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Q&A Why do Chinese people say "idear"?

The speakers you have encoutered may be adding Erhua which is common in the Beijing dialect of Mandarin. The '-er' that is added serves various semantic purposes (e.g. diminutive suffix) and is co...

posted 7mo ago by Eric Isaac‭  ·  edited 7mo ago by Eric Isaac‭

Answer
#7: Post edited by user avatar Eric Isaac‭ · 2023-10-18T15:41:38Z (7 months ago)
Add source (needed double to check)
  • The speakers you have encoutered may be adding [Erhua](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erhua) which is common in the Beijing dialect of Mandarin.
  • The '-er' that is added serves various semantic purposes (e.g. diminutive suffix) and is considered standard in PRC issued education and examination guidelines for the Standard Chinese (Mandarin) language. It is possible that the speaker is instinctively using erhua when they intend to communicate a similar modification of _idea_ while speaking English.
  • ### "even before a consonant"
  • In Mandarin, syllables are constructed of initials, finals, and a tone. The next initial (following consonant) doesn't affect the pronunciation of finals. See [Pinyin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinyin).
  • Assuming that the final ɹ you are hearing is unique to something about the Chinese language, it is unlikely that the following consonants would affect the habit.
  • The speakers you have encoutered may be adding [Erhua](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erhua) which is common in the Beijing dialect of Mandarin.
  • The '-er' that is added serves various semantic purposes (e.g. diminutive suffix) and is considered standard in PRC issued education and examination guidelines for the Standard Chinese (Mandarin) language. It is possible that the speaker is instinctively using erhua when they intend to communicate a similar modification of _idea_ while speaking English.
  • ### "even before a consonant"
  • In Mandarin, syllables are constructed of initials, finals, and a tone. The next initial (following consonant) doesn't affect the pronunciation of finals. See [Pinyin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinyin).
  • Assuming that the final ɹ you are hearing is unique to something about the Chinese language, it is unlikely that the following consonants would affect the habit.
  • **Source**
  • Li, Charles N., and Sandra A. Thompson. “Word Structure, 3.2.1 Affixation, C.1 -er.” Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar, University of California Press, 1989, pp. 39.
#6: Post edited by user avatar Eric Isaac‭ · 2023-10-18T12:53:13Z (7 months ago)
grammar correction
  • The speakers you have encoutered may be adding the [Erhua](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erhua) which is common in the Beijing dialect of Mandarin.
  • The '-er' that is added serves various semantic purposes (e.g. diminutive suffix) and is considered standard in PRC issued education and examination guidelines for the Standard Chinese (Mandarin) language. It is possible that the speaker is instinctively using the erhua when they intend to communicate a similar modification of _idea_ while speaking English.
  • ### "even before a consonant"
  • In Mandarin, syllables are constructed of initials, finals, and a tone. The next initial (following consonant) doesn't affect the pronunciation of finals. See [Pinyin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinyin).
  • Assuming that the final ɹ you are hearing is unique to something about the Chinese language, it is unlikely that the following consonants would affect the habit.
  • The speakers you have encoutered may be adding [Erhua](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erhua) which is common in the Beijing dialect of Mandarin.
  • The '-er' that is added serves various semantic purposes (e.g. diminutive suffix) and is considered standard in PRC issued education and examination guidelines for the Standard Chinese (Mandarin) language. It is possible that the speaker is instinctively using erhua when they intend to communicate a similar modification of _idea_ while speaking English.
  • ### "even before a consonant"
  • In Mandarin, syllables are constructed of initials, finals, and a tone. The next initial (following consonant) doesn't affect the pronunciation of finals. See [Pinyin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinyin).
  • Assuming that the final ɹ you are hearing is unique to something about the Chinese language, it is unlikely that the following consonants would affect the habit.
#5: Post edited by user avatar Eric Isaac‭ · 2023-10-18T12:41:28Z (7 months ago)
Correct incorrect info about erhua semantics
  • The speakers you have encoutered may be adding the [Erhua](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erhua) which is common in the Beijing dialect of Mandarin.
  • The '-er' that is added generally has no semantic meaning, but is considered standard in PRC issued education and examination guidelines for the Standard Chinese (Mandarin) language. Speakers from the ROC, or southern mainland China are less likely to add the erhua.
  • ### "even before a consonant"
  • In Mandarin, syllables are constructed of initials, finals, and a tone. The next initial (following consonant) doesn't affect the pronunciation of finals. See [Pinyin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinyin).
  • Assuming that the final ɹ you are hearing is unique to something about the Chinese language, it is unlikely that the following consonants would affect the habit.
  • The speakers you have encoutered may be adding the [Erhua](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erhua) which is common in the Beijing dialect of Mandarin.
  • The '-er' that is added serves various semantic purposes (e.g. diminutive suffix) and is considered standard in PRC issued education and examination guidelines for the Standard Chinese (Mandarin) language. It is possible that the speaker is instinctively using the erhua when they intend to communicate a similar modification of _idea_ while speaking English.
  • ### "even before a consonant"
  • In Mandarin, syllables are constructed of initials, finals, and a tone. The next initial (following consonant) doesn't affect the pronunciation of finals. See [Pinyin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinyin).
  • Assuming that the final ɹ you are hearing is unique to something about the Chinese language, it is unlikely that the following consonants would affect the habit.
#4: Post edited by user avatar Eric Isaac‭ · 2023-10-17T20:34:45Z (7 months ago)
capitalize Chinese
  • The speakers you have encoutered may be adding the [Erhua](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erhua) which is common in the Beijing dialect of Mandarin.
  • The '-er' that is added generally has no semantic meaning, but is considered standard in PRC issued education and examination guidelines for the Standard Chinese (Mandarin) language. Speakers from the ROC, or southern mainland China are less likely to add the erhua.
  • ### "even before a consonant"
  • In Mandarin, syllables are constructed of initials, finals, and a tone. The next initial (following consonant) doesn't affect the pronunciation of finals. See [Pinyin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinyin).
  • Assuming that the final ɹ you are hearing is unique to something about the chinese language, it is unlikely that the following consonants would affect the habit.
  • The speakers you have encoutered may be adding the [Erhua](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erhua) which is common in the Beijing dialect of Mandarin.
  • The '-er' that is added generally has no semantic meaning, but is considered standard in PRC issued education and examination guidelines for the Standard Chinese (Mandarin) language. Speakers from the ROC, or southern mainland China are less likely to add the erhua.
  • ### "even before a consonant"
  • In Mandarin, syllables are constructed of initials, finals, and a tone. The next initial (following consonant) doesn't affect the pronunciation of finals. See [Pinyin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinyin).
  • Assuming that the final ɹ you are hearing is unique to something about the Chinese language, it is unlikely that the following consonants would affect the habit.
#3: Post edited by user avatar Eric Isaac‭ · 2023-10-17T20:31:10Z (7 months ago)
Address confusion re following consonants, remove parts of answer that don't directly answer the specific question
  • The speakers you have encoutered may be adding the [Er-hua](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erhua) which is common in the Beijing dialect of Mandarin.
  • The '-er' that is added generally has no semantic meaning, but is considered standard in PRC issued education and examination guidelines for the Standard Chinese (Mandarin) language.
  • It is worth noting that not every Mandarin Chinese speaker will do this (either because they consciously choose not to sound like they may be from Northern Mainland China, or because they natively speak a different language/dialect which relies on different sounds).
  • Generally, it isn't unusual for speakers of multiple languages to have the phonology they use for later learned/lesser used languages influenced by the phonology/grammatical habits of thier native language/dialect.
  • The speakers you have encoutered may be adding the [Erhua](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erhua) which is common in the Beijing dialect of Mandarin.
  • The '-er' that is added generally has no semantic meaning, but is considered standard in PRC issued education and examination guidelines for the Standard Chinese (Mandarin) language. Speakers from the ROC, or southern mainland China are less likely to add the erhua.
  • ### "even before a consonant"
  • In Mandarin, syllables are constructed of initials, finals, and a tone. The next initial (following consonant) doesn't affect the pronunciation of finals. See [Pinyin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinyin).
  • Assuming that the final ɹ you are hearing is unique to something about the chinese language, it is unlikely that the following consonants would affect the habit.
#2: Post edited by user avatar Eric Isaac‭ · 2023-10-17T19:07:33Z (7 months ago)
Clarify that Mandarin Chinese is the dialect refered to
  • The speakers you have encoutered may be adding the [Er-hua](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erhua) which is common in the Beijing dialect of Mandarin.
  • The '-er' that is added generally has no semantic meaning, but is considered standard in PRC issued education and examination guidelines for the Standard Chinese language.
  • It is worth noting that not every Chinese speaker will do this (either because they consciously choose not to sound like they may be from Northern Mainland China, or because they natively speak a different language/dialect which relies on different sounds).
  • Generally, it isn't unusual for speakers of multiple languages to have the phonology they use for later learned/lesser used languages influenced by the phonology/grammatical habits of thier native language/dialect.
  • The speakers you have encoutered may be adding the [Er-hua](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erhua) which is common in the Beijing dialect of Mandarin.
  • The '-er' that is added generally has no semantic meaning, but is considered standard in PRC issued education and examination guidelines for the Standard Chinese (Mandarin) language.
  • It is worth noting that not every Mandarin Chinese speaker will do this (either because they consciously choose not to sound like they may be from Northern Mainland China, or because they natively speak a different language/dialect which relies on different sounds).
  • Generally, it isn't unusual for speakers of multiple languages to have the phonology they use for later learned/lesser used languages influenced by the phonology/grammatical habits of thier native language/dialect.
#1: Initial revision by user avatar Eric Isaac‭ · 2023-10-17T19:04:03Z (7 months ago)
The speakers you have encoutered may be adding the [Er-hua](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erhua) which is common in the Beijing dialect of Mandarin.

The '-er' that is added generally has no semantic meaning, but is considered standard in PRC issued education and examination guidelines for the Standard Chinese language.

It is worth noting that not every Chinese speaker will do this (either because they consciously choose not to sound like they may be from Northern Mainland China, or because they natively speak a different language/dialect which relies on different sounds).

Generally, it isn't unusual for speakers of multiple languages to have the phonology they use for later learned/lesser used languages influenced by the phonology/grammatical habits of thier native language/dialect.