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Year of 'Sheep, Goat or Ram' debate shepherds response from experts

While countries across Asia prepare for the arrival of the lunar new year on Thursday, Western media is still trying to work out exactly what year they're celebrating. Debate in English-language media over which zodiac animal - sheep, goat or ram - represents the Year of the Yang, a Chinese word that could translate to all three, has garnered interest on social media.

From US media outlet CNN to British newspapers such as The Manchester Evening News and Birmingham Mail, Western media is raising semantic questions about what to call the year, posted Web user "hereinuk," a Chinese student studying in the UK.

The Chinese zodiac corresponds to the lunar calendar, which assigns an animal to each year of a 12-year cycle.

While some animals leave little to interpret, such as Dragon, Snake and Monkey, Yang is an ambiguous term that has left many in the English-speaking world scratching their heads.

Experts quickly addressed the stampede of questions with possible theories.

Chinese folklorists attribute the year to the goat, given its widespread popularity among Han Chinese farmers. Traditional imagery associated with the Chinese zodiac often depicts Yang as a bearded goat, according to xinhuanet.com.

Some Net users pointed out that this is not the only ambiguous animal term on the Chinese lunar calendar.

"It seems like Westerners could be confused every year. What should they call the Year of the Ox, Cow or Bull?" a Net user commented.

"Chinese culture is so extensive and profound, no wonder some foreigners can't understand. Actually, just using the word yang could save them a lot of trouble," posted a Sina Weibo user.


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