On Language & National Identity (I)

Source: Public Opinion Programme

There is a debate about the identification of Hong Kong citizen: Hongkongers, Hongkonger in China, Chinese in Hong Kong, Chinese. When there is the trend of using PTH to learn Chinese in Hong Kong education system, some people are opposing about this due to the strong identity of being a Hongkongers. [1] In 2014, there are about 70 per cent of the city's 569 local primary schools and 40 per cent of its 514 secondary schools use Putonghua for Chinese-language lessons.

It may found that there is only few people will challenge using English to learn non-language class, and there are mainly three reasons:

1. Local treat Cantonese as their official Chinese

2. Cantonese also mixing English

3. English is an international language. Although Hong Kong is a city with high cultural diversity (Cantonese, English and Putonghua are all promoting under the existing language policy), people were hostile to the invasion of Putonghua when they treasure their own language. They believe that local cultural and identity of future generation may decline as language and identity is linked up.

[2]People in this generation value Cantonese and it distinguishes Hong Kong from China, Hong Kong people have strong identity and proud to speak Cantonese; while using Putonghua teaching Chinese when they are small, children may lose that strong identity. Take a look to Hong Kong society, which is different from the Pakistan interviewees, parents will take everything in the education curriculum in high regard, when the school use Putonghua to teach Chinese, Putonghua tutorial will therefore be arranged. Some may speak Putonghua with their children in daily too. In Pakistan, even the trend of learning English is getting higher, they always use Undo in the family.

China would like to implement the usage of Mandarin because base on the principle of “ one country and two systems” and integrate Hong Kong and Mainland, it is effective way to break through the language barrier first. However, the opposing sound is too large in Hong Kong which causing negative effect in terms of integration. Aucaully, most of the local people think that they are Hongkoner plus Hongkonger in China. [3]Therefore it is better implement the languae policy slowly in order to increase the acceptance of Hong Kong people. It also found that mainland students studying in Hong Kong over three years and learn speaking Cantonese have special identity of Hong Kong-Mainland Identity.

Three of the interviewee have learnt their own language in childhood and always use in communication with their family and friends even if their family can speak fluent English. They show strong identity to their countries owning to sense of belonging; they claimed that they would learn their language even though they were born in foreign counties. The above cases shows that people identity will rise when speaking one language.

[1] "Cantonese or Putonghua in Schools? Hongkongers Fear Culture and Identity 'waning'" September 2, 2014. Accessed March 31, 2015. http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-education/article/1583037/argument-continues-over-using-cantonese-or-putonghua?page=all.

[2] Kwai Sang, Lee, and Leung Wai Mun. "The Status of Cantonese in the Education Policy of Hong Kong." 2012.

[3] "Categorical Ethnic Identity." Public Opinion Programme. January 1, 2011. Accessed January 1, 2015. http://hkupop.hku.hk/english/.