James Dyer Ball


James Dyer Ball was a Hong Kong scholar and author born in Canton. He is noted for his works on Chinese culture and for contributing to the development of the system of Cantonese Romanisation.

Early life

Ball was the son of the Reverend Dyer Ball of Massachusetts, United States, and his much younger second wife, Scottish missionary Isabella Robertson. Apart from preaching, his father ran a dispensary and opened a school in Canton, Guangzhou. At age 7, Ball's family began three years of travel in Britain and the United States, returning to Canton in November 1858 where he received his secondary education before going on to King's College, London, and University College, Liverpool.

Hong Kong career

Ball began his career in Hong Kong with a brief stint as a school teacher at the Government Central School. In March 1875, he took up the post of assistant Chinese interpreter and clerk at the Magistrates' Courts. Six years later, he had risen to First Interpreter at the Supreme Court, Sheriff and Marshall of the Vice-Admiralty Court. He retired in 1909 and died in 1919 in Enfield, Middlesex, England

Writing

Ball was considered the most capable and knowledgeable European speaker of Cantonese of his time.
Mr Ball is one of the most accomplished linguists in Hongkong... and no more able pen could be found
for the work of simplifying and popularizing the Chinese tongue.

Publications

Ball authored many pamphlets and books, including