Comments on: Mandarin, not Cantonese, Becoming the Language of Manhattan’s Chinatown http://www.8asians.com/2009/10/22/mandarin-not-cantonese-becoming-the-language-of-manhattans-chinatown/ A blog for Asian Americans Mon, 13 Feb 2012 06:50:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: JC http://www.8asians.com/2009/10/22/mandarin-not-cantonese-becoming-the-language-of-manhattans-chinatown/comment-page-1/#comment-128643 JC Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:36:20 +0000 http://www.8asians.com/?p=3953#comment-128643 Chinese dialects are dying all over the place. In Taiwan many youth can only listen to Taiwanese but can't speak it well, and many of the Hakka minorities can't even understand spoken Hakka anymore. Mandarin is the universal Chinese language, and despite efforts to preserve the dialects, the future is obviously Mandarin-centric. Cantonese culture is much stronger than most other dialects, so I won't be fearing its disappearance. However, it's influence is waning. In the past, the HK Pop culture rule the Chinese world - everyone love the 4 Sky Kings and try to learn Cantonese. Nowdays, the tables has turned and if a HK entertainer want to make it big, he or she has to make it in Taiwan with mandarin-based songs and acting roles (making it big in Taiwan = making it really big in China). No one watches HK drama or listen to Cantonese songs anymore. That's the way it is. Chinese dialects are dying all over the place. In Taiwan many youth can only listen to Taiwanese but can't speak it well, and many of the Hakka minorities can't even understand spoken Hakka anymore. Mandarin is the universal Chinese language, and despite efforts to preserve the dialects, the future is obviously Mandarin-centric. Cantonese culture is much stronger than most other dialects, so I won't be fearing its disappearance. However, it's influence is waning. In the past, the HK Pop culture rule the Chinese world – everyone love the 4 Sky Kings and try to learn Cantonese. Nowdays, the tables has turned and if a HK entertainer want to make it big, he or she has to make it in Taiwan with mandarin-based songs and acting roles (making it big in Taiwan = making it really big in China). No one watches HK drama or listen to Cantonese songs anymore. That's the way it is.

]]> By: Dan W http://www.8asians.com/2009/10/22/mandarin-not-cantonese-becoming-the-language-of-manhattans-chinatown/comment-page-1/#comment-128642 Dan W Fri, 23 Oct 2009 06:21:29 +0000 http://www.8asians.com/?p=3953#comment-128642 I think that's how it is all over the world. <br><br>Big Urban places and small towns. I think that's how it is all over the world.

Big Urban places and small towns.

]]> By: avaorac http://www.8asians.com/2009/10/22/mandarin-not-cantonese-becoming-the-language-of-manhattans-chinatown/comment-page-1/#comment-127134 avaorac Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:36:20 +0000 http://www.8asians.com/?p=3953#comment-127134 Chinese dialects are dying all over the place. In Taiwan many youth can only listen to Taiwanese but can't speak it well, and many of the Hakka minorities can't even understand spoken Hakka anymore. Mandarin is the universal Chinese language, and despite efforts to preserve the dialects, the future is obviously Mandarin-centric. Cantonese culture is much stronger than most other dialects, so I won't be fearing its disappearance. However, it's influence is waning. In the past, the HK Pop culture rule the Chinese world - everyone love the 4 Sky Kings and try to learn Cantonese. Nowdays, the tables has turned and if a HK entertainer want to make it big, he or she has to make it in Taiwan with mandarin-based songs and acting roles (making it big in Taiwan = making it really big in China). No one watches HK drama or listen to Cantonese songs anymore. That's the way it is. Chinese dialects are dying all over the place. In Taiwan many youth can only listen to Taiwanese but can't speak it well, and many of the Hakka minorities can't even understand spoken Hakka anymore. Mandarin is the universal Chinese language, and despite efforts to preserve the dialects, the future is obviously Mandarin-centric. Cantonese culture is much stronger than most other dialects, so I won't be fearing its disappearance. However, it's influence is waning. In the past, the HK Pop culture rule the Chinese world – everyone love the 4 Sky Kings and try to learn Cantonese. Nowdays, the tables has turned and if a HK entertainer want to make it big, he or she has to make it in Taiwan with mandarin-based songs and acting roles (making it big in Taiwan = making it really big in China). No one watches HK drama or listen to Cantonese songs anymore. That's the way it is.

]]> By: Dan W http://www.8asians.com/2009/10/22/mandarin-not-cantonese-becoming-the-language-of-manhattans-chinatown/comment-page-1/#comment-127130 Dan W Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:21:29 +0000 http://www.8asians.com/?p=3953#comment-127130 I think that's how it is all over the world. <br><br>Big Urban places and small towns. I think that's how it is all over the world.

Big Urban places and small towns.

]]> By: LindaChan http://www.8asians.com/2009/10/22/mandarin-not-cantonese-becoming-the-language-of-manhattans-chinatown/comment-page-1/#comment-127126 LindaChan Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:29:16 +0000 http://www.8asians.com/?p=3953#comment-127126 Interesting. So now if you go back, you should have no problems, right? Interesting. So now if you go back, you should have no problems, right?

]]> By: ErnieAtLYD http://www.8asians.com/2009/10/22/mandarin-not-cantonese-becoming-the-language-of-manhattans-chinatown/comment-page-1/#comment-127125 ErnieAtLYD Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:00:25 +0000 http://www.8asians.com/?p=3953#comment-127125 That seems to be the case in Hong Kong as well -- I only speak Mandarin, but I was able to get around Hong Kong without a problems because all the cabbies seemed to at a minimum understand. (This was right before the Olympics in Beijing.) Apparently this wouldn't be the case if I went even a couple years before that. That seems to be the case in Hong Kong as well — I only speak Mandarin, but I was able to get around Hong Kong without a problems because all the cabbies seemed to at a minimum understand. (This was right before the Olympics in Beijing.) Apparently this wouldn't be the case if I went even a couple years before that.

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