Which language is more important for the overseas Chinese? WHY?
and what about the popularity of them? Thank you for your replies!
and what about the popularity of them? Thank you for your replies!
Cantonese VS Minnanese (Taiwanese)
I think Cantonese is more important because:
1, It is spoken in Hongkong, Macau, Guangdong, Guangxi, south-eastern Asia, and overseas chinese communities of other countries such as USA, Canada, Austrilia and Hawaii.
2, Minnanese is just spoken in Taiwan, fujian and south-eastern Aisa.
3, Generally, people who speak Minanese can also speak good Madarin, but many people who speak cantonese cannot speak good madarin.
1, It is spoken in Hongkong, Macau, Guangdong, Guangxi, south-eastern Asia, and overseas chinese communities of other countries such as USA, Canada, Austrilia and Hawaii.
2, Minnanese is just spoken in Taiwan, fujian and south-eastern Aisa.
3, Generally, people who speak Minanese can also speak good Madarin, but many people who speak cantonese cannot speak good madarin.
sino
From a Mandarin speaker's point of view, I just feel that Minnanese sounds better than Cantonese, especially the sort that spoken in Amoy and Taiwan.
From a Mandarin speaker's point of view, I just feel that Minnanese sounds better than Cantonese, especially the sort that spoken in Amoy and Taiwan.
Some points regarding the southern Chinese Min language(s):
a. I thought it was usually called Hokkien in the Fujian province, Singapore
and Penang Malaysia.
b. Usually called Fukkien or Fukien in Taiwan.
I also know that there are a number of variants of Hokkien and Fukkien, and these two, themselves, are almost the same language. So my question is - How valid is it to call Hokkien and Fukkien Minnanese?
a. I thought it was usually called Hokkien in the Fujian province, Singapore
and Penang Malaysia.
b. Usually called Fukkien or Fukien in Taiwan.
I also know that there are a number of variants of Hokkien and Fukkien, and these two, themselves, are almost the same language. So my question is - How valid is it to call Hokkien and Fukkien Minnanese?
Hokkien and Fukkien are wrong, should be Hok-kiàn, it is one province.
And in the south of Hok-kiàn, in Ē-mn̂g (廈門) and chôan-chiu (泉州), and Taiwan (台灣), people all speak mainstream Bân-lâm-gú (Minnanese).
But in Tiô-chiu (潮州) and Sòaⁿ-thâu (汕頭), People all speak different Bân-lâm-gú Minnanese, and many of them can also speak fluent Cantonese.
I think that Minnanese actually only has 2 main styles in mainland China.
And in the south of Hok-kiàn, in Ē-mn̂g (廈門) and chôan-chiu (泉州), and Taiwan (台灣), people all speak mainstream Bân-lâm-gú (Minnanese).
But in Tiô-chiu (潮州) and Sòaⁿ-thâu (汕頭), People all speak different Bân-lâm-gú Minnanese, and many of them can also speak fluent Cantonese.
I think that Minnanese actually only has 2 main styles in mainland China.
Please help me. What does [ha'i] mean in Cantonese?
I've heard this word, and don't know its meaning.
many thanks
I've heard this word, and don't know its meaning.
many thanks
Chinese's explanation is correct. It can also mean 'Yes' in colloquail Cantonese. "Hai ng Hai" = Yes or no
I know Hokkien really means 'Fujian' but that's how the speech is known overseas. Personally, I think Hokkien sounds rather crude.
As most overseas Chinese residing in the West are of Cantonese stock, Cantonese is marginally more useful. However, throw in the weight of the Hong Kong entertainment industry and the stock of Cantonese not only dwarves Hokkien, but is also able to rival Mandarin in some aspects.
I know Hokkien really means 'Fujian' but that's how the speech is known overseas. Personally, I think Hokkien sounds rather crude.
As most overseas Chinese residing in the West are of Cantonese stock, Cantonese is marginally more useful. However, throw in the weight of the Hong Kong entertainment industry and the stock of Cantonese not only dwarves Hokkien, but is also able to rival Mandarin in some aspects.
The Philippine variant of Min Nan is called "Lan-nang-oé." It is characterized by borrowings from Tagalog or Cebuano, Spanish, and Cantonese.
"Hokkien and Fukkien are wrong, should be Hok-kiàn, it is one province.
And in the south of Hok-kiàn, in Ē-mn̂g (廈門) and chôan-chiu (泉州), and Taiwan (台灣), people all speak mainstream Bân-lâm-gú (Minnanese).
But in Tiô-chiu (潮州) and Sòaⁿ-thâu (汕頭), People all speak different Bân-lâm-gú Minnanese, and many of them can also speak fluent Cantonese.
I think that Minnanese actually only has 2 main styles in mainland China. "
English - Hokkien - Mandarin:
Hokkien / Hok-kiàn / Fujian
Amoy / Ē-mn̂g / Xiamen
Chincheo / Chôan-chiu / Quanzhou
Changcheo / Chiang-chiu / Zhangzhou (漳州)
Formosa / Tâi-oân / Taiuan
Teochew / Tiô-chiu / Chaozhou
Swatow / Sòaⁿ-thâu / Shantou
1, Minnan (Minnanese) is a Mandarin word.
2, Bân-lâm-gú is a loanword from Mandarin's Minnanyi reading in Hokkien pronunciation.
3, The Hokkien, Teochew, Lengna (龍巖 Longyan), Luichiu (雷州 Leizhou) and Hailam (海南 Hainan) are the main dialects of Holo Language.
And in the south of Hok-kiàn, in Ē-mn̂g (廈門) and chôan-chiu (泉州), and Taiwan (台灣), people all speak mainstream Bân-lâm-gú (Minnanese).
But in Tiô-chiu (潮州) and Sòaⁿ-thâu (汕頭), People all speak different Bân-lâm-gú Minnanese, and many of them can also speak fluent Cantonese.
I think that Minnanese actually only has 2 main styles in mainland China. "
English - Hokkien - Mandarin:
Hokkien / Hok-kiàn / Fujian
Amoy / Ē-mn̂g / Xiamen
Chincheo / Chôan-chiu / Quanzhou
Changcheo / Chiang-chiu / Zhangzhou (漳州)
Formosa / Tâi-oân / Taiuan
Teochew / Tiô-chiu / Chaozhou
Swatow / Sòaⁿ-thâu / Shantou
1, Minnan (Minnanese) is a Mandarin word.
2, Bân-lâm-gú is a loanword from Mandarin's Minnanyi reading in Hokkien pronunciation.
3, The Hokkien, Teochew, Lengna (龍巖 Longyan), Luichiu (雷州 Leizhou) and Hailam (海南 Hainan) are the main dialects of Holo Language.
The language is also called Hoklo.
Guest, please refrain from expletives.
Guest, please refrain from expletives.
>>3, Generally, people who speak Minanese can also speak good Madarin, but many people who speak cantonese cannot speak good madarin.
Well, my country has been, for more than at least 2 centuries, too populous. That people around me cannot speak Mandarin well still does not justify learning Cantonese for a lot of idealistic reasons.
You and I have to face the same truth: even in Hong Kong, the present (remaining) capital of this language, English is so much widely used and regarded prestigious that it has been our permanent higher register spoken (generally badly) by Chinese elites and (perfectly/well) by Caucasian business leaders/scholars who won't ever bother to learn Chinese, for apparent reason 1) Chinese is too difficult and 2) they don't see the need of doing so, and for the real reason 1) so many Chinese know English (economic imbalance vis-a-vis language learning) and 2) English, rather than Chinese, is the only way to high education levels and, subsequently, a brighter future.
So, my warning about learning Cantonese and Mandarin is: even though so many of us speak English well (enough for business), and Chinese has even been underrated by us natives, take it with a grain of salt when you want to do business (which, IMO, is a rather bad reason) by learning Chinese. Chinese isn't going to, to be pessimistic, be a rival of English even among the Chinese anytime soon. In the past, learning Chinese, like taking a venture, could be very rewarding through supporting yourself by working as an English teacher; but now, it may be different. While the brand new world of Chinese is certainly fascinating for those who want to try to understand an entirely different cultural circle, IMO, it could really be a venture, not ordinary investment, unlike we Chinese learning European languages.
Well, my country has been, for more than at least 2 centuries, too populous. That people around me cannot speak Mandarin well still does not justify learning Cantonese for a lot of idealistic reasons.
You and I have to face the same truth: even in Hong Kong, the present (remaining) capital of this language, English is so much widely used and regarded prestigious that it has been our permanent higher register spoken (generally badly) by Chinese elites and (perfectly/well) by Caucasian business leaders/scholars who won't ever bother to learn Chinese, for apparent reason 1) Chinese is too difficult and 2) they don't see the need of doing so, and for the real reason 1) so many Chinese know English (economic imbalance vis-a-vis language learning) and 2) English, rather than Chinese, is the only way to high education levels and, subsequently, a brighter future.
So, my warning about learning Cantonese and Mandarin is: even though so many of us speak English well (enough for business), and Chinese has even been underrated by us natives, take it with a grain of salt when you want to do business (which, IMO, is a rather bad reason) by learning Chinese. Chinese isn't going to, to be pessimistic, be a rival of English even among the Chinese anytime soon. In the past, learning Chinese, like taking a venture, could be very rewarding through supporting yourself by working as an English teacher; but now, it may be different. While the brand new world of Chinese is certainly fascinating for those who want to try to understand an entirely different cultural circle, IMO, it could really be a venture, not ordinary investment, unlike we Chinese learning European languages.
In Indonesia I think Hokkien is more important.
Even the colloquial language of Jakarta, which is spreading through the media, uses GUÄ & LOE for I & you (singular, informal).
But most of Chinese-descents in Indonesia are fluent in Indonesian and many of them can't even speak Chinese.
Even the colloquial language of Jakarta, which is spreading through the media, uses GUÄ & LOE for I & you (singular, informal).
But most of Chinese-descents in Indonesia are fluent in Indonesian and many of them can't even speak Chinese.
Hola, Ian,
muchas personas en este forum han escrito que el indonesio es un idioma muy facil de aprender. Es verdad? Podrias explicarnos unos aspectos gramaticales de tu idioma materno? Lo lamento mucho pero no conozco nada de tu lengua...
muchas personas en este forum han escrito que el indonesio es un idioma muy facil de aprender. Es verdad? Podrias explicarnos unos aspectos gramaticales de tu idioma materno? Lo lamento mucho pero no conozco nada de tu lengua...
DJ, The language is also called Hoklo.
Hoklo and Holo are two different words. Hoklo is an old Cantonese word, which means the "Heng-hoa speaking people" (莆田, 仙游). They emigrated into Canton Region in Ming and Qing dynasties and they builded many small villiages near the sea and rivers.
Hoklo and Holo are two different words. Hoklo is an old Cantonese word, which means the "Heng-hoa speaking people" (莆田, 仙游). They emigrated into Canton Region in Ming and Qing dynasties and they builded many small villiages near the sea and rivers.