The Many Versions of Spoken “Chinese”

People often ask me how to say certain phrases or words in Chinese. My immediate response is always a question back to them: in Cantonese or in Mandarin? I can tell from their reaction that they are totally unprepared for this. For them, the language of Chinese probably denotes only Mandarin (or Putonghua as it is known in mainland China). Most Chinese people are, however, growing up with at least two different versions of spoken “Chinese”.

While Mandarin has become the national language of the country since 1909, it has never replaced local dialects. People coming from the same village, town or county always speak with each other in their own dialect even though they are able to converse in Mandarin. The local dialect, instead of Mandarin, is the true mother tongue. The same goes for the biggest cities in China including Shanghai and Guangzhou. In fact, people often find it (more) useful to learn Shanghai dialect and Cantonese when living in Shanghai and Guangzhou respectively.

The situation in Beijing is more interesting. Beijing dialect may sound similar to but is actually different from Mandarin. While native Beijing people can understand Mandarin, Mandarin speakers from other parts of China may not grasp all the local conversations. A switch to the local dialect is hence more subtle: it happens when a phrase or certain wording is totally incomprehensible to an ordinary albeit native Mandarin speaker.

For a melting pot like Hong Kong, the dialectic situation is even more complicated. Being the official language of the territory, Cantonese is used for daily conversation at school and work. It is not necessarily the dialect first learnt or used at home. People with different dialectic traditions have come to reside in Hong Kong although it is increasingly difficult to keep their home dialects. Shanghai, Hakka, Chaozhou and Fujian people are some notable examples.

With one parent speaking Min Nan dialect (a dialect used in southern Fujian and Taiwan), Mandarin and Cantonese and another parent speaking Cantonese, Mandarin and Hainanese (a dialect used in the province of Hainan), I have actually lost the chance to learn all dialects. My parents are unable to communicate with each other in their respective home dialects. We go for the mainstream and use primarily Cantonese at home. Mandarin acts as an auxiliary. Although I hear dialogues in Min Nan dialect or Hainanese at times, they are all Greek to me.

If both parents happen to speak the same home dialects, their children usually understand the dialects well although most of them seldom speak in their true mother tongues. Cantonese will sooner or later become the only dialect used even among family members.

The importance of Mandarin has risen since Hong Kong was bound to become a special administrative region of China. Hong Kong people are used to speaking in both Cantonese and Mandarin for more than twenty years. Spoken “Chinese” is seldom thought of as a single language. Although the situation is theoretically true for all parts of China, I believe that Hong Kong people feel it strongest. Even the Hong Kong Government promotes the so-called “bi-literacy (Chinese and English) and tri-lingualism (Cantonese, Mandarin and English)” in its educational policies. My question “In Cantonese or in Mandarin?” is probably a reflection of this sentiment.

Valeria Teo is the author of this article and is a contracted writer for a Chinese dictionary online.