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Hong Kong at the turn of the century, together with their educational implications. In particular, they may shed light on the role played by such "middlemen" as compradores and interpreters in the interaction between the ethnic groups in Hong Kong. There can be little doubt that this role had significance for educational developments as well as for economic and social growth.
If such insights can be gained, comparisons suggest themselves with the roles (including the educational roles) of other types of middlemen in other societies, ranging from the bourgeoisie in late medieval Europe, to the Lebanese and Indians in parts of Africa, the Creoles in the Caribbean and the southern states of the United States of America, and the Peons in the French Colonial Empire. But before such tempting generalisations can be made, a "micro-study" needs to be considered on its own merits.
The significance of English Made Easy, (or snapshot 1)
The text of Mok Man Cheung's English Made Easy is, of course, bilingual. It includes a number of proof-reading and other errors. Much more important, however, is the evidence it provides about the social realities of Hong Kong at the time. In this sense, it is a mine of information relevant especially to the social history of education and, more generally, to the social history of early twentieth century Hong Kong. It also offers opportunities for making inferences, rather than being presented with conclusions from which all individuality and sense of live debate have been distilled.
Mok's preface, for example, incorporates a dignified but "hard sell" approach to his readers. He identifies his target audience or market as "beginners of the English language" and, also, "business men who have acquired a few ordinary English words and desire to learn more without a teacher by the aid of the character of their own language." There was already existing in Hong Kong a thriving private tuition business. The "tutors" or "coaches", who ranged from fully qualified European teachers, moonlighting, to scantily, if at all, qualified Chinese and other non-Europeans, striving to make a living by 'playing the system',
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Hong Kong at the turn of the century, together with their educa- tional implications. In particular, they may shed light on the role played by such "middlemen" as compradores"" and interpreters in the interaction between the ethnic groups in Hong Kong. There can be little doubt that this role had significance for educational developments as well as for economic and social growth.
If such insights can be gained, comparisons suggest themselves with the roles (including the educational roles) of other types of middlemen in other societies, ranging from the bourgeoisie in late medieval Europe, to the Lebanese and Indians in parts of Africa, the Creoles in the Caribbean and the southern states of the United States of America, and the Peons in the French Colonial Empire. But before such tempting generalisations can be made, a “micro- study" needs to be considered on its own merits.
The significance of English Made Easy, (or snapshot 1)
The text of Mok Man Cheung's English Made Easy is, of course, bilingual. It includes a number of proof-reading and other errors. Much more important, however, is the evidence it pro- vides about the social realities of Hong Kong at the time. In this sense, it is a mine of information relevant especially to the social history of education and, more generally, to the social history of early twentieth century Hong Kong. It also offers opportunities for making inferences, rather than being presented with conclusions from which all individuality and sense of live debate have been distilled.
Mok's preface, for example, incorporates a dignified but “hard sell" approach to his readers. He identifies his target audience or market as "beginners of [sic] the English language” and, also, "business men who have acquired a few ordinary English words and desire to learn more without a teacher by the aid of the character of their own language.” There was already existing in Hong Kong a thriving private tuition business. The "tutors” ог “coaches", who ranged from fully qualified European teachers, moonlighting, to scantily, if at all, qualified Chinese and other non-Europeans, striving to make a living by ‘playing the system',
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