You think I am not aware of most of the things you've just said? However, you are incorrect on certain accounts.
An even better example of Mandarin taking over local dialects is Shenzhen. With industrialization and the vast volumes of both migrant workers and non-local people, Mandarin has by far taken over as the dominant language in Shenzhen even though it is located right next to the last two Cantonese strongholds (HK and GZ). At a lot of places in Shenzhen, you won't even be understood anymore if you only speak Cantonese.
The problems that I have repeatedly outlined is the fact that:
1) authorities are using dirty tactics to undermine the local languages and dialects
2) because of #1, youngsters are becoming unable to speak their local and native language. This is especially true in Shanghai, and is also where you have so conveniently neglected to mention.
BC is primarily an English-speaking province. But do you see the provincial or federal government imposing the rule that no one can speak languages other than English when they are at school or even at work?! or even during the break time and things? Society flourishes not because of active government intervention attempts at river crabbing everybody; it flourishes because it is a mosaic of different ideas interacting with each other and improving upon one another. Mandarin, Shanghaiese, Cantonese, Hakka, etc. are all rich in their own way. As a Cantonese speaker, I will also tell you that Cantonese is superior to Mandarin in many different ways while simultaneously being inferior in others. For authorities to stick its hands in and intervene is WRONG!
80% of the GZ people are against the move eliminate Cantonese from television programs, but certain government bodies and officials think they know better. Haven't we seen all this before again and again?
-Lik |
發表於 2010-7-12 14:46
| 
