Table of Contents
- 1 Does Cantonese have its own writing system?
- 2 Is Cantonese taught in Hong Kong?
- 3 Do Cantonese speakers read traditional Chinese?
- 4 Why is Cantonese not written?
- 5 What language is taught in Hong Kong?
- 6 What language is written in Hong Kong?
- 7 What is Hong Kong-based Cantonese?
- 8 Is Cantonese really a Chinese dialect?
- 9 Is Cantonese a good reason to learn?
Does Cantonese have its own writing system?
Cantonese is a language that, in the beginning, did not have its own writing system. In order to write in Chinese, you are essentially writing in the grammar of Mandarin. Mandarin’s grammar is not the same as Cantonese grammar. When you are reading the newspaper in Hong Kong, you are reading written Chinese.
Is Cantonese taught in Hong Kong?
Cantonese is the main language spoken in Hong Kong. The government revived teaching in Cantonese during the early 1980s, but by the end of 1994, only 20\% of secondary schools had adopted Cantonese as the language medium of teaching.
Does Cantonese use traditional characters?
In Hong Kong, Cantonese is the predominant dialect while people write in Traditional Chinese. The exception is Taiwan where people speak Mandarin and write in Traditional Chinese….
| Target Market | Written | Spoken |
|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong | Traditional | Cantonese |
| Taiwan | Traditional | Mandarin |
| Singapore | Simplified | Mandarin |
Do Cantonese speakers read traditional Chinese?
While the written English and the spoken are one thing, the written and the spoken Chinese are two very different beasts. Cantonese don’t read Mandarin, Cantonese read Chinese. , speaking with tones since 2004.
Why is Cantonese not written?
Written Standard Chinese was largely formalised after Classical Chinese fell out of official use in the early 1900s, and was based on spoken Mandarin. Therefore, when one ‘writes in Chinese’, Mandarin speakers write as they speak, Cantonese speakers do not.
Why do you think Cantonese speakers have not created their own writing system to write their language more accurately and easily?
It is because Mandarin was chosen as the basis for standard written Chinese as they had the largest number of speakers during the language reform. Standard written Chinese is understood by speakers of all varieties of Chinese. Even so, there are some variations in vocabularies in different countries (see example).
What language is taught in Hong Kong?
Cantonese
Official languages
| Native languages of Hong Kong (2016) | |
|---|---|
| Languages | percent |
| Cantonese (official) | 88.9\% |
| English (official) | 4.3\% |
| Mandarin | 1.9\% |
What language is written in Hong Kong?
standard Cantonese
The principal language of Hong Kong is standard Cantonese (粵語, 廣州話, 廣東話, 廣府話, 白話, 本地話), spoken by 88.9\% of the population at home daily. As an official language, it is used in education, broadcasting, government administration, legislation and judiciary, as well as for daily communication.
Does Cantonese have an alphabet?
The Cantonese alphabet contains 26 letters just like English but contains 4 unofficial extra letters (ä, ö, ö and ß). Below is the Cantonese alphabet in a table containing 3 columns: The sound of the Cantonese letters, the alphabet, examples which include the letter at the beginning, middle and at the end.
What is Hong Kong-based Cantonese?
Hong Kong-based Cantonese can be found in Hong Kong popular culture such as Hong Kong films and Hong Kong pop music ( Cantopop ). Hong Kong people who have emigrated to other countries have brought Hong Kong Cantonese to other parts of the world.
Is Cantonese really a Chinese dialect?
On its site detailing Hong Kong’s language policy, it stated that Cantonese was a “Chinese dialect that is not an official language”. It caused an outcry, as Hong Kong residents certainly believe theirs is a proper form of Chinese, and not just a dialect. The bureau was forced to apologise and delete the phrase.
What is the history of Cantonese in China?
History. In Mainland China, the use of Mandarin as the language of official use and education was enforced. In Hong Kong, Cantonese is the medium of instruction in schools, along with written English and written Chinese.
Is Cantonese a good reason to learn?
While we should appreciate these reasons, it’s really important to not mix reasons with personal reasons. In other words, just because, for instance, Cantonese represents quite a large population (around 60 – 100 million speakers), it shouldn’t mean it should become your reason to learn Cantonese.