Is the Cantonese language dying?

[solemate96]

Lately, it seems like Cantonese is dying. Everybody speaks Mandarin now and it sucks because I don't know how to speak Mandarin. Has any of my Cantonesespeakers seen this trend lately?

 

[mister916]

That's weird, around here I don't hear Mandarin at all. It's always Cantonese.

 

[fullmetal]

In my area (SF), most Chinese-Americans speak Cantonese.

 

[kl9]

Bu dui.

I mean, mm hai.

 

[chino905]

My Cantonese sucks since I was born here. And I'm pretty certain my kids won't know how to speak Cantonese either.

 

[hyphysole]

I only hear canto in sf

 

[jwong]

Originally Posted by KL9

Bu dui.

I mean, mm hai.

 

[solemate96]

Must be where I'm from. Why does Mandarin have to be the official language?

 

[fenixconnexion.]

yeah more mainlanders from china are immigrating to north america now it seems
i'm hearing more mandarin these days

 

[an dee 51o]

Most of my friends from Oakland/ East Bay speak Cantonese. Other than that, it's mostly Mandarin.

 

[solemate96]

Originally Posted by ElijahDukes

yeah more mainlanders from china are immigrating to north america now it seems
i'm hearing more mandarin these days

I feel you.

My Chinese brothers, let's keep it alive. Dai ga gong jung mun.

 

[davis]

mandarin > cantonese.

anyday.

 

[dgk3188]

i would love to learn Mandarin.

or even cantonese.

(i'm hispanic)

 

[acidicality]

cuz Canto is only spoken mostly by HKers i think? someone correct me if i'm wrong. mainland China and Taiwan uses Mandarin

 

[bgl2687]

Originally Posted by chino905

My Cantonese sucks since I was born here. And I'm pretty certain my kids won't know how to speak Cantonese either.

I was born here too, but my cantonese is on point. Its a damn shame with chinese kids though, the first generation ABCs tend to feel embarassedspeaking chinese. I don't see this with other asian kids.

 

[dunkaruu]

Mandarin sounds smooth..cantonese sounds like it comes from the gut.

 

[shaolin]

Originally Posted by Koopa2410

mandarin > cantonese.

anyday.

qft.

and dont most canto speaking people come from HK?

 

[bkdan1]

Originally Posted by dunkaruu

Mandarin sounds smooth..cantonese sounds like it comes from the gut.

Most Cantonese speaking people come from Hong Kong and the Canton region (or Guangzhou for the Mandarin pronounciation). The reason why Mandarin is everywhereis because the Chinese government has actually set a standard for everyone to be able to speak and understand Mandarin so they are able to communicate acrossChina. If you think about how many people there are and how many dialects are spoken, it is impossible to communicate with each other without getting into afight (no joke). I would love to learn how to speak Cantonese since I am already fluent in Mandarin.

 

[hoisanhaze]

Hoisan > Canto > Mando

 

[eddie]

Originally Posted by Solemate96

Must be where I'm from. Why does Mandarin have to be the official language?

lol

 

[scribble253]

There's a good population of canto's in NYC. But I'm starting to realize there are more Fujianese.

 

[chino905]

Originally Posted by BgL2687

Originally Posted by chino905

My Cantonese sucks since I was born here. And I'm pretty certain my kids won't know how to speak Cantonese either.

I was born here too, but my cantonese is on point. Its a damn shame with chinese kids though, the first generation ABCs tend to feel embarassed speaking chinese. I don't see this with other asian kids.

For me, I wasn't embarrassed about speaking the language, I was just always stubborn as a kid and not wanting to go to Chinese school, and not having anychinese kids living or going to school around me to speak with, etc.

 

[fishinthesky]

Originally Posted by chino905

Originally Posted by BgL2687

Originally Posted by chino905

My Cantonese sucks since I was born here. And I'm pretty certain my kids won't know how to speak Cantonese either.

I was born here too, but my cantonese is on point. Its a damn shame with chinese kids though, the first generation ABCs tend to feel embarassed speaking chinese. I don't see this with other asian kids.

For me, I wasn't embarrassed about speaking the language, I was just always stubborn as a kid and not wanting to go to Chinese school, and not having any chinese kids living or going to school around me to speak with, etc.

i was the same exact way.. but over the years ive met a lot of new people who speak canto and mandarin and i only speak and understand canto and pick up bitsoff of mandarin.. prolly wanna take a mandarin class in the near future.. then ill have 4 languagees spoken fluently

 

[bangdak]

at kl9.
and canto > mando for whoever said that above.

 

[nicedudewithnicedreams]

Originally Posted by Koopa2410

mandarin > cantonese.

anyday.

no thanks.