Journal of East Asian Libraries

Volume 1998 Number 115 Article 13

6-1-1998

Summary Report of the CEAL Task Force to Review a Possible Change from the Wade-Giles to the Romanization System

Karl Lo

Tim Connor

John DeFrancis

Martin Heijdra

Karl Kahler

See next page for additional authors

Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jeal

BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Lo, Karl; Connor, Tim; DeFrancis, John; Heijdra, Martin; Kahler, Karl; Ma, Tai-loi; Tsiang, Amy; and Zhou, Peter (1998) "Summary Report of the CEAL Task Force to Review a Possible Change from the Wade-Giles to the Pinyin Romanization System," Journal of East Asian Libraries: Vol. 1998 : No. 115 , Article 13. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jeal/vol1998/iss115/13

This Report is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of East Asian Libraries by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Summary Report of the CEAL Task Force to Review a Possible Change from the Wade-Giles to the Pinyin Romanization System

Authors Karl Lo, Tim Connor, John DeFrancis, Martin Heijdra, Karl Kahler, Tai-loi Ma, Amy Tsiang, and Peter Zhou

This report is available in Journal of East Asian Libraries: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jeal/vol1998/iss115/13 SUMMARY REPORT CEAL TASK FORCE REVIEW POSSIBLE CHANGE WADEGHESWADEGILESWADE GHESGILES PINYIN romanization SYSTEM

report summary task force discussion papers well task force members reactions papers

CEAL task force TF review possible change wade giles WG pincinpinyin PY romanization system bases recommendations upon following parameters TF concerned problems ofawgpyWGPY conversion bibliographical records major focus describing materials characters ramifications records written languages mentioned fully discussed report

TF bases recommendations upon todays technology well upon information available time writing while aware possible future innovations TF sought unduly influenced anticipated technological developments

TF agreed outset users continue need access materials written chinese script means romanization system

TF supports library congress LCs plan change PY romanization near future TF emphasizes however change should carried careful look impact change present national local databases future additions information individual library collections user access information technological factors

primary goal cataloging chinese faithfully transcribe source user romanization original chinese used american libraries two purposes 1 alphabetize filing retrieving 2 represent substitute chinese characters phonetically although romanization should cannot used substitute chinese characters auxiliary tool needed searching retrieval filing guides clarifying pronunciation software developed allows transcription chinese script romanizedromaniwomanizedzed equivalents including both WG PY systems addition software now allows entries input WG scheme changed PY counterpart vice versa example OCLC worldcatWorldCat user input search PY retrieve record PY original record essence whatever format original data chinese script PY WG information changed viewed formats discretion user without altering original data

important note chinese computing now affordable smallest laptops mainframes therefore multilingual computing libraries now possible soon

40 become commonly affordable

TF members vvaryingaryingarbing opinions degree technology solve problems ofayofpyPY conversion light TFs recognition continuing need romanizedromaniwomanizedzed access chinese materials recognition oflcsoflusLCs plan change PY scheme TF recommends

I1 LC follow guidelines PY romanization set forth chinese national commission language model devising PY scheme

2 LC CEAL libraries strive make total retrospective change PY choose follow LCs plan

3 libraries explore new technologies allow multiple inputoutputinput output methods access chinese materials without relying solely scheme unresolved issue libraries suggest adding parallel PY WG access points during transition period until PY changes complete libraries feel too input intensive TF unable make recommendation question technological issue word division word division basically refers way syllables aggregated machine processing three approaches possible

I1 word division ignored each syllable treated instead separate entity

2 word division achieved adding aggregator between two syllables eliminating space character between them

3 word division achieved indirect aggregation adjacency searching

TF recommends

1 LC ignore word division

2 LC use chinese PY romanization rules model determining word division

3 TF unable recommend either option 2 use aggregator 3 adjacency searching above better solution instead recommends LC cooperation CEAL community explore both possibilities achieving word division before making final decision

41 unresolved issue suggested having parallel aggregated non aggregated fields accommodate different search strategies others seems goal too costly input intensive TF raises issue without making recommendation technological user issue splitspilt files split files already created maintained while card catalogs being converted retrospectively machine readable files ideally change WG PY done day goal becomes impossible then another split file might created until global conversion records WG PY completed

TF recommends

1 single libraries maintain split OPAC files instead make records PY accessible before day

2 retrospective conversion catalog cards machine readable form done PY romanization day bibliographic control factor authority files

LC need review update authority files affected change PY

TF recommends

I1 LC explore way globally do WGPY flip both versions already exist authority record

2 LC preserve commonly known form names fit category

cataloging factor classification schedules

LC call numbers materials written chinese assigned according general classification schedules now these call numbers based upon WG romanization future call numbers based upon PY romanization since almost CEAL libraries follow LCs classification schedules future changes LC policy affect chinese collections north america

TF recommends

1 LC give clear guidelines how deal both old call numbers follow WG romanization implementation new call numbers follow PY romanization

unresolved issue classification schemes

42 iflcLC continues assign classification numbers reflect WG romanization then these numbers reflect current practice everyone burdened many see references become less less clear future years hand LC adopts new numbers based upon PY romanization then end varying editions literary authors having two classification numbers since massive recataloging remarking currently cataloged materials impossible libraries cataloging factor LC subject headings

LCSHLCSK based upon source found already mixture ofwgWG PY common english usage forms

TF recommends

I1 LC review subject headings resolve WGPY conflicts favoring new PY form

2 LC give clearer guidelines resolving wgpyenglish usage conflicts based upon source found principle user factor bibliographic instruction users already experienced difficulty accessing bibliographic records since younger users unfamiliar WG romanization change PY access should make user searches easier therefore faster

TF recommends

1 LC develop onlineline user education materials quickly order keep users informed WGPY changes cost factors cost important consideration especially since millions ofwgWG records online national databases single library OPACs time LC begins switch PY strong possibility two major costs occur cost WGPY switch both national databases local databases well cost maintaining split files issue unresolved time change

TF recommends

I1 LC CEAL libraries work cooperatively national utilities find way develop cost effective global conversion project

2 LC CEAL libraries strive avoid duplication efforts making change PY

43 3 LC CEAL libraries explore cooperative ways reduce cost loading nationally converted records local databases

4 LC CEAL libraries make special effort estimate cost front end program search both PY WG entries libraries alternative choices cost conversion becomes clear

TASK FORCE MEMBERS karl lo10 chair tim connor john defrancis martin heijdra karl kahler tai loi ma amy tsiang peter zhou

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