<p>This concerns a mid-back vowel pair of [ɤ]/[o] (in IPA symbol), where [ɤ] is unrounded and [o] rounded. In today's mandarin in China, it's unrounded; in taiwan, it is sometimes rounded and sometimes unrounded, depending on the preceding consonant. If the preceding consonant is labial then pinyin o is the rounded [o], otherwise the unrounded [ɤ]. The Taiwanese pronunciation was also the older mandarin pronunciation and can still be heard in many regions' accents in China, but not in today's standard mandarin any more.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-28T13:26:31.890Z
2014-06-28T13:26:31.890Z
user58955
<p>I ran into a book talking about the difference of pronouncing 翁 in Mainland China and Taiwan differently. But it is still confusing to me. My questions are:</p>

<p>What is the difference of pronouncing 翁 in Mainland China and Taiwan?</p>

<p>How to pronounce 翁 in Mainland China and Taiwan?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-28T13:16:32.693Z
Can you post what that book says about this in your question? I'm unaware that there is a difference.
Semaphore
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-28T13:28:01.003Z
@Semaphore yes there's a minor difference. I feel Taiwanese people pronounce it like `wēong`; and the mainland people, a "pure" `wēng`.
Stan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-28T13:36:21.963Z
In Mainland China it is spelled as 'weng', and in Taiwan it is 'wong'
user4457
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-28T14:43:46.763Z
I believe the Pinyin spelling “weng” instead of “ong” is irrelevant to its pronunciation, merely in an attempt to reduce the need of apostrophe (').
Yang Muye
<difference>
How to pronounce 翁 in Mainland China and Taiwan?
# How to pronounce 翁 in Mainland China and Taiwan?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-06-28)

I ran into a book talking about the difference of pronouncing 翁 in Mainland China and Taiwan differently. But it is still confusing to me. My questions are:

What is the difference of pronouncing 翁 in Mainland China and Taiwan?

How to pronounce 翁 in Mainland China and Taiwan?

**Tags:** difference

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Can you post what that book says about this in your question? I'm unaware that there is a difference.  
> **username_2**: @username_1 yes there's a minor difference. I feel Taiwanese people pronounce it like `wēong`; and the mainland people, a "pure" `wēng`.  
> **username_0**: In Mainland China it is spelled as 'weng', and in Taiwan it is 'wong'  
> **username_3**: I believe the Pinyin spelling “weng” instead of “ong” is irrelevant to its pronunciation, merely in an attempt to reduce the need of apostrophe (').  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2014-06-28. Score: 4

This concerns a mid-back vowel pair of [ɤ]/[o] (in IPA symbol), where [ɤ] is unrounded and [o] rounded. In today's mandarin in China, it's unrounded; in taiwan, it is sometimes rounded and sometimes unrounded, depending on the preceding consonant. If the preceding consonant is labial then pinyin o is the rounded [o], otherwise the unrounded [ɤ]. The Taiwanese pronunciation was also the older mandarin pronunciation and can still be heard in many regions' accents in China, but not in today's standard mandarin any more.


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