Quick question about the language

[Watercooler]

Funnily enough you don't need to be able to speak Cantonese to read a scales Mind you, learning Cantonese might help you looking like an idiot by stopping you describing Tsui wah as a tourist trap....

But learning cantonese may let you know which stalls are prone to "modifying" their scales.

People who are adamant in refusing to learn cantonese may speak about themselves than about the language....

[usehername]

No. Being able to speak some cantonese phrases will break the ice with locals. It will show them you at least tried to make an effort. It may not guarantee you to make friends, but it certainly might. I met my local wife while learning cantonese, and I could hardly speak more than one or two phrases at the time.

It will make everyday conversation easier. Waste of time to have to wait for the controller to translate to the taxi driver. More direct and easier if you can ask which vegetable is fresher to the stall owner. You don't need to master intermediate level. Just the phrases and terms most often used in those situations.

People can keep coming up with excuses on not learning some simple Cantonese. Or they can dig in and learn some.

Make your mind up- are you talking about 'breaking the ice' and 'showing you made an effort' with english speaking locals or are you talking about watching and understanding movies in cantonese? These are completely different levels of language.

And the only reason your canto is as good as you claim is because your wife is a canto speaker! You speak it at home! Do you think you would be as good if you hadn't married a local?

[Cwbguy]

But learning cantonese may let you know which stalls are prone to "modifying" their scales.

You can be dogmatic and keep your head in the sand. Or try to get it out and learn.

Why don't you just go back home and weigh your purchases? Easy enough to find out if you have been "ripped off".

[TheBrit]

Anyone who rips off their customers isn't fling to last long when they are found out. You're talking complete crap as usual. If stallholders had rigged their scales and the 'locals' know about it do you think they stay in business just by ripping off gweilo's. You have concocted this pathetic fantasy in your head and now you are too dogmatic to back down.

Another classic Watercooler thread

[usehername]

But learning cantonese may let you know which stalls are prone to "modifying" their scales.

People who are adamant in refusing to learn cantonese may speak about themselves than about the language....

Or you just avoid the stalls no one else goes to.

[Watercooler]

Make your mind up- are you talking about 'breaking the ice' and 'showing you made an effort' with english speaking locals or are you talking about watching and understanding movies in cantonese? These are completely different levels of language.

And the only reason your canto is as good as you claim is because your wife is a canto speaker! You speak it at home! Do you think you would be as good if you hadn't married a local?

Umm...it's call opening a door. If you cannot even speak a word of cantonese, it's not going to help you make friends with locals any easier. Once you get to know them they will help to open your door to local cantonese culture. One thing helps the other.

No, I learn the bulk of cantonese from lessons and my own proactive attempts at speaking it. My wife came later to correct it.

Like I said, none of this is strictly necessary to live in HK. But I choose to make my everyday life easier and enrich my knowledge of other cultures (cantonese). And yes, I was doing all this with a full-time job.

[Watercooler]

Why don't you just go back home and weigh your purchases? Easy enough to find out if you have been "ripped off".

A big waste of time would'nt it?

[Watercooler]

Anyone who rips off their customers isn't fling to last long when they are found out. You're talking complete crap as usual. If stallholders had rigged their scales and the 'locals' know about it do you think they stay in business just by ripping off gweilo's. You have concocted this pathetic fantasy in your head and now you are too dogmatic to back down.

Another classic Watercooler thread

For the regular buyers, but not for new ones. And there are always newbies going to wet markets. You are too dogmatic to realize that. Classic TB trolling. What would geoexpat be like without you?

[TheBrit]

Or you just avoid the stalls no one else goes to.

Which are of course closed down as they have gone out of business.

[Cwbguy]

You don't have to be fluent in cantonese, you just have to able to speak some common everyday phrases (or understand some major words spoken).

True, cantonese is not the easiest language to learn, but it pays to make an effort if you are going to stay here long-term. It can make your everyday life much more convenient.

Cantonese is in the top ten most difficult languages of the world to become fluent in.I know guys who have studied it for years and are still not conversationally fluent. (No, they are not stupid). gau, gau, gau, gau, gau, gau and gau anyone?

"It can make your everyday life much more convenient"-Maybe in the depths of the New Territories, but on the Island, i find I do fine thank you.