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For those of us who teach and research the Chinese language, it is often difficult to describe how the Chinese characters function in conveying meaning and sound, and it’s always a particular challenge to explain how the writing system differs from the alphabetic systems we are more familiar with. The issues are complex and multi-layered, and have important implications for
There’s an old controversy over the word “momentarily” or, more precisely, over one of its most familiar usages.
Coined by professional puzzle-writer Francis Heaney, editor of GAMES Magazine and former editor of Enigma (the publication of the National Puzzlers' Lea...
In early September, China’s National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) issued a new regulatory notice on “Further Strengthening Management of Cultural Programs and their Staff.” The regulation directs media outlets to “resolutely reject persons who violate laws and morality” including those who exhibit “abnormal aesthetics” (畸形审美, jixing shenmei) (NRTA, September 2; China Law Translate, September 2). The notice offers only …
Coined by professional puzzle-writer Francis Heaney, editor of GAMES Magazine and former editor of Enigma (the publication of the National Puzzlers' Lea...