MONDAY, JULY 27, 1981
9.
SPOKEN CANTONESE EASIER THAN WRITTEN,
FOREIGN STUDENTS FIND
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PEOPLE WHO SPEAK CANTONESE, WHICH IS THE DIALECT IN USE IN HONG KONG AND PARTS OF SOUTHERN CHINA, KNOW THAT ITS TONES CAN POSE PROBLEMS FOR THE UNFAMILIAR.
WORDS LIKE BUY AND SELL, WHICH CAN BE DISASTROUS WHEN USED INCORRECTLY OVER THE PHONE BY THE BUSINESSMAN, OR IN THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF ACTIVITY INVOLVED IN THE STOCK MARKET, VARY IN CANTONESE ONLY BY ENUNCIATION OF THE TONE.
AT OTHER TIMES, THE WRONG USE OF TONE CAN EVEN BE QUITE EMBARRASSING:
NEVERTHELESS, SPOKEN CANTONESE IS STILL EASIER TO LEARN THAN THE WRITTEN CHARACTER, IN THE OPINION OF MOST FOREIGN STUDENTS TAKING THE COURSE OFFERED BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S CIVIL SERVICE TRAINING DIVISION,
IT TAKES ONLY EIGHT WEEKS OF INTENSIVE LANGUAGE TRAINING TO GET A STUDENT TO BECOME FAMILIAR ENOUGH WITH THE ESSENTIALS OF SPOKEN CANTONESE TO GET BY FOR A START, EXPLAINED MISS VIVIAN WONG, CHIEF TRAINING OFFICER OF THE LANGUAGE TRAINING UNIT.
FOR THIS COURSE, A SPECIAL ROMANISED SYSTEM, REPRESENTING THE SOUNDS AND TONES OF CANTONESE WORDS, IS USED, AS ARE ALSO SUCH OTHER AIDS AS OVER-HEAD PROJECTORS, VIDEO RECORDERS, LANGUAGE LABORATORIES, AND EVEN A CINEMA.
ALL OF THESE THINGS NOT ONLY SPEED UP THE PROCESS OF LEARNING, BUT ALSO MAKE LEARNING OF CANTONESE MORE INTERESTING, EXPLAINED MR M.K. LEE, SENIOR TRAINING OFFICER OF THE CHINESE SECTION.
ON THE OTHER HAND, THE MAIN DIFFICULTY FOREIGN STUDENTS FIND WITH WRITTEN CHINESE IS IN REMEMBERING BOTH THE SHAPE AND STROKES OF THE CHARACTERS, AS WELL AS THE SENTENCE STRUCTURE, WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM SPOKEN CANTONESE.
AS MIGHT BE EXPECTED, KNOWLEDGE OF CANTONESE IS ESSENTIAL IN MANY AREAS OF LOCAL ADMINISTRATION, AND AT THE LEAST, HELPFUL IN OTHER AREAS OF WORK. AND FOR THIS REASON, THE LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS VARY IN ACCORDANCE WITH JOBS.
FOR INSTANCE, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS, POLICE INSPECTORS AND PHYSIOTHERAPISTS ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE A MOŘE-INTENSIVE COURSE.
THE OBVIOUS NEED FOR CANTONESE IS TO ENABLE THE OFFICERS CONCERNED TO COMMUNICATE BETTER WITH THE LOCAL PEOPLE, AND ALSO HELP THEM SETTLE DOWN IN THE IR NEW ENVIRONMENT MORE EASILY AND QUICKLY, SAID MISS WONG,
/TWO TYPES
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