Moving to Hong Kong alone.... that sounds very depressing!

dossier · 29-08-2009, 12:37 AM

English is my native and only language too. I took a few Mandarin classes, but found I made inevitable Canto comparisons along the way, as well as the odd slippage into Canto!

I might need to do the 1) learn Canto, 2) take the Canto to Mandarin conversion route. Or find someone who can tutor both simultaneously.

chilicheese · 29-08-2009, 12:42 AM

Use your existing Canto skills to your advantage. It'll help with the word order and the little 'language quirks' like the 'ba's and 'a's. Learning Mandarin need not be as complicated as you describe it.

If you want an easy introduction to Mandarin, try Pimsleur. I've never tried Pimsleur for Mandarin, but I am using it for German and although it's not detailed, it really helps you to familiarize yourself with the language and learn basic phrases.

dossier · 03-09-2009, 05:27 AM

Thanks. I'm definitely way ahead when it comes to grammatical structuring

ozziebattler · 03-09-2009, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by London2HK:

Does anyone else (OBCs) get the 'oooh you should learn Mandarin' thing a lot or is it just me?!

All the time London2HK....
As an ozzie gweilo, am labelled with ALL SORTS of assumptions. I take cantonese lessons from a private tutor because

a) I wanted to, and enjoy it
b) People said I shouldn't bother or should be learning mandarin instead
c) My cantonese GF at the time was too lazy to teach me

I know I'll never sound perfect, but give me an example of any foreigner in any country that will sound native. I ask questions in cantonese and get an english reply. I say my street name, along with directions in cantonese, and get an english question to it.

A girl once argued with me (in so-so english) that im wasting my time and money, "learn mandarin you fool! - Cantonese is dying, most people speak english here in HK" I asked her, so If i learned mandarin and could speak fluently, how well could i communicate with you.... Err, I don't speak that much mandarin, she said.

Within reason, you gotta do what makes YOU happy!
Welcome to HK, for those joining us

London2HK · 03-09-2009, 04:40 PM

ozziebattler

I so agree with you.
I think most people don't really know what they are on about when they say things like that, they just hear or read the same thing from somewhere and repeat without applying it to themselves or their own experiences.

A gwelio friend who spoke Mandarin pretty well stayed with me for a week and 90% of the time they replied in Canto or looked at me for help, it wasn't that none of them understood Mandarin but just didn't feel comfortable using it or just didn't like to.

Even if Cantonese is a dying language would it really be in my lifetime? If not why would I care?

Also I think that even if your accent is really good, seeing a white face speak a chinese language is *sometimes* too much for *some* people to take in, so their initial response is to ignore it. This happens to my partner a lot even when what he is saying sounds correct.

Definately learn what feels right, not just what is 'in' right now

bookblogger · 03-09-2009, 10:04 PM

I think the promotion of Mandarin has a political angle to it. It's the language of Beijing so let's all suck up to it. But really, if you learn Cantonese, you'll have a much better experience living in HK.

dossier · 04-09-2009, 05:00 AM

I think we all know it *should* make sense to learn Mandarin, but I just think Cantonese is such a fun language by comparison!

dossier · 20-12-2009, 08:02 PM

I'm considering upping roots to HK on my own, but as a chinese-looking non-speaker, won't that be rather socially awkward?

audiot · 22-12-2009, 09:41 PM

Originally Posted by London2HK:

ozziebattler

Also I think that even if your accent is really good, seeing a white face speak a chinese language is *sometimes* too much for *some* people to take in, so their initial response is to ignore it. :

haha this is soo true! happens to me a lot -

i usually make fun of them and ask them in canto how long they have lived in HK because they cant understand cantonese..? just smile as u do it..

usually they wake up as they dont want to be thought of as a bumkin from the mainland...

then they ask me why I learnt canto - to which I usually say - if I moved to france I wouldnt learn german...

audiot · 22-12-2009, 09:43 PM

Originally Posted by dossier:

I'm considering upping roots to HK on my own, but as a chinese-looking non-speaker, won't that be rather socially awkward?

maybe! but prob think u are snobby - or looked confused - ppl here are pollite generally to your face..

i know my non chinese speaking chinese friend gets emabarassed when the locals look to him and I jump in - I am obviously not chinese.....