The Origin of English Textbooks with the English Pronunciation Indicated in the Chinese Characters

The earliest English textbooks compiled by Chinese people used Chinese characters to indicate the pronunciation of English words, hence they were called Chinese character phonetic English textbooks. The compilation of these kinds of textbooks has a long history. In a broader sense, their origins can be traced back to the compilation of foreign language textbooks during the Yuan and Ming dynasties, namely Hua Yi Yi Yü. In a narrower sense, their origin is closely related to the "Macao Portuguese" textbooks. Their prototype originated from the direct contact between Chinese and English languages, resulting in the orally transmitted "Canton English." As Sino-British trade expanded, there was an increasing societal need for more trade-related foreign language talent. Therefore, People used the Cantonese dialect to record the pronunciations of spoken English heard during interactions with British people, forming the earliest "Cantonese Phonetic English Textbooks" and establishing the rudimentary form of Chinese character phonetic English textbooks. In terms of compilation style, content arrangement, and phonetic notation methods, the textbooks of Hua Yi Yi Yü, Macao Portuguese, and Canton English share a common lineage, forming the framework of the .Chinese character phonetic English textbooks.