Hive propaganda songs!

[Alinestra Covelia]

This is pretty tedious but I'll say it again.

Bear in mind that Yang sounds closer to "song" than it does to "sang".

Also, the mainland surname "Wang" is pronounced pretty much the same as the Hong Kong surname "Wong". So those of you who think that Yang's name would rhyme with whatever innuendo you had in mind are technically and practically wrong.

I have nothing against toilet humor but this is A) puerile even by my standards, and B) relies heavily on exploiting a cultural difference for its comic effect. It's probably not outright racism but I'd be willing to bet it's not far off. (As I proved above, if you knew just a little bit more about that culture's pronunciation, it wouldn't even work properly.)

Just my two cents. Nice of you to blank it out, though. That spares some of us.

[livid imp]

Are you arguing the pronunciation of a fictional character? I don't remember getting a phonetic guide to SMAC when I bought the game.

Furthermore, your assumption that Yang is Chinese speaks more of racism than RX2000's alleged mispronunciation. He could be Cambodian, or Mongolian.

I'm not mad or anything, just pointing out flaws in your post.

[RX2000]

If I responded to Alinestra with what I really want to say, I'd probably get banned, so I'll just say that no, the potty rhyme has nothing to do with racism, and I would say its very far from having anything to remotely do with racism. It doesnt exploit any cultural differences. If an American had the last name Rang or something, I'd do the same thing. Dont read stuff into it that isnt there, sheesh.

Besides, they say Yang a BAJILLION times in the game when techs are discovered, and it always sounds like it rhymes with wang, not like it rhymes with song. I'm going by whats in the game, not by what it sounds like in China.

[Alinestra Covelia]

Rats. Looks like I managed to simultaneously anger two newcomers to these boards... maybe this is why they never put me in front at Taco Bell

First off, don't take what I said as a personal attack or a flame. I didn't mean it to be that way - and if you ask around the forums a bit, I think you'll find that I'm a generally pretty agreeable poster - who just happens to have her hobby horses. Also, Yang is also incidentally the same surname as my father, which probably makes me a little oversensitive. So definitely take what I say with a pinch of salt...

The character Yang is definitely Chinese. Alphahq.net confirms it and the game mentions he's from "Greater China". Alphahq.net even had a very indepth background story putting his birthplace as Wuhan and in 1999 (which means he'd be about 5 years old now - how time flies when you're playing SMAC!)

There really isn't any question about his intended nationality.

As for RX2000, the pronunciation ingame is done by a legitimate Chinese speaker and is pronounced closer to rhyme with "wrong". He pronounces it consistently throughout, which is the second tone of Mandarin PinYin "Sheng3-Ji4 Yang2". Surprisingly, people in China do pronounce it just like the game does. (I say surprising because many games don't do the same quality of voice talent as Firaxis did with SMAC. If you look at most games, including Street Fighter and Deus Ex, which have foreign voices in them, they're usually pretty patchy at best.)

I just wanted to point that out and to comment on what I thought was something that might broaden the mind. If what I'm saying is nonsense to you, then just ignore it. I didn't mean this as a flame.

European tongues happen to favor monosyllables for "colorful language"... but it's an unfortunate coincidence that Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese generally use monosyllables for most of their words.

Either way, if you have follow ups, post them to me at Amazonian_Mage@yahoo.com. Let's keep this discussion off the board. Don't mean to be disruptive!

[Frankychan]

I have to agree with Alinestra.

If you listen to the "voice" of Chairman Shenji-ji Yang, he says "his" name.

Phonetically, it's "Shung-JEE Yahng". That's the closest I can get to without confusing everyone. I got a major lecture from one of my Chinese friends because I was saying "chee" wrong. She said it sounds like "cheese" and was getting really mad at me.....that was pretty funny.

[RX2000]

Eh it'll always be Yaaang to me. Americans Americanize everything, thats just our way.

[Trithemius]

Originally posted by Alinestra Covelia
The character Yang is definitely Chinese. Alphahq.net confirms it and the game mentions he's from "Greater China". Alphahq.net even had a very indepth background story putting his birthplace as Wuhan and in 1999 (which means he'd be about 5 years old now - how time flies when you're playing SMAC!)

Which probably means that the Language of the People prevails, even in a climate of neo-Imperialism (since, IIRC, the official dialect has more in common with Mandarin than with Cantonese?).

As an aside, I find it strange that some people see Yang a Communist Socialist when the SMAC site on Firaxis.com claims that he commanded the Golden Emperor's security forces. It's right here.

[Alinestra Covelia]

The Cantonese pronounce that name more like "Yeung" - which is another way my dad pronounces his name. (As you can probably guess, being the child of a southern Chinese parent makes for some pretty good opportunities for full scale confusion.)

It's a pretty similar situation to India, which also has an official dialect and regional variants. Or indeed, Britain, where the dialect change even from city to city was very confusing when I first started living there...

[livid imp]

Arrgh! I posted this right before I left work (I only post at work, and play at home), and when I got home I loaded up the game and realized that Yang's background does say Great China. I knew I was going to come on to posts correcting me.

First off to Alinestra Covelia, I apologize, your statements were correct. As Frankychan already mentioned, the game does pronounce his name.

After reading RX's little "limerick" I knew someone would attack him for something. I also find that people that are the first to cry racism, are the most eager to classify those very same people. I don't believe that racism is nearly as pervasive as is lead to believe, but that is a subject for another OT thread.

I guess I was on the defensive and pulled up the flame shield prematurely. Though I still think that the pronunciation of Yang's name is largely unimportant. But then again, look at the mess I've trolled-up over it
Sorry to all of those whose time I have wasted.

[dworkin]

For the boys and gals 'cruiting for Domai:

When the talent's walking down the street
I see drones, I see drones, I see drones.
They've got an army and the market is free
I see drones, I see drones, I see drones.
I see drones, I see drones (drones!), I see drones.

I respect your wishes
I'll use your damn precious hours
What to do without you.
Squeeze you into a sphere
Down the drain like molten toothpaste
I'ld feel used and spat out.
Got job for you

[chorus]

I'm fed up with crying
My despair is dying,
Turning into rage, day by day
Green before you met me
In the pink when you let me love you
I was blue when you let me down
Now I'm red.

I see drones, I see drones, I see drones (fading)

[Commy]

Yang, Young, Wong, Pong, it doesn't matter how you say the name. Either way, he's an insane fascist who deserves to be shot. And really, they all sound alike.

[Trithemius]

Originally posted by Commy
Yang, Young, Wong, Pong, it doesn't matter how you say the name. Either way, he's an insane fascist who deserves to be shot. And really, they all sound alike.

[Alinestra Covelia]

Sometimes the shortest responses are the most eloquent!