Quick question about the language

[jw1701]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHhjvQQbRbc"In The Whorehouse - The Sequel"

[kimwy66]

. I wish some of the posters on Geo would stop making it into a competition and putting expats down. It is GeoEXPAT after all. If you don't like expats, go find another forum.

I need a double like button for that post. Well said Bibbju


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[INXS]

I wish Coombsy and WC would have an 10 page argument...

[wtbhotia]

Thanks for the clarification. It's simply amazing that he is able to speak Cantonese as he does like a native and without even an accent.

You mean this geezer

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/hkediti...t_13053701.htm

[Azuremain]

HKIT.... I know two brits here in HK who speak perfect (according to my wife)…canto…they learned it before meeting their local wives. It is rare but totally possible. Afterall cantonese grammar is much simpler than many other languages. Tones are the killer.

Mind u I have been trying for years (on and off)…and i have not found it easy...one day maybe...but like everything...it is possible (rare i admit but possible)/
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AFAIK Chinese has no grammar.

[flameproof]

Afterall cantonese grammar is much simpler than many other languages. Tones are the killer.

Fully agree. The solution for the tones is simple - ignore them. Locals don't learn them. Ask any native speaker what tone 'x' is and they won't know. Just copy what you hear, and copy it well.

[HowardCoombs]

Otherwise, I will say, in my cantonese: "Diew Lei Low Mow!"

Your Cantonese is as worthless as your advice. its Diu Nei Lo Mo! 屌你老母 you twat

Little kids have no choice. ...Not when you are thrown into secondary school-level advanced Chinese with no background whatsoever

Is it little kids or teenagers? Stop making stuff up as you go along just to support your silly assertions.

[Mat]

Fully agree. The solution for the tones is simple - ignore them. Locals don't learn them. Ask any native speaker what tone 'x' is and they won't know. Just copy what you hear, and copy it well.

Totally agree re tones.

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[Watercooler]

Your Cantonese is as worthless as your advice. its Diu Nei Lo Mo! 屌你老母 you twat

Is it little kids or teenagers? Stop making stuff up as you go along just to support your silly assertions.

HAHAHA. You have a 老母?!! Judging by your mental level, I'll say your mother must have given you up for adoption. Who would want to admit to you being their son?

But anyway, thank you for demonstrating your lack of grasp of Cantonese. There is no single "correct" English spelling to it genius, so long as you understand...., that's all that matters...

Little kids or teenagers? Why don't you go read yourself.

By the way, I suggest you should Diu Lay Low Mow Chow Hai.

But please do go on with your supposed cantonese knowledge...for me to tear down. I know you can't resist me can you? I know you, the mental fool that keeps on giving, again and again.

You know what they say about insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. That would be a perfect description of you I'll say.

[Watercooler]

I think it's a question of if expats in HK want to develop a deeper cultural understanding (and hence needing to learn Cantonese in order to do that). Not everyone does and with English as an official language anyway, people can easily live here without needing to learn Canto. That's their choice and I don't think they should be criticised for it. Different strokes for different folks and all that.

I lived in Paris before I moved to HK. I speak French fluently and was the only non-French person working in my division of a French company. I went to university to France many years ago and have worked for various French companies over the years so I have a reasonable understanding (and liking for) French culture. However, some of my expat friends in Paris had no real interest in integrating. They were happy with their expat lives with their circle of expat friends who spoke English. I felt that they were missing out on a lot of fun....they didn't understand why Parisians did things the way they did and they weren't party to some of the (very amusing) French jokes. But my expat friends were happy! And who was I to criticise their way of living? They weren't harming anyone. So I ended up with two circles of friends, my French friends and my expat friends. I did try bringing them together at my leaving drinks but it was a bit of a disaster. Definitely oil and water! So now when I visit Paris, I see my two circles separately. With my expat friends we go to the pub and drink and with my French friends we have 4 hour lunches at their apartments and put the world to rights. I love both!

Now I live in HK, I'm suddenly in that expat clique and I understand where Watercooler/others are coming from in terms of missing out on a deeper cultural awareness because I don't speak Canto (just like my expat friends were who didn't speak French). But you know what...I'm quite happy. It's not a language or cultural awareness competition. I have local friends (I work with nearly all locals), I'm told my Canto swearing is impressive and I can get by for the day to day stuff. At this stage in my life, that's good enough for me. I wish some of the posters on Geo would stop making it into a competition and putting expats down. It is GeoEXPAT after all. If you don't like expats, go find another forum.

Sure whatever that works for you.