Taiwan is a fascinating country with respect to linguistic matters. It is a multilingual nation that, similar to China, underwent a significant and forced sinicization of its linguistic landscape. However, after transitioning to democracy, the country witnessed a revival of local languages and the acceptance of diverse accents. This uniqueness makes Taiwan an exceptional place to experience various versions of Mandarin. Let’s take a look at the three types of Mandarin you’re likely to encounter while traveling around Taiwan.
Standard Mandarin of the Republic of China – 中華民國標準國語
Taiwan’s official name is the Republic of China, and its government originated, you guessed it, in China. In the 1920s, the ROC government established a standardization of Mandarin Chinese based on the Beijing dialect. However, considering that the political center of the ROC was around Nanjing, the pronunciation was closer to the Mandarin spoken in the Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces. In fact, standard ROC Mandarin resembles what is referred to in China as 滬普 or Shanghainese Mandarin.
Interestingly, standard ROC Mandarin has basically disappeared from modern Taiwanese society. Nevertheless, being considered the “proper Mandarin” by the government, it is still the one taught in schools and used on national news channels. However, the reality is that barely anyone speaks this way in Taiwan today.
The funny thing is that this version of Mandarin is often the one taught to foreigners in Taiwanese schools. But if you speak this way to your young Taiwanese friends, they’ll likely tell you that you sound like an old weather presenter.
Taiwanese Mandarin – 台灣國語
That is the real de-facto standard Mandarin in Taiwan. When Taiwan transitioned to democracy, the media also became more liberal, allowing for a ‘non-standard’ version of Mandarin to be used. Today, with the exception of government-owned channels, everything you hear on TV in Taiwan will be in Taiwanese Mandarin.
Taiwanese Mandarin resembles the Mandarin spoken in southern China. It is characterized by its soft, high-pitched tones and often neglects the retroflex consonants (卷舌). Chinese people sometimes poke fun at it because, by Chinese standards, Taiwanese people sound more feminine or cute, often compared to anime girls.
Despite the teasing, due to its softer nature, Taiwanese Mandarin is considered by foreigners to be easier to learn and more pleasant-sounding than the Chinese taught in China.
Mandarin as a Second Language
Many Taiwanese people do not have Mandarin as their mother tongue. About 70% of Taiwanese speak Taiwanese Hokkien, with many, especially in the south and countryside, having it as their mother tongue and using it as their main language daily. Consequently, their Mandarin is heavily influenced by it. Notable differences include pronouncing ‘H’ instead of ‘F,’ ‘L’ instead of ‘R,’ and the complete absence of retroflex consonants (卷舌).
The Mandarin spoken in Taiwan is also influenced by other languages spoken as first languages, notably Hakka, Japanese, and the Aboriginal languages.
Lee Teng-hui, one of Taiwan’s former presidents, is a perfect example. Not only is his Mandarin influenced by his Taiwanese Hokkien mother tongue, but Lee was also born and raised during Japan’s colonial occupation of Taiwan and spoke fluent Japanese.
Traveling through Taiwan provides an exceptional opportunity to explore and appreciate the nuances of these Mandarin variations, each offering a glimpse into the country’s linguistic evolution and cultural vibrancy.
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