Sidney Lau Sek-cheung (劉錫祥; died 1987) was a Cantonese teacher in the Chinese Language Section of the Government Training Division and Principal of the Government Language School [1] of the Hong Kong Government. He had graduated bachelor of arts from Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong, People's Republic of China.
Lau wrote a series of textbooks in the 1960s and 1970s, for teaching Anglophones to speak Cantonese. The textbooks were initially used for teaching western expatriates working in the Hong Kong Police Force and other government bodies.[2] Later the texts were used as a basis for a radio teaching programme for foreigners.
Lau's books introduced his own romanisation system which differs from the widely used Yale system and the nine other identified predecessors by using superscripted numbers to indicate the tones of the words, a method copied 16 years later by the creators of the little used but academically favoured Jyutping. The third system in general use in Hong Kong after Lau and Yale is the Hong Kong Government or "Standard Romanisation" system developed by James D Ball and Ernst J Eitel, and upon which Lau's was largely based.[3]
Lau's A Practical Cantonese-English Dictionary, with 22,000 Cantonese entries, was published by the Hong Kong government in 1977,[4] and reviewed favorably by Dew in the Journal of Chinese Linguistics.[5]
Current useedit
Despite five decades since publication, the books remain popular, being among the few comprehensive courses teaching spoken Cantonese (as opposed to written Chinese and spoken Mandarin, which are significantly different).
^Chan, Sin-wai (14 April 2016). The Routledge Encyclopedia of the Chinese Language. Routledge. p. 46.
^Stephen Matthews; Virginia Yip (1 September 2003). Cantonese: A Comprehensive Grammar. Routledge. pp. 13–. ISBN978-0-203-42084-3.
^Kataoka, Shin; Lee, Cream (2008). "A System without a System: Cantonese Romanization Used in Hong Kong Place and Personal Names". Hong Kong Journal of Applied Linguistics. Chinese University of Hong Kong. 11: 94–98.
^Wong, Ki-fong. (2001). "Postgraduate Thesis: A study of Sidney Lau's 'a practical Cantonese-English dictionary'". Pokfulam, Hong Kong: The University of Hong Kong. doi:10.5353/th_b3025723. Retrieved 5 January 2014. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^Dew, J. (1980), "Review of Sidney Lau's A Practical Cantonese-English Dictionary", Journal of Chinese Linguistics, 8 (2): 305–315
External linksedit
Explanation of Sidney Lau's Cantonese Romanization System
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sidney, cheung, 劉錫祥, died, 1987, cantonese, teacher, chinese, language, section, government, training, division, principal, government, language, school, hong, kong, government, graduated, bachelor, arts, from, university, guangdong, people, republic, china, c. Sidney Lau Sek cheung 劉錫祥 died 1987 was a Cantonese teacher in the Chinese Language Section of the Government Training Division and Principal of the Government Language School 1 of the Hong Kong Government He had graduated bachelor of arts from Sun Yat sen University Guangdong People s Republic of China Sidney Lau Sek cheungDied1987Alma materSun Yat Sen UniversityKnown forTeaching CantoneseNotable workA practical Cantonese English dictionarySidney LauTraditional Chinese劉錫祥TranscriptionsYue CantoneseYale RomanizationLauh Sek cheuhngJyutpingLau4 Sek3coeng4Sidney LauLau4 Sek3ceung4 Contents 1 Texts 2 Current use 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksTexts editLau wrote a series of textbooks in the 1960s and 1970s for teaching Anglophones to speak Cantonese The textbooks were initially used for teaching western expatriates working in the Hong Kong Police Force and other government bodies 2 Later the texts were used as a basis for a radio teaching programme for foreigners Lau s books introduced his own romanisation system which differs from the widely used Yale system and the nine other identified predecessors by using superscripted numbers to indicate the tones of the words a method copied 16 years later by the creators of the little used but academically favoured Jyutping The third system in general use in Hong Kong after Lau and Yale is the Hong Kong Government or Standard Romanisation system developed by James D Ball and Ernst J Eitel and upon which Lau s was largely based 3 Lau s A Practical Cantonese English Dictionary with 22 000 Cantonese entries was published by the Hong Kong government in 1977 4 and reviewed favorably by Dew in the Journal of Chinese Linguistics 5 Current use editDespite five decades since publication the books remain popular being among the few comprehensive courses teaching spoken Cantonese as opposed to written Chinese and spoken Mandarin which are significantly different See also editSidney Lau romanisation a Romanisation system for CantoneseReferences edit Chan Sin wai 14 April 2016 The Routledge Encyclopedia of the Chinese Language Routledge p 46 Stephen Matthews Virginia Yip 1 September 2003 Cantonese A Comprehensive Grammar Routledge pp 13 ISBN 978 0 203 42084 3 Kataoka Shin Lee Cream 2008 A System without a System Cantonese Romanization Used in Hong Kong Place and Personal Names Hong Kong Journal of Applied Linguistics Chinese University of Hong Kong 11 94 98 Wong Ki fong 2001 Postgraduate Thesis A study of Sidney Lau s a practical Cantonese English dictionary Pokfulam Hong Kong The University of Hong Kong doi 10 5353 th b3025723 Retrieved 5 January 2014 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help Dew J 1980 Review of Sidney Lau s A Practical Cantonese English Dictionary Journal of Chinese Linguistics 8 2 305 315External links editExplanation of Sidney Lau s Cantonese Romanization System nbsp nbsp This Chinese linguist related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte nbsp This article about a writer or poet from Hong Kong is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sidney Lau amp oldid 1160693282, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
