Kraemer, Stephen M.2015-07-292015-07-292011https://hdl.handle.net/1794/1905265 pagesIn the Chinese writing system, characters that share a common written phonetic element are known as phonetic series. In Modern Mandarin, many phonetic series contain characters with similar pronunciations. However, there is a great deal of variation from series to series regarding the number of characters in a series and the degree of similarity of their pronunciation in Mandarin. By comparing the various pronunciations of Chinese characters in any given character phonetic series in Mandarin, and by looking at what portion or portions of a syllable may be shared by the various characters in the series, an estimate of the degree of phonological regularity of a given written phonetic element can be ascertained. In this way, we can begin to answer the question of just how “phonetic” the Chinese writing system is in Modern Mandarin.en-USCreative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0-USPresentation