Technically mandarin and cantonese are just different spoken dialects of the same language but there are actually characters for spoken cantonese used in comic books and other unofficial writing basically just homophones of official characters with a koumouth character tacked on to the front. May 28, 2015 i am also learning cantonese, and living in hong kong for the immersion. Learning the chinese characters was a major investment of time, but one i am glad i made. Cantonese is not even the second largest dialect spoken in china, the.
Cantonese has 9 tones while mandarin has just 4 making it easier to learn than cantonese. Mandarin has 4 tones whereas cantonese has 6 to 9 tones. Introduction this book is for learners of cantonese who aim to take their knowledge of the language beyond the phrase book level. Books and studies for teachers and students in primary and secondary. Meet the cantonese activist fighting to keep the language. If you are not a native but have to spend considerable time in china, you would be better off learning mandarin instead of cantonese. This intuitive observation is borne out under the analysis of the criteria used by the language difficulty index developed for the missionary training center. Differences between mandarin and cantonese ltl mandarin. Cantonese cuisine is sometimes considered bland compared to the thicker, richer and darker sauces found in other chinese cuisines. Many people assume that mandarin and cantonese are the same language. Even though both cantonese and mandarin uses the same standard chinese script the two languages are still mutually unintelligible and very have many different aspects to it. My partners family actually isnt from hong kong though, theyre from the taishan area of guangdong, so the only ones that actually speak mandarin are the ones that live in china they all speak a mix of cantonese, taishanese, and their local village language. Finally, the last big difference between the two is the lack of written cantonese.
In this case, writing in vernacular cantonese will look different from writing in vernacular mandarin, because of slight differences in grammar, vocabulary, etc. This is a stereotypical feature of southwestern mandarin, since it is so easily noticeable. Northern chinese, also known as mandarin, is the mother tongue of about 70% of chinese speakers and is the accepted written language for all chinese. The main difference between the two is in the way certain sounds are pronounced. As a major economic center of china, there have been recent.
Cracking the tones are said to be the hardest part of learning chinese. Cantonese believe in eight word four colums augury as well as zhiweidoushu. So it seems as though mandarin is more practical than cantonese. Nevertheless, the place of local cantonese language and culture remains. Mandarin dialects typically have relatively few vowels. First of all people living outside of china often overestimate the realm and numbers of people speaking cantonese.
Cantonese is not even the second largest dialect spoken in china, the wu dialect has 90 million speakers while cantonese only has 70 million there are 1. However, these languages have major differences that depend on a variety of aspects. Cantonese culture to me is louder, more aggressive, has a harsher sounding language, and has more potent tasting food. Cantonese and mandarin are written in the same way, though cantonese favors traditional chinese characters rather than simplified. Striving for linguistic and cultural assimilation in hong kong john c. Mandarin is the term used through much of the western world, but the chinese themselves refer to the language as pu tong hua, guo yu, or hua yu. Today, mandarin is the official language of life and business across china, from shenzhen in the humid south, to harbin in the frigid north, to lhasa in the arid west. Learning mandarin vs cantonese share flipboard email print lim ashleyflickrcc by 2.
There are also a couple of sounds that are in mandarin that are not in cantonese. The grammar book also has great introductory information about topics mentioned above. With expertise in translation, localization, and creative services in over 100 languages, venga partners with clients to help them communicate globally and support their global ambitions. I am also learning cantonese, and living in hong kong for the immersion. Standard cantonese is the only other chinese language, besides. In summary, my strategy for learning all three languages was the same.
Ive always found mandarin culture to be softer as a generalization than cantonese culture. Cantonese has six tones, whereas mandarin has just four. Whats the difference between chinese mandarin and cantonese. A comprehensive grammar was designed as a reference book, basic cantonese is more pedagogical in orientation.
This book is for learners of cantonese who aim to take their knowledge of the language beyond the phrase book level. For example, gwai lo in cantonese refers to a foreigner. Aug 25, 20 even though both cantonese and mandarin uses the same standard chinese script the two languages are still mutually unintelligible and very have many different aspects to it. Cantonese, taishanese and other yue languages native languages, southwestern mandarin, vietnamese, malay both malaysian and indonesian, hong kong english, macau portuguese. The name mandarin was first used by the portuguese to refer to the magistrates of the imperial chinese court and the language they spoke. It is the traditional prestige variety of the yue chinese. A 2010 proposal to switch some programming on guangzhou television from cantonese to mandarin was abandoned following massive public protests, the largest since the tiananmen square protests of 1989. A summary jmft october 21, 2015 this short essay is intended to summarise the similarities and di erences between cantonese and mandarin. What is the difference between mandarin and cantonese. Language helps preserve a unique culture but cantonese is. Jan 20, 2018 cantonese is known as a more difficult language to learn compared to mandarin. When they hear a person from china speaking, they immediately say that the person is speaking in chinese. The characters in mandarin have been simplified in 1950 while characters in cantonese are still traditional.
Of course, cantonese culture established its roots many centuries ago as part of the unique history of the guangdong province. Asian art, especially from china and india, often features the mandarin crowned with thin, green leaves and clinging delicately from a willowy tree. How can hong kong keep its cultural spirit burning bright. Differences between mandarin and cantonese ltl school. Cantonese culture goodreads meet your next favorite book. Cantonese is a variety of chinese originating from the city of guangzhou also known as.
Mandarin and cantonese are just two major different varieties or dialects of. Learn about cantonese culture with our blog and free cantonese audio and. The bestselling guide to the etiquette and customs of hong kong a. The citrus originated in japan, where they flourish.
Mandarin and cantonese are two very related languages that people often mistake to be one and the same. However, it is one of the five major languages in mainland china that also includes cantonese. Whats the difference between chinese, mandarin and cantonese. Mandarin gei wo na ben shu give me the book therefore a mandarinspeaker and a cantonesespeaker would be able to write letters to one another with minimal difficulty. Eating dim sum is an opportunity for cantonese people to gather and socialize with family and friends over a leisurely brunch. Those familiar with both mandarin and cantonese will generally agree that cantonese is harder to learn than mandarin for native english speakers. In china, why dialects like cantonese are on the wane. Predominantly chinese folk religions which include taoism, confucianism, ancestral worship and mahayana buddhism. Heres an example of different word order in cantonese vs. Traditional chinese how are they related to cantonese vs mandarin. Tea and bitesized dishes are served in round bamboo steamers to share. My partners family actually isnt from hong kong though, theyre from the taishan area of guangdong, so the. Jun 15, 2019 the name mandarin was first used by the portuguese to refer to the magistrates of the imperial chinese court and the language they spoke.
Difference between chinese and mandarin difference between. What are the differences between chinese and mandarin. They are notable for their cuisine, language, popular entertainment, and martial arts. How china changed its language on speech lowy institute. Here are some traditions and traditions that distinguish. Is there a difference between written cantonese and mandarin. Hong kong has the potential to become a cultural hub for cantonese speakers. See more ideas about chinese quotes, chinese language and chinese words. Today, mandarin is the official language of life and.
There is not one single chinese language, but many different versions or dialects including wu, cantonese and taiwanese. Their cantonese words have direct a counterpart in mandarin, like. If you are a teacher, this book will be invaluable to gaining insight into. The pull of the cantonese language the china culture corner. Both the mandarin and cantonese dialects are tonal languages where one word has many meanings depending on the pronunciation and intonation. Oct 21, 2018 for the past 18 years, 39yearold cantonese cultural activist lao zhenyu has been running a website to protect his native culture and linguistic heritage amid fears that the language once. Languages, including cantonese and other dialects should be celebrated in china. What people call chinese is actually the written version of vernacular mandarin, or written putonghua. Cantonese and mandarin languages cultural difference youtube. Spoken mandarin and cantonese are not mutually intelligible. Occasionally, youll find a mandarin looking orange ball called a satsuma in the produce department. But that is not the case since there are several versions of spoken chinese. Nevertheless, the place of local cantonese language and culture remains contentious.
When you teach him cantonese you will read the character as it is pronounced in cantonese with an explanation if a phrase is used differently in cantonese. Tang poems is better expressed in cantonese than mandarin. Mandarin classes for babies launched jump to media player two teachers in oxford have started running french, spanish and mandarin classes for babies. Standard cantonese is the only other chinese language, besides standard mandarin. Many people think that chinese is just one language. There are estimates of about 70 million cantonese speakers worldwide. I consider mandarin softer, and smoother, cantonese a bit rougher and harsher. For instance, the word for not in mandarin is bu, but it is but in cantonese. Simplified or traditional chinese, mandarin or cantonese. Jan 27, 2020 and cantonese speakers are increasingly learning mandarin to find work in mainland china. Cantonese has held a lot of prestige in the chinese speaking world in the last few decades. The written language of chinese is the same regardless of the specific dialect. How to pass on both cantonese and mandarin chinese as.
So what are the main differences between chinese mandarin and cantonese. Many people will start with the main goal, such as, i want to learn the. Both cantonese and mandarin are dialects of the chinese language, and both are spoken widely in mainland china. Language is definitely part of the culture, but it is not culture per. Standard cantonese is the only other chinese language, besides standard mandarin, that is widely used around the world. I n previous articles on the chinese language, i have focused exclusively on mandarin also called pu tong hua, literally the common tongue.
Difference between mandarin and cantonese compare the. Chinese comic books are commonly written using cantonese characters. They worry the citys distinctive culture and identity will eventually be subsumed by mainland china, with some questioning if the language and the city. As two major languages spoken in china, the difference between mandarin and cantonese is very interesting topic to a linguist. While mandarin culture is more smooth flowing and calmer. The characters used for mandarin and cantonese share the same roots in ancient china, but mandarin uses simplified characters, which were set as the standard by the chinese government in 1950s, while cantonese still uses the traditional characters. Mandarin and cantonese are just two major different varieties or dialects of spoken chinese, not forms of written scripts. However, there are certain peculiarities to each dialect. Although the past few decades has seen a huge rise. The differences between mandarin and cantonese by a. It should take a leaf out of frances book and start an academy to promote and. There are more than 960 million native mandarin speakers worldwide. Its a question asked by many, if not all who are unfamiliar with chinese culture.
Both cantonese and mandarin are dialects of the chinese. Thats not to say that learning cantonese is a waste of time, and for some people, it may be the better choice, but for most people wanting to speak chinese, mandarin is the way to go. Differences between a mandarin and a tangerine leaftv. Apr 19, 2018 heres an example of different word order in cantonese vs. Oct 15, 2008 cantonese and mandarin are dialects of chinese. What is the difference between cantonese and mandarin food. Chinese is a term that refers to a common language spoken in china. Cantonese is spoken in hong kong, macau and the guangdong province.
Mandarin is the language used primarily in mainland china and taiwan whereas cantonese is used in canton and is the common language spoken by the overseas chinese. Cantoneseabout cantonese wikibooks, open books for an. They worry the citys distinctive culture and identity will eventually be subsumed by mainland. Mandarin and cantonese are the largest chinese dialects. The cantonese are a group of people who are native to a region of southeastern china historically known as canton. In this case, writing in vernacular cantonese will look different from writing in vernacular mandarin, because of slight differences in grammar. The cantonese language is used in its own versions of movies, television shows, and songs. When they hear a person from china speaking, they immediately say that the person is. Today, cantonese people live in guangdong, eastern guangxi, hong kong, and macau. Although they still fall under the chinese umbrella.
Also, the extra cultural awareness will help you in your interactions. My experience learning mandarin has been somewhat unique compared to other students at ltl. Mandarin history and culture pronunciation vocabulary understanding. Cantonese is a variety of chinese originating from the city of guangzhou also known as canton and its surrounding area in southeastern china. How to describe differences between cantonese and mandarin. Mandarin is the official state language of china and is. Both languages have different tones, but the use of tones in cantonese is even more challenging due to it having between 6 and 9 different tones.
Cantonese still hold their taoism religion at home and worship ancestors. The differences between english and chinese introduction. You generally wont see this in books but they do exist. Cantonese is a completely different spoken language than mandarin, and uses nine tones instead of just four, as mandarin does. However, this is different to cantonese and mandarin, which are considered a language in their own right. Mandarin is spoken in the mainland and cantonese is spoken in hong kong. Language helps preserve a unique culture but cantonese is marginalised by. Cantonese tones, pingyam systems, and the difference between mandarin and cantonese all of which you can actually read on amazon for free using the look inside function. One cannot come across many differences between chinese and mandarin. When talking about the chinese language, there is no such language as chinese.
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