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Because in Chinese morphology "xi'an" is two distinct syllables, while "xian" is a single syllable. In Hanyu Pinyin (the modern Chinese transliteration standard

by amake 11y ago

Because in Chinese morphology "xi'an" is two distinct syllables, while "xian" is a single syllable. In Hanyu Pinyin (the modern Chinese transliteration standard) this distinction is made with an apostrophe. What English "usually" does with the apostrophe is irrelevant. "Xi'an" and "xian" must be able to be distinguished in English because they refer to separate things. If you have a problem with using an apostrophe for this, take it up with the standards body that decided on Hanyu Pinyin.

thaumasiotes 11y ago
> "Xi'an" and "xian" must be able to be distinguished in English because they refer to separate things. What ridiculous nonsense. You mean like how Michael Jackson and Michael Jackson must be able to be distinguished in English because they refer to separate things? Oh, whoops. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_Walk_of_Fame#Names_in_common https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_Walk_of_Fame#Names_i... Maybe you mean how Springfield and Springfield must be able to be distinguished in English because they refer to separate things. Maybe you mean that English must distinguish between strings of one syllable and strings of two. Unfortunately for you, that's still nonsense. Consider this variation on a classic example sentence: "I spent the evening evening out a ripple in the rug."
kps 11y ago
Well, OK; my question was based on your “pinyin is not relevant”; if it's pinyin or pseudo-pinyin then it has its own rules, just like any other non-English language that uses roman letters, and English orthography is irrelevant. Then writing ‘Xi'an’ is just an affectation like writing ‘Roma’ and ‘Wien’ in place of ‘Rome’ and ‘Vienna’.
- amake 11y ago
  I said "What the Chinese think about pinyin is not relevant" in response to thaumasiotes's comment that "The chinese don't worry too much about pinyin." Clearly thaumasiotes is talking about your average Chinese-speaking man-on-the-street, and I think it's pretty clear that I meant that such a person's opinion is not relevant. Of course the Hanyu Pinyin standard is relevant.
  - thaumasiotes 11y ago
    Why is the Hanyu Pinyin standard relevant? It is not the source of official English orthography for Chinese names (and hey, if it was, xi'an would be just as wrong as xian!). I'll ask you for the third time what you think of 陕西.

by amake 11y ago

thaumasiotes 11y ago

> "Xi'an" and "xian" must be able to be distinguished in English because they refer to separate things. What ridiculous nonsense. You mean like how Michael Jackson and Michael Jackson must be able to be distinguished in English because they refer to separate things? Oh, whoops. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_Walk_of_Fame#Names_in_common https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_Walk_of_Fame#Names_i... Maybe you mean how Springfield and Springfield must be able to be distinguished in English because they refer to separate things. Maybe you mean that English must distinguish between strings of one syllable and strings of two. Unfortunately for you, that's still nonsense. Consider this variation on a classic example sentence: "I spent the evening evening out a ripple in the rug."

kps 11y ago

Well, OK; my question was based on your “pinyin is not relevant”; if it's pinyin or pseudo-pinyin then it has its own rules, just like any other non-English language that uses roman letters, and English orthography is irrelevant. Then writing ‘Xi'an’ is just an affectation like writing ‘Roma’ and ‘Wien’ in place of ‘Rome’ and ‘Vienna’.

amake 11y ago
I said "What the Chinese think about pinyin is not relevant" in response to thaumasiotes's comment that "The chinese don't worry too much about pinyin." Clearly thaumasiotes is talking about your average Chinese-speaking man-on-the-street, and I think it's pretty clear that I meant that such a person's opinion is not relevant. Of course the Hanyu Pinyin standard is relevant.
- thaumasiotes 11y ago
  Why is the Hanyu Pinyin standard relevant? It is not the source of official English orthography for Chinese names (and hey, if it was, xi'an would be just as wrong as xian!). I'll ask you for the third time what you think of 陕西.