Activists gathered outside the Ministry of Education yesterday to protest against the ministry referring to Hoklo (also known as Taiwanese) in curriculum guidelines as “Minnan language” (閩南語).
About 100 demonstrators attended, carrying placards that read “I live in Taiwan, I don’t speak Minnan. Don’t call me a speaker of Minnan” and a giant snake toy to represent the Chinese character “min.”
“Min” refers to China’s Fujian Province, but the protesters said the character’s original meaning was “snake.” “Minnan language” or “Minnan dialect” is used in China to refer to a family of dialects spoken mostly in Fujian.
PHOTO: LO PEI-DER, TAIPEI TIMES
Lee Wen-cheng (李文正), one of the protesters, said the ministry had violated the spirit of the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights by describing the Taiwanese people and their language as “Minnan.”
Taiffalo Chiung (蔣為文), a professor of Taiwanese literature at National Cheng Kung University, said the ministry should call Hoklo “Taiyu” (台語) in its curriculum guidelines, adding that the term was more than 100 years old.
The demonstrators threw sacks full of fake snakes over a closed gate into the ministry’s parking lot to express their dissatisfaction after Yang Chang-yu (楊昌裕), director of the Department of Elementary Education, said he did not have the authority to change the curriculum guidelines.
Yang, who met the protesters on behalf of Minister of Education Cheng Jei-cheng (鄭瑞城), said the ministry had long used the term “Minnan” in curriculum guidelines.
Yang said he would convey the protesters’ message to the minister.
In related news, the Department of Elementary Education said yesterday it would encourage junior high schools to offer English proficiency tests for incoming students to gauge their level before starting junior high.
Wu Lin-hui (吳林輝) of the department said schools could then offer summer classes to help students with low scores improve their English.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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