Fast
translator
One Word for One World
One Word for One World

History of the Chinese Language

Chinese, a branch of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages, is divided into various languages and dialects spoken by over a billion people. It is thought that a common language existed four thousand years ago. Invasions out of the north and geographic isolation gave rise to regional language variations. Researchers are unclear what earlier forms of Chinese looked like, since by the time of the Han Dynasty reforms, no unified language was in existence. Even after the end of the dynasty, Chinese continued to evolve as renewed influence from the north produced changes in structure and sound. By the Tenth Century a standard language was widespread, at least for local civil servants and officials. Today’s Mandarin Chinese, the country’s official language, is a standardized artificial creation: the pronunciation of the Peking dialect with vocabulary from northern dialects and the grammatical structure of Baihua, the written version of the everyday language. Do you need professional translation into Chinese or from Chinese? Our translation teams consist exclusively of experienced native speakers who know the specifics of Chinese and deliver precise translations. Why not speak with one of our project managers? We would welcome your call.

Written Chinese

Although there are many Chinese languages, only two written forms evolved. The oldest preserved written texts are around three thousand years old. This classic Chinese, called Wenyan, is a form that has since become widely disconnected from the spoken language. The other written form, known as Baihua, more closely reflects spoken Chinese but was long viewed as vulgar. The arrival of Buddhism in China stimulated the spread of this version, since it necessitated a translation of Indian traditions and knowledge. It was not until the 20th Century, however, that intellectuals began to support the use of Baihua in everyday life.

As a rule, Chinese characters are partly phonetic and partly semantic, accounting for the tone marks. New characters continue to be added – for example, to describe a new scientific discovery. Everyday living requires the use of between 2 000 and 3 000 characters, while around 4 000 are needed to read a newspaper. Since Chinese is very difficult for Westerners to learn, demand is growing for translations into and from Chinese. Especially in economic matters, China plays an important role. If you have business contacts in China and need translations into Chinese and from Chinese, Fasttranslator Translation Services is your ideal partner. We provide rapid and competent translation of your documents in any field. To receive the quickest possible response, send us your text either by email or using the offer form at the right.

Transcription systems

Trade contacts as well as early tourism created a need for transcription systems that reflect Chinese pronunciation. One of the best known of these, the Wade-Giles system, originated in the 19th Century and is still in use today. Linguists in the 20th Century developed various alternatives, the most widely accepted being the Pinyin system. Since China is one of the largest economies in the world, today more than ever there is a demand for professional translations into and from Chinese. Contact us to discover how our team of translators can help you.

Professional translators prefer our translation service. Fasttranslator is a corporate member of the leading global translation society ProZ, where 42 translators have given us a score of 5,0 out 5.