Assignment Week 3 - Week 2 Email (revised)

From: Jessica
To: Beisi Li

Subject: Women Deliver Chinese

Hi Beisi,

Thanks so much for helping out with this – it’s excellent!

When you get a chance, can you just quickly explain the difference between Traditional and Simplified Chinese (and who uses what)? Sorry! This is new territory for me.

Thanks again! Really appreciate your support on this.

Best,

Jessica

From: Beisi Li

To: Jessica

Subject: re: Women Deliver Chinese

Hi Jessica,

 Sorry for getting back to you late on your question about Simplified and Traditional Chinese.  

Chinese government started to promote simplified Chinese characters in Mainland China in the 1950s to increase literacy. However, Chinese-speaking regions that were not under the jurisdiction of Chinese government at that time, for example, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, didn’t go through this process, so they are still using traditional Chinese. So you would use the Traditional version to do outreach media in these regions.

In terms of other Chinese-speaking Asian countries, e.g. Singapore and Malaysia, they have also been promoting Simplified Chinese. Singapore is using Simplified Chinese now, while Malaysia is using both.

But the reason that I revised the Chinese promotion note you sent over in the first place, was because the translation was too bad. I guess it might be translated by Google.

Please let me know if there is any other questions.

Thanks!

Beisi