Why Cantonese?

Considering the fact that I live in Hong Kong, (debatably) the mecca of Cantonese, I find it a bit funny that I even have to answer this question at all, not to mention on a fairly regular basis.

As any Canto learner will tell you, one of the questions we often get is "Why are you learning Cantonese?" It is usually followed by something along the lines of "Why not learn Mandarin?" because "many foreigners are learning Mandarin" or "Mandarin is more useful" or even maddeningly "Mandarin is easier." In fact, maybe I should have titled this post "Why Not Mandarin?"

Now the strange thing about this question is that it is often asked by Hong Kong people, Cantonese speakers themselves. Now you might be asking yourself, why wouldn't you learn the language that is spoken in the area you live in? Don't you want to connect with locals, order in restaurants, talk to security guards, and generally understand what is going on around you? Yes, fair reader, that is what I ask myself too.

So why do they ask this question so much? Some (most?) are probably thinking of the importance of Mandarin in the business world. Some have been told that Cantonese is "just a dialect" and "not important." Others just might be making conversation. Either way, let me address these concerns once and for all. Maybe in the future instead of having to repeat myself for the 538th time I can just direct them to this post. Or make a t-shirt.

First of all, what kind of foreigners are learning Mandarin? Maybe there are some that just really enjoy it as a language, which is a great reason to learn it. But most of the people I know living in Hong Kong but learning Mandarin are in business. They travel to the Mainland a lot. They need to be able to take taxis and talk to hotel staff over there. For them, it's practical. I work...in a tutoring center. In Hong Kong. Not necessarily any big business reasons drive me to learn Mando. In the five years I have lived in Hong Kong, I have gone to China four times. And two of them were to Guangzhou where I just used Canto.

So basically, Mando is not really useful to me. While I do know some people who are Mandarin speakers, they are vastly outnumbered by the Canto speakers, of course. To me, it seems more useful to learn the language that I can actually hear and
use every day (I love eavesdropping, by the way). Of course, as others have said, I could always find Mandarin speakers to practice with. Well yes, but I could also find Spanish speakers or French speakers or Korean speakers.

Which leads me to the next point, that Mandarin is easier. Ok, ok, yes, it is easier. If you look at the comparison charts and language nerd blogs, you will find out that it is easier. But you know what? Spanish is even easier than Mandarin. So should I just learn Spanish because it's easier?

Every language has its own difficulties and challenges. Cantonese only has two more tones than Mandarin. If you're going to learn a tonal language anyway, what's a couple more tones? I also admit that the spoken/written difference and the fewer learning materials available can be annoying, but it is not an insurmountable problem.

I think it all comes down to my reasons for learning.

I am learning Cantonese so that I can communicate with bus drivers. I still remember the night that my night bus pulled over on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere and the bus driver wanted me to get off the bus. His wild hand movements did nothing to help me understand why he wanted me to take a taxi. I was on a bus; why would I get off to take a taxi, especially at 1:00am? Later I found out that the tunnel we were supposed to go through was closed off due to the unearthing of an old, unexploded bomb (I guess that is what he was waving his arms around for). That would have been nice to know.

I'm learning Cantonese to save myself! Once when my sister and I were trying to get to Grass Island, we were somehow led astray by directions from the internet. We found ourselves in the middle of nowhere, bus gone and not returning for a long time, and no sign of the promised ferry. We stumbled across an old fisherman eating his lunch in a boat. At that time, my Cantonese was not good at all, but he didn't understand any English so I was forced to try. I managed to communicate where we wanted to go and ask him to take us in his boat. I did have a nice feeling of triumph when we finally arrived at the appropriate island.

I'm learning Cantonese to make friends. Some of my friends who I speak Cantonese with can speak English, maybe even better than I can speak Canto. But that doesn't mean that they will want to speak it when they are tired or speaking about deep things or just hanging out in a group. I can also meet a wider variety of people. I can shoot the breeze with our neighborhood fruit seller. He told me one night when I stopped by to buy a few bananas that he is was so relieved I could speak Canto to him, since he was afraid I would try English, or even Mandarin, neither of which he can speak. One 阿姐 aa3 ze1 (what we call older ladies) who hands out fliers around my old flat has become a kind of friend. I like to sneak up on her and wait until she notices I am standing right beside her. She always jumps and then laughs and hits me with her flyers.

I'm learning Cantonese so I don't have to pay more money for chicken curry because I have to use the English menu (I am looking at you, cha chaan teng under Rose Kitchen that marks up their English menu!).

Finally, I just like Cantonese. That's really all the reason I need. It's such a colorful language, the slang makes me laugh, and trying to hit the tones are kind of like singing. Canto also lets me make wonderfully cringy mistakes! Like saying chicken poop instead of wet market (雞屎 instead of 街市). If you have to make mistakes, you might as well make glorious ones like that.

So that's my story and I'm sticking to it.