Not that I smoke joints anymore but I do get disillusioned sometimes about my life goal which is to make Cantonese a world language. Here I was all happy about getting more and more students whom I can Canto-groom, thus making my dream of world domination a reality, and then I have to realise that there’s a province right under my nose which is hard at work making my dream come to nought. Zip zero and all that.
The province I’m talking about is Guangdong, home, nay, cradle of the very Cantonese language without which I wouldn’t be here. But as I’m toiling away with the spreading of the sacred Canto-word, it seems that Guangdong is giving up the holy Canto-ghost.
Last weekend I went to Long Tsuen (Dragon River) in the north-ish of the province and: Mandarin has become the new English! It used to be that if you spoke to very Canto-looking people they answered you in English. Now it’s bloody Mandarin! I address people in my Norwegian accented and therefore Canto-sounding Cantonese, and they answer me in Mandarin. Putong bloody hua.
I even met a couple who were obviously Canto natives; they spoke Cantonese to each other. But to their child they only spoke awfully accented Putonghua, not even wanting the child to learn the language in the province in which they live! I asked them why and they said they didn’t want their child to learn Cantonese.
This is going on all over the province. Will boring, communist party meeting, set in stone Mandarin win the day after all? Stand up, ye people of Hong Kong, soon to be the last bastion of Canto! I am thoroughly disillusioned and want to kill myself – linguistically at least. I have said many times that it’s no fun fighting a downhill battle, but this? It’s like two Hong Kong parents talking to their children in awfully accented English, not wanting them to learn the language in which … hang on, that’s already happening.
What is it with Cantonese, the most fun, vibrant, happening language on earth, that makes everyone want to kill it off?
Well it will be over my dead, stinking, putrefying body, that’s for sure. Stand up to be counted all you people out there who don’t want the fascist, dull, we-rule-and-own-the world, nationalistic, anti-fun-and-variety, support-every-awful-regime and kill-all-initiative language Mandarin, to win.  Having lots of money, killing the whole world with fumes  and being able to host a big sporting event isn’t everything you know.
in a shout out to all non-madarin chinese
- walau-eh!
(coincidentally what i screamed when i was informed “blonde lotus” will take TWENTY ONE working days to ship to the uk… what happened to the common decency of 7-10 working days on international orders?)
regardless of ridiculous shipping times, still purchased the book though…
Relax. Cantonese isn’t dying. In fact, it is picking up in Southeast Asia.
Two decades ago, you would find few people who spoke or understood Cantonese in Singapore. Now, every bloody customs and immigration officer (even those in transit gates) beam when I talk to them in Cantonese.
But you are right about one thing. Beijing brigade is trying damn hard to enforce Mandarin as the local language in Hong Kong. However, I doubt Hongkongers are about to give up Cantonese.
It’s too inbred in the culture (and even in schools).
Typical dialog between Hong Kong students:
Student A: “Wai, sheung um sheung hok putonghua?”
Student B: “Um laan sai la! Wa laan chi khoi!”
(All right, correct my pinyin if you want. I learned Cantonese from minibus drivers. However, don’t translate the second sentence, which is typical HK Canto.)
Jokes aside, Cantonese is a beautiful language, and it is very poetic indeed. In fact, most works of poetry and linguistic arts are from Cantonese.
Also, Cantonese is a tonal language and therefore has 9 tones (compared to 4 1/2 – that is four and a half – in Mandarin). Native English speakers might find Mandarin easier to learn than Cantonese. But then, Mandarin is a slimy language that sounds like a bunch of reptiles hissing.
Ciao!
Ha ha! Yes! Excellent description. Mandarin is only easier to learn because Mando speakers don’t immediately break into English when they see whitey looming on the horizon, thereby giving learners a chance to practise night and day.
I find Cantonese much easier to understand. A sentence which in Mando would sound like a whole People’s Committee of snakes hissing: Shi shi shi shi shi shi shi (pronounced shr) would in Canto be Sap si sat sek jee sai chi.
About my book: I’m sorry!!!!! It’s the publisher dealing with all that stuff.
My next book, after all the disappointments with broken contracts and promises, will be put out there so you can download it. Enough of the publishing world I say.
Many Hong Kong employers are just as much to blame in the shift from Cantonese o Mandarin. My friend who is a local Hong Kong Cantonese speaker, who can only utter one or two words in Putonghua is trying to find another job, after having ben laid off (made redundant) from his previous job.
He tells me that it is so frustrating very annoying to go an interview, only to be asked by the interviewer can you speak Mandarin?
The ironic thing is, even if he could, in some of the posts he applied for, he would NEVER have the opportunity to speak it, either because everyone int he office speaks Cantonese, and because of the nature of the business, there is alos no need to toalk to the companies outside client’s. Another things is, they don’t even tell when he isked to attend for an interview, that they need a Mandarin speaker!
I think soon, the only place that Cantonese will ever continue to be spoken is in places like Australia, where Cantonese is said to be the third most common language spoken, and places like Vancouver and Toronto, where ther are a large umber of Hong KOng immigrants.
It’s gonong to get worse in Hong Kong as we awill end up with people code switching form Cantonese to Mandarin to English then finishing off with Mandarin.
Its bad enough hearing Cantonese being spoken with English words substiituted for many Cantonese words. Hong Kong will end up like that well known Chinese guy Michael Wong, who in all his fims talks three words Cantonese and six words or senetences in English, when he speaks his lines hmmmmmm.
I get frustrated also. I spent all my time learning and trying to maintian my Cantonese, only to find that someone like you who is breaking their neck to make non-Chinese people speak it can’t even make headway, by getting the Cantonese podcast up to date. What is ah-Saa doing with them, why is she slow in UPLOADING them to th site?
Not to mention getting hold of your book. What are your publishers up too. They take so long to send by mail, I have given up waiting and cancelled my order. Why can’t one simply go into a book shop in Hong Kong and pick a copy up form the shelves, like any anverage person woul ddo. Why is it necesary to wait so long for a book. Now let me see in two years time, I would like to read your new book. Am I giving the publishers and/or bookshops enough time I wonder?
And yes ah-Sin, I agree paint dry so sloww when you watch it and did you know, a watched kettle never boils too.
And why doesnt your blog have a spelling checker!
Bookshops. G.O.D. That book is everywhere.
Ah Sa is waiting for something or other in the technical dept of RTHK.
Eh, Singapore and Malaysia are pretty secure in their Canto. It’s definately scary to be learning Canto and hear all the negativity about it. Luckily, I don’t give a crap. Learning a new language is awesometacular.
What with Canto-pop, Hong Kong films, radio and TV, I don’t think Cantonese is in any danger.
Good thing too, because if I had to listen to Mandarin every day, I’d put a bullet in the back of my own head.
I wonder if Hong Kong students are being forced to learn to write simplied Chinese too, besides learning to speak Putonghua? If they are, then I think it’s a disastrous fate for traditional Chinese writing and Chinese culture.
Here in Richmond, BC, Cantonese is still a favorite dialect used in daily lives, but there is just no defence against the invasion of Putonghua (sigh)!
I think the opposite is happening, Alice. I see traditional characters being used quite a lot in China these days.
Yes I’ve seen them too, especially on restaurant names. But make no mistake, there will be a crackkie downie…
Hi ah Sin
I am very passionate about the Cantonese language. Ever since I was 11, back in the early 70s, I wanted Cantonese to sweep upwards and take over the whole of China. I’m moving back to Hong Kong from the UK in the summer and by god, like you, I will do everything in my power to defend the language.
Good Luck!
Ah Kwan
Yes! Let’s fight the good fight. It’s worth it! Canto power – NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today I was teaching eight German speaking ladies how to cook Sichuan food, and when they saw how much more fun they can have in the market by speaking Canto, they said they wanted to learn too.
Eight more of us, eight fewer of them!