What is the modern human-made Quoc Ngu script?(2)

Key Features

Represents all sounds in the Vietnamese language using Latin letters.

Incorporates diacritics to mark tones (e.g., á, à, ả, ã, ạ) and differentiate sounds.

Simple and phonetic, making it easier to learn than the complex Chu Nom or Chu Han.

Historical Milestones

• Early 17th Century:
  • Portuguese missionaries like Francisco de Pina laid the foundation for Quoc Ngu by recording Vietnamese sounds using the Latin alphabet.

• 1651:
  • Alexandre de Rhodes published the Dictionarium Annamiticum Lusitanum et Latinum (An Annamese-Latin-Portuguese Dictionary), formalizing Quoc Ngu as a system.

• 19th Century:
  • Under French colonial rule, Quoc Ngu was promoted as the primary script for education and administration, replacing Chu Nom.

• 20th Century:
  • Quoc Ngu became the official writing system of Vietnam and remains the standard today.

Significance

• Cultural Shift:
  • Transitioning from Chu Nom and Chu Han to Quoc Ngu marked a move toward modernization and wider literacy.

• Accessibility:
  • Easier to learn and use than logographic systems, Quoc Ngu contributed to higher literacy rates in Vietnam.

• Historical Importance:
  • Quoc Ngu is a unique example of a Latin-based script fully adapted to a non-Indo-European, tonal language.

Comparison to Earlier Vietnamese Scripts

Chu Nom

A native Vietnamese script using modified Chinese characters to represent Vietnamese words.

Complex and challenging to learn due to its reliance on Chinese characters and custom Vietnamese characters.

Chu Han

Classical Chinese used by scholars and in official documents.

Limited to the educated elite.

Quoc Ngu, in contrast, democratized literacy and became a unifying tool for Vietnamese society.

Legacy

Quoc Ngu stands as an example of how human innovation, driven by the need for communication, can lead to the creation of a practical and accessible script. It reflects a blend of external influence (Latin script) and adaptation to local linguistic needs, embodying the dynamic nature of language evolution.