the word Wing Chun, is that Cantonese or Mandarin? If it is one of them, then how is it spelled in the other language? Thanks.
The pronunciation represented by the phonetic spelling “Wing Chun” is Cantonese. Not only are there variations of romanisation systems for Cantonese (eg: Sydney Lau or Hepburn systems), but for a variety of either personal preferences or commercial reasons, other spellings as well (eg: Ving Tsun, Wing Tsun, etc.), so there is quite a lot of confusion possible, and this is also complicated by the fact that there are variations in the actual characters used for the system as well. Even the translation of the name is often quite varied (eg: serenade springtime, forever springtime, and so on). If you were to spell the name in the Mandarin dialect, using the widely accepted Pinyin romanisation method, it would be written “Yong Chun”, though once again, due to variations on the spelling systems, you might also render it as “Yung Ch’un” or “Yung Chun”. Hopefully this doesn’t add to your confusion 
So basically when someone says “I practice Wing Chun Kung Fu.” they are saying they practice a Chinese martial art combining Cantonese and Mandarin (Kung Fu being Mandarin, Gung Fu being Cantonese, so I read). So to make it more um…nerdy showing off your vast knowledge, you should say “I practice Wing Chun Gung Fu.” or “I practice Yung Ch’un Kung Fu.” so you don’t use several different languages (after all you are using English in there too).
not to mention that by putting “I practice” infront of it, that you’re adding another language anyways.
but then again, who cares.
-BP-
haha
good eyes BP!
(after all you are using English in there too).
I did already state that.
`Sides, I just wanted to know if Wing Chun was Cantonese. Someone might actually ask you that question some day to see how much you truly know about the art.
Actually, the idea that “Kung-fu” is Mandarin and “Gung-fu” is Cantonese is a myth the arose because of the variations that exist in the romanisation systems for Chinese. In fact, and to simplify the explanation, the old method of “spelling” Chinese that was popular for over a century, the Wade-Giles system, often only distinguished between sounds by the addition or omission of an apostrophe (thus “T’ai Chi” for “taiji”, “Mao Tse-tung” for “Mao Zedong”, “Peiching” for “Beijing”, “Pakua Chang” for “Bagua Zhang” and so), hence “K” represented a “G” sound, while “K’” represented a “K” sound. Thus, “Kung-fu” and “Gung-fu” are actually pronounced exactly the same way, which is with a “G” sound as the initial sound. In the Pinyin method for spelling Mandarin Chinese, it is rendered “gongfu”, and is virtually identical in sound with its Cantonese counterpart. The only way to overcome this “problem” is by reading directly from the characters, but of course not everyone can do so.
Stop this now!
Stop this thread this very minute. Anyone posting after my post will be shot.
TOO CONFUSING!
When someone asks me what MA I study… my eyes are going to glaze over and dribble will fall from my mouth.
Let us all agree here and now. We all study… Hmmm… “Wig Wam”.
This should be the common definition we all use from now on:cool:
Yung Ch’un Ch’uan
Don’t forget the fist!!!
So, I guess if black and blue were saying it the ‘fist’ would change to ‘fit’… hmm, ‘wig wam fit’ TM… I shall set up my own web page and advertise for members immediately!
Where does the poem about the remembering the Han dynasty fit into the history, the variation between the two different characters for ‘wing’/‘weng’, and Yim Wing Chun’s name itself?
AD- Nice to see Wade Giles still around. Not sure how Pin Yin expects people to see Quan and Ch’uan. 
Matt - The poem is from the Pao Fa Lien system of the late Chu Chong in HK and Kwok Gai in Foshan. I believe it goes - “Always (Weng/Yong) speak (Yan/Yin) with determination, never forget the Han nation, again will return spring (Chun/Chun)”. The first two characters combine to form Wing/Yong (to chant), while the last is Chun (spring), hence shortened to “Wing Chun”.
This does not relate to the name Yim Wing-Chun as Pao Fa Lien doesn’t make mention of a Yim Wing-Chun in their creation myth (instead, a Shaolin monk named Dai Dong Fung (Dai Dong Feng, Great East Wing).
Rgds,
RR
Wade Giles, PinYin… whatever
I feel free to mix n’ match!! Anyway, none of it is Chinese, or even Cantonese!!
Wo xie jie yang, ni kan de dong ma? Maybe, but there is no meaning in it, just sounds. Xiang Yin Wen Yi Yang Lan Ba!
This board should be facilitated with Chinese characters!
Dui Le!
RR
David Peterson
You wrote:
“Actually, the idea that “Kung-fu” is Mandarin and “Gung-fu” is Cantonese is a myth the arose because of the variations that exist in the romanisation systems for Chinese”.
I take issue with your statement because there are people on this forum who are trying to learn the truth and should not be lead astray.
I speak Cantonese. KUNG FU IS MANDARIN. GUNG FU IS CANTONESE, period. The difference has nothing to do with romanization. There is a distinct difference in pronounciation. I studied the Yale University Romanization for three (3) years in University. The Yale romanization is used by the U.S. Foreign Service Department. Also, I’m from NYC which has a LARGE Cantonese speaking Chinatown. I had, and still have the opportunity to use my Cantonese/Toishan on a daily basis here in Detroit, and Toronto. If I were you, I’d refrain from making blanket statements with little or no foundation. You could mislead poeple. You live in Australia. There are plenty of Chinese there. Talk to some of them…please.
P Redmond
http://www.wingchunkwoon.com
David Peterson
One more thing. Did you know that Hong Kong Cantonese has some differences from the Cantonese spoken in ‘Canton’ proper?
For instance, ‘neui’ is the Canton (city) pronounciation for girl. In Hong Kong some people say,"leui’. Oftentimes the ‘L’ sound is used in place if the ‘N’ in Hong Kong. I’m not trying to cut you down. It’s just that Language is my gift and love. (Spanish, Greek, Arabic, Cantonese, Toishan).
Now I’m studying Hebrew and Mandarin. And I speak a little English too.
Phil
Giu di dim sum sik ma? Haa gao, siew mai, cha siew bao? Gno dou yiew, m goi!!
Siew jie, lei ho leng, ho tim!
– Practical Cantonese, by Alpha Dog
Alpha - u crack me up man 
a practical way to get slapped by any number of Leng Lui, and order great food
david
Alpha Dog
Giu di dim sum sik ma? Haa gao, siew mai, cha siew bao? Gno dou yiew, m goi!!
Siew jie, lei ho leng, ho tim!
Hi Alpha, not bad but you know that Cantonese has at least 7 tones. For instance, when you wrote, sik ma. You should have written ,sihk. Which is a lower tone. An 'H" lets reader of the Roman alphabet know that the word is pronounced in one of the lower tones. Anyway, I do love to eat Dim Sum. And I love the shrimp buns. I don’t eat Chow siu bao though. They have Jyu yuk,(pork). M’sai haak hei. And who are you calling pretty Miss???
LOL. I’m in Ontario right now, Thurs. 3-21-02. I’ll be here until Tues. 3-26-02. Where are you?
Phil
P.S. you should say, Nei hou leng
Phil Redmond
–I’d refrain from making blanket statements with little or no foundation. You could mislead people.
Right on…I second to that.
You’re in a unique position to capitalize on a advisory role.
Go for it!
Phil
I wasn’t referring to you, just listing the only Cantonese I know. Plus I only know it phonetically, not from a scholastic point of view.
I think it rocks that you are into learning Chinese languages, by the way!
Cheers,
AD