When people talk about the Chinese language, they get confused between simplified and traditional Chinese. There are many translation companies working around the globe to provide you with accurate translation services. But if you are aware of the difference between two languages then you can easily take advantage of Chinese translation services.
Let’s find out how they are different from each other.
Generally, Mandarin is divided into two types, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese. In ancient times, people used traditional characters to write the Chinese language. Educationists came up with a different language system that is simplified Chinese but the people did not adopt it until the 1950s. During that time, the literacy rate in China is declining and people are thinking that this is because of difficult traditional characters. So, at this time simplified Chinese came into existence to make the Chinese language simple and easier to learn.
Although the process of adopting simplified Chinese from Traditional Chinese is quite difficult, it was adopted after the 1950s. China demonstrates one of the largest populations and economies in the world. People who want to tap into the Chinese market opt to learn simplified Chinese instead of traditional. Learning a language is a long process. But if you want to communicate with Chinese people promptly then you can hire a professional translation company that can provide impeccable translation services.
Difference Between Simplified and Traditional Chinese
Before going for a traditional translation company, you have to be clear about the differences between simplified and traditional Chinese.
Look of Characters
The main distinction between simplified and traditional Chinese characters is their appearance. Traditional Chinese is a bit complicated with many strokes whereas simplified Chinese as the name suggests is simple with few strokes. One important thing to note is that all Chinese characters are the same but few characters are changed into a simplified Chinese system whereas some are not changed. This is because some characters are already so simple. Therefore, there is no need to alter them.
Number of Characters
Apart from simplified characters, simplified Chinese also uses a less total number of characters. In traditional Chinese, each word shows its different character whereas in simplified Chinese single character depicts the words with different meanings but the same pronunciation.
Difference of Writing
The other main difference between simplified and traditional Chinese is the difference in writing. Don’t mix writing style with pronunciation, they are different. The regional dialects of Chinese like Cantonese, Hokkien, and Hakka have their unique way of pronunciation, syntax, and vocabulary. but the use of traditional and simplified Chinese helps to reduce the semantic content and lexicon of any regional dialect.
Where are they Used
At present, People in Singapore and China are officially using simplified Chinese. Moreover, the people of Malaysia also speak this language. On the other hand, the people of Macau, Hong Kong, and Taiwan speak traditional Chinese. Residents of mainland China speak Simplified Chinese. On the other hand, the older generation knows traditional Chinese so they can still read and write traditional Chinese. It is officially recognized in Taiwan and Hong Kong. The difference between their dialects contains more intricacies’ than simplified and traditional Chinese.
Whether to go for Simplified Chinese or Traditional
The choice between learning simplified and traditional Chinese seems very critical. To make the right decision about the selection of the language depends upon your interests and long-term objectives. For instance, if you have an interest in history or arts or if you want to make your career in academics then you should opt for traditional Chinese. On the other hand, if you want to pursue your career in IT and business. then you can go for Simplified Chinese. Geography matters a lot. If you are in Taiwan or Hong Kong then for traditional Chinese.
Wrapping Up
Despite the differences between these two languages, they are mutually intelligible. Therefore, you can easily have command of both languages. Both languages have their advantages and disadvantages but the rational decision is to learn Mandarin so that you don’t have to take the services of Mandarin professional translation services.
