 | Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years. Thanks, CNET Support |
Hello,
I
live in the United States and I'm thinking of getting the iPhone for my
parents. They don't speak English very well, so I was wondering if I
could change the display language on the iPhone to Cantonese, not
Mandarin. There is a big difference between the two.
Thanks for any help!
Discussion is locked
I did a random internet search with the phrase "iPhone Cantonese application" and got several hits. Try that.
to display what it normally displays in English, in Cantonese.
What you want is "traditional Chinese" which are the characters that are used in Hong Kong. Cantonese is a spoken language - as a written language the same characters are used as for Mandarin (with a few minor exceptions). Since Chinese characters are not phonetic, the same characters can be used for completely different sounds (just as "7" can stand for either "seven" or "siete" ,etc.).
nunuvyer is correct. Cantonese is a spoken dialect. It only exists verbally. If you write it down or read text, Chinese is Chinese. The only difference in written Chinese (what is displayed) is Traditional versus Simplified. If your parents speak Cantonese, they likely grew up in Hong Kong or some place outside of mainland China so they would be used to reading in Traditional Chinese. Mainland China, under the Communists, taught simplified Chinese to their citizens. Everyone else (including Japan and Korea) learned using traditional Chinese characters.
Now, what you read/write in Chinese actually comes out different than what is typically spoken in Chinese. For instance, if you listen to a Cantonese newscast, the words and phrasing used by reporters is different from what you hear out on the street. It's more "formal" versus "casual" slang. "Formal" is basically the Chinese as it is written. That said, your parents should still be able to understand the iPhone just fine if you leave it in "Traditional Chinese". If you can read Chinese, you'll understand the "formal" spoken Cantonese. If they can't understand "formal" spoken Cantonese, then they're not going to be able to read a display in Chinese anyways cuz that's how it's taught. Mandarin Chinese is the same spoken or written.
Hey Ardent123, are you first generation Chinese? Sounds like you are nth generation, nth removed from your culture. There is no difference between written Cantonese and "Mandarin" as you referred to. Actually, Chinese worldwide has one common written(display) form. However, this written form has two font systems: a traditional and a simplified font system. The traditional system is widely used outside of mainland China and the simplified system is used in mainland. The traditional system is nice to look at but more complicated to learn. The simplified form may lack the grace of old characters but is easier to learn and easier to popularize.
Very simple, all this is built in the iPhone's operating system software, no need to purchase any additional software. in Setup go to General > International: pick the Traditional Chinese and under Keyboard choose Traditional Chinese. Then the phone's displays will all be in Chinese and with the Keyboard also set...they will be able to enjoy texting and writing and receiving email. Chinese input will be as simple as literally writing the character and selecting what the software recognizes (may also switch keyboard back and forth with English on the fly as needed.)
Hope this helps.
Chowhound
Comic Vine
GameFAQs
GameSpot
Giant Bomb
TechRepublic