One thing I've run into on these forums recently is this slight pause before I realize how to pronounce certain words and phrases in Chinese when they're spelled with the 'pin-yin' system of romanization. Although the Yale and Wade-Giles systems are seldom used today they nevertheless remain the least confusing and the most accurate methods of spelling Chinese words for Western readers, because they conform more closely to standard English phonetics.

Since pin-yin has spread to the West it has mislead most Western readers and newscasters into mispronouncing the Chinese terms that appear in the media on a regular basis. For example, words pronounced 'jou' are inexplicably spelled 'zhou', the word 'shiao' is illogically spelled 'xiao', 'tsai' for no rhyme or reason is written 'cai', and words that would normally be spelled with a 'ch', are written with a 'q', like in 'qi'. There's no way on earth the average Western reader can fathom the proper pronunciation of Chinese words from such a spelling system. I predict that it will eventually just have to be done away with. That is, unless the Chinese government desires to continually befuddle the rest of the world when it comes to pronouncing Chinese words.

So, I propose that we all use the Yale system in this forum. How 'bout it guys?