According to comprehensive Taiwan media reports, a middle school biology textbook in Taiwan recently called potatoes "potatoes," which was taken out by Taiwan politicians as "mainland words" to say things and said that they needed to be corrected. After the matter fermented, it sparked discussion on the Internet.
The picture shows the textbook. Image source: Screenshot of Taiwan's "Zhongshi News Network".
The controversial biology textbook, titled "Nomenclature and Classification of 3-2 Organisms," refers to potatoes as "potatoes." According to the publishing company, the textbook contains some different words used in life, all about the same thing, such as: potatoes, which can also be called "falling peanuts", "peanuts", "potatoes" and "artichokes"; Green peppers, also known as "bell peppers", "bell peppers", "vegetable peppers" and "large peppers", let students understand the importance of scientific names for communication.
The picture shows potatoes. Image source: Taiwan's "Zhongshi News Network".
According to Taiwanese media inquiries about the revised dictionary recompiled by the island's education department, there are three explanations under the potato, including: 3, the alias of the legume "falling peanut" and "peanut"; 1, the solanaceae "potato" and "artichoke" aliases; 2, an alias for legume "gourd tea".
However, the mere term "potato" made the green camp politicians jump their feet. A few days ago, Pan Wenzhong, head of the education department of the "legislator" questioning desk, pointed out that some middle school biology textbooks called potatoes "potatoes", and potatoes are "mainland terms", setting off public opinion controversy. Pan Wenzhong then stressed that textbooks approved by the education department will be corrected if they are published "incorrectly".
The matter has also sparked discussion on the Internet. In this regard, Cai Zhengyuan, a former "legislator" of the Kuomintang, ridiculed that the names potatoes and potatoes were invented by the mainland, and the DPP now wants to ban potatoes on the grounds that potatoes are "mainland terms."
Duan Xinyi, president of the Taiwan Chinese Language Education Promotion Association, also said that the text is actually just an introduction to the different ways of calling each place, and the publishing house is not wrong. Nowadays, many restaurants have a cold dish with vinegar shredded potatoes, so let students know that the same name refers to different things, which should be a part of literacy education, the purpose of literacy education is "knowledge to be used in life".
Duan Xinyi said: Resolving misunderstandings that may arise from cross-strait exchanges is what education should do. "Although the two sides of the strait use the same language, sometimes the meaning of the same word is very different, such as 'nesting heart' Taiwan means intimate, mainland means uncomfortable and easy to misunderstand!" In order to reduce hostility, Taiwanese schoolchildren should be properly informed of mainland language.
She also said that the answer of the head of the education department is very strange and inappropriate, is this a return to the "martial law era"? It was really easy to blame back then, and now it's time to go back.
Zhao Shaokang, chairman of the "Zhongguang" Group, pointed out in the program "Shaokang War Room" on the 18th that potatoes are not all called potatoes in the mainland, but "potatoes" in the northeast region, "yam eggs" in northern China, "artichokes" in the northwest region, "sweet potatoes" in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and "potatoes" in Guangdong and Hong Kong.
Taipei City Councilman You Shuhui also said that the first time she saw "vinegar shredded potatoes" at a Hunan restaurant, she was surprised to think that it was peanuts shredded, so should these Hunan restaurants be punished one by one? She believes that language is active, there will be mutual communication, and which words she finds fun and easy to understand will begin to be popular.
Some Taiwanese media commented that there are obviously no mistakes or plant words that must be corrected, and they have a chilling effect under the pan-political situation of pointing deer as horses, which is really the biggest irony of Taiwan, which claims to be diverse and inclusive.
Taiwan's "Lianhe Pao" article said that he did not expect that officials of the ruling party on the island would go crazy whenever they involved the feelings of people on the other side, and regarded the trivial matter as a security crisis to be investigated. Since the cross-strait marriage, navigation, and commerce, the exchanges have been warm, and the language and culture have naturally flown around like wings, so that each other has the opportunity to appreciate and learn from each other, which cannot be said to be "cognitive warfare", after all, knowing more a local language, there will be more understanding and tolerance, and will not be trapped on a small island and sitting in a well and watching the sky.
The article said that language and writing are the carrier of people's communication, as natural as the wind, once popular, you can't stop it; As long as it is not offensive or unsatisfactory words, why abandon it?