I'd like to learn it, but 6 tones (and whatever the k,p,t ending things are called) are fucking difficult for someone who has never studied a tonal language. I tried it while I was in HK, and hopefully I will learn it after I learn Mandarin.
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Anonymous2009-07-16 9:14
Meh, I don't listen to that 6 tones nonsense. It's a human language. Human beings speak it so human beings should be able to learn it, that's all.
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Anonymous2009-07-16 17:29
>>1
sounds like a nice undertaking, however i would rather spend my time on learning japanese if i were you because there's just not enough great chinese literature that would make learning chinese worth it. also all great chinese literature has been translated into japanese anyway.
>>9
There's not enough great Chinese literature... so you would rather learn Japanese.
Kill yourself.
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Anonymous2009-07-17 4:36
I already speak Japanese fluently, looking for my next language. There's a lot of great cantonese media out there, especially movies, so it's the next logical step.
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Anonymous2009-07-17 5:01
>>12
It's mostly trash. What great movies have ever come out of China? The old HK Jackie Chan were awesome but that's pretty much it. The last emperor was awesome but that's not a Chinese film.
But if you already know Japanese, it's ok I guess.
Andy Lau is really good. His music is top-notch too.
But my favorite movies are Stephen Chow's. Royal Tramp FTW
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Anonymous2009-07-19 3:33
>>8
Of course a non-native speaker can learn any language. But that does not mean that some are not considerably more difficult than others.
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Anonymous2009-07-19 5:46
Duh, you should expect a certain level of difficulty for any new venture. But to run away from something you want to do because BAWWWW IT TOO HARD is just silly.
I'm up to a week of lessons now and so far so good. I took a Mandarin class a few years ago so that really helps.
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Anonymous2009-07-26 6:18
OP here again, still plodding along. I've been spending more time reading about people who learn Cantonese than actually learning the language, but I think I'm getting somewhere.
of which there are piss-poor illiterate peasants: ____________
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Anonymous2009-08-17 10:03
>>23
You act as if HK people aren't starting to learn Mandarin too, and that Shanghai isn't going to supplant HK as the financial center of China.
Cantonese, while useful now in HK and southern China, will simply be another local dialect in 50 years, Mandarin is the future language of business and government.
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Anonymous2009-08-17 13:34
>>24
While I agree that Mandarin is becoming even more of a Lingua Franca in China, I'm not sure I think Shanghai is overtaking Hong Kong as a financial center. Granted, Shanghai has more ready access to the booming manufacturing, but I think Hong Kong's greater freedoms, both economic and political, mean its position as top dog will not really be threatened until the CCP actually liberalizes, and doesn't decide to pull stunts like randomly arresting foreign national CEOs when their business does something the government doesn't like.
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Anonymous2009-08-17 14:25
>>25
Agreed. Rule of law in Hong Kong is what will allow it to keep its competitive edge for many years to come. I didn't mean to imply that such a radical shift will occur overnight, but certainly within the coming decades. Everyone knows rule of law and economic freedom are the main factors holding back Shanghai (and any other mainland city for that matter), and policymakers would be very foolish not to address these concerns in the near future.
>>34
How does a successful Cantonese celebrity invalidate claims that Hong Kong's established legal system will continue to give it an edge over mainland cities until serious reforms are enacted?
>>32 >>33
Yes, because I obviously have nothing better to do than educate a bunch of clinically retarded losers unable to comprehend the truth out there. If I had to bother myself every time a brainless chimp who could somehow type or talk commented on an issue beyond the capacity of his meager mental capacity, I'd have no free time left for myself. I mean, think, the sheer amount of libertarians, creationists...
>>35
Wow, thanks captain obvious! I didn't know at all I was making a statement about the person at hand when saying that he was an uneducated moron. Congratulations on this great achievement!