally mean.

 

This is what I am trying to convey. Interpretation/misinterpretation/confusion

 

you'll find that this rarely happens. two of the kitchen staff at one of my uncles restaurants speak a dialect of mandarin that i've never heard of.

 

one waitress speaks with a shang-hai dialect and my aunt only knows grammatical mandarin. my uncle only speaks cantonese but knows how mandarin is structured.

 

Again, per it spoken nowadays. And that uncle KNOWS how Manadarin is structure, so the communication is easier.

 

 

mis-interpretations in the same language only tends to happen when you take singular terms.

 

Yes, that is what I am talking about.

 

and again i go back to my example.

 

if i were to just say 'pear' out aloud, you won't know if i meant 'pear', 'pare', or 'pair'.

 

but that same word, said within the context of a conversation, would be understood perfectly

 

Taking each per origin, would lead to find that one or more did not particulary existed long ago. Those that were, had a one singular meaning, those after, a distintion had to me made.

 

Yes, to what you post-per what I am saying also-I agree

[Drunken Monkey]

yes anomlaies are few (nowadays), but going back to the structure/orgin/interpretation/mis-interpretation. Not as the like of it nowadays

 

grammatically and in terms of the forms of the characters used, not much has changed since it was standardised all them thousands of years ago.

 

it follows taht not much has actually changed in the language bar regional dialects with respects to pronunciation.

 

the base grammer is still correct

 

i.e it only sounds slightly different, everything else is the same.

 

Interpretation/misinterpretation/confusion

 

you're kinda missing the point here.

 

i'm talking about specific meanings of certain parts that constitute a particular character,

 

not the character itself.

 

this is also only with respects to the origins of the word and doesn't actually have much baring on the meaning of the word/character.

 

yes, knowing the structure of mandarin makes communication easier but this example defies your suggestion that different pronunciations makes a difference to understanding.

 

Taking each per origin, would lead to find that one or more did not particulary existed long ago. Those that were, had a one singular meaning, those after, a distintion had to me made.

 

and again, this is my point.

 

what you say applies to english.

 

it doesn't apply to chinese characters.

 

if you know how chinese characters are 'constructed' you would know what i am talking about.

[47MartialMan]

Are you misinterpreting my english/conveyance?

[Drunken Monkey]

nope.

 

i'm just trying to see why you think you know more about the etymology of chinese than i do.

[47MartialMan]

Is it etymology orromaniztion that suits you or your understanding? Again-have you studied much etymology?

[missy]

i studyed kung fu

 

my teacher said it wasnt a martial art until the term became popilar

[vitasama]

Okay...To answer the first question on the thread...Yes Kung Fu is a form of martial arts ...It refers to the Chinese way of fighting...In other words Kung Fu is just a Chinese art...or rather THE Chinese art ....You see...Kung Fu isn't a single form of martial arts, rather it is an entire martial arts in itselfO.o...It is a genre of martial arts that consist of many different types...

 

Now I have a question for you people out there ...Isn't Kung Fu actually...Gung Fu?...I believe that it was originally spelled and pronounced Gung Fu instead of Kung Fu ......But I could be wrong *sweatdrop*

[47MartialMan]

How about Gong Fu?

[White Warlock]

Ugh!

[Drunken Monkey]

they're all wrong.

 

there is only ONE way of spelling that term and that is

 

功夫

 

everything else is only trying to replicate the sound of the chinese.

 

not proper spellings.