Taiwan’s premier, Su Tseng-chang (Sū Zhēn-chāng / 蘇貞昌), has instructed the Ministry of Education to back the Tái-Luó romanization system for Taiwanese.
Unless I’ve been misled by the local media, which has been known to confuse various romanization systems, this romanization system is simply what the Ministry of Education approved back in October 2006. (Tai-Luo means “Taiwan Romanization,” which is not a particularly specific name.) So the statement is likely simply as speculated in the media: that Su is seeking to bolster his “green” and “localization” credentials ahead of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party’s choice of a candidate for the 2008 presidential election. It’s hard to know if this is simply lip service or something that will lead to increased support for the romanization of Hoklo (Taiwanese), probably the former.
Su made the statement during a meeting last week with the head of the Taiwan Society, Chet Yang (Yáng Wén-jiā / 楊文嘉 / Yang Wen-chia). The Taiwan Society, an umbrella organization for pro-Taiwan groups, backs the same romanization system.
sources and further reading:
- Yàowén zǒng lǎn: Mǐnnányǔ pīnyīn Táiwān Shè: Sū Zhēn-chāng zhǐshì cǎi Tái-Luó xìtǒng (要聞總覽：閩南語拼音 台灣社：蘇貞昌指示採台羅系統), CNA, January 19, 2007
- Sū Zhen-chang Xiè kǎ wèi zhàn ／ xiàng Táiwān zhèngmíng Say Yes? Sū Zhēn-chāng xiàng shēnlǜ kàolǒng… (蘇謝卡位戰／向台灣正名 Say Yes? 蘇貞昌向深綠靠攏…), Dongsen, January 22, 2007
- MOE approves Taiwanese romanization; Tongyongists protest, Pinyin News, October 2, 2006