Written Cantonese question (life, people, speaking, kids)
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I know that in Hong Kong, newspapers and official documents are not written in written Cantonese but rather more in “mandarin” Chinese. However, between Hong Kong residents, do most use written Cantonese among themselves and say on Instagram? Would a chinese person who doesn’t know Cantonese be able to recognize and read/understand written colloquial Cantonese?
Most "official" documents are written in standard Chinese, including newspapers.
However, sometimes idiomatic or colloquial Cantonese in written form is used, often in popular magazines, comics - and sometimes in the lifestyle section of newspapers, particularly when they are quoting someone verbatim.
In order to understand the colloquial written format, a reader would have to be familiar with the slang terms and a rudimentry knowledge of the colloquial, conversational formt of Cantonese. I learned that by reading Next Magazine.
Most "official" documents are written in standard Chinese, including newspapers.
However, sometimes idiomatic or colloquial Cantonese in written form is used, often in popular magazines, comics - and sometimes in the lifestyle section of newspapers, particularly when they are quoting someone verbatim.
In order to understand the colloquial written format, a reader would have to be familiar with the slang terms and a rudimentry knowledge of the colloquial, conversational formt of Cantonese. I learned that by reading Next Magazine.
Do Hong Kong residents type in colloquial Cantonese or standard Chinese to each other? (Like on WeChat, Instagram)
Can Cantonese in Hong Kong who don’t know mandarin able to read “standard” Chinese in the newspapers?
Generally yes, because if they've learned to read and write Chinese characters, they will know the meaning even if they don't know the pronounciation of the words in Mandarin.
Generally yes, because if they've learned to read and write Chinese characters, they will know the meaning even if they don't know the pronounciation of the words in Mandarin.
What the above posters said is all true. Let me sum it up:
1. Written Cantonese has characters that don't exist in Mandarin.
2. Then there are characters that exist in both Mandarin and Cantonese, but the Cantonese usage of those characters are completely different, and often archaic, vs. their usage in Mandarin.
3. Written Cantonese also has some different grammar from Mandarin.
4. Because of 1, 2, and 3, Mandarin speakers who don't know Cantonese have a hard time understanding written Cantonese. Most Mandarin speakers don't know Cantonese.
5. Likewise, Cantonese speakers who have only been exposed to written Cantonese would have a hard time understanding Standard written Chinese (which is basically written Mandarin).
6. However, in reality, virtually all Cantonese speakers know standard written Chinese.
7. Students in Hong Kong are taught in Cantonese, but all of their text books are written in standard written Chinese. However, they'll read the standard written Chinese with Cantonese pronunciations.
8. This is why Cantonese is even harder than Mandarin--from the time kids in Hong Kong learn to read, every single book they pick up is written in a completely different dialect from what they speak.
9. The disconnect is huge. Imagine that, in 21st century America, all the books were suddenly converted to Shakespearean English--but people still kept on speaking colloquial 21st century English. That's how it's like in Hong Kong.
What the above posters said is all true. Let me sum it up:
1. Written Cantonese has characters that don't exist in Mandarin.
2. Then there are characters that exist in both Mandarin and Cantonese, but the Cantonese usage of those characters are completely different, and often archaic, vs. their usage in Mandarin.
3. Written Cantonese also has some different grammar from Mandarin.
4. Because of 1, 2, and 3, Mandarin speakers who don't know Cantonese have a hard time understanding written Cantonese. Most Mandarin speakers don't know Cantonese.
5. Likewise, Cantonese speakers who have only been exposed to written Cantonese would have a hard time understanding Standard written Chinese (which is basically written Mandarin).
6. However, in reality, virtually all Cantonese speakers know standard written Chinese.
7. Students in Hong Kong are taught in Cantonese, but all of their text books are written in standard written Chinese. However, they'll read the standard written Chinese with Cantonese pronunciations.
8. This is why Cantonese is even harder than Mandarin--from the time kids in Hong Kong learn to read, every single book they pick up is written in a completely different dialect from what they speak.
9. The disconnect is huge. Imagine that, in 21st century America, all the books were suddenly converted to Shakespearean English--but people still kept on speaking colloquial 21st century English. That's how it's like in Hong Kong.
Yeah, there are some colloquial written Cantonese characters - it's ideomatic; I learned to read them though the tabloid or gossip magazines in Hong Kong like Next or the Apple Daily (at least the lifestyle section) -I grew up speaking Mandarin and learned Cantonese living in HK. Watching local TV shows and movies helped a lot (thanks to Chinese subtitles - they're usually written in standard Chinese, though occasionally they'll be written in vernacular).
Yes, most Cantonese speakers in HK will have some education in standard written Chinese, however, depending on the individual, sometimes HK people's written Chinese is a bit odd, if they're native Cantonese speakers.
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