why singaporen singers are so shy

[sxq156284]

Just wondering, earthfriendly - how do you communicate to Chinese in the US, most of whom are Cantonese, in Mandarin? Even less so for the following generations?

you know a little about chinese ,now ,chinese in usa speaking mandrine take up majority part ,even catonese ,they understand mandrien easily ,
becos it is just a dialect of mandrine.

[dot dot dot]

you know a little about chinese ,now ,chinese in usa speaking mandrine take up majority part ,even catonese ,they understand mandrien easily ,
becos it is just a dialect of mandrine.

How would you know what vaucluse knows?

Get away from the forum, all you do is making statements about people you have no clue of and you do not know anything about and your silly generalizations and stereotyping.

Eric

[Vaucluse]

Just wondering, earthfriendly - how do you communicate to Chinese in the US, most of whom are Cantonese, in Mandarin? Even less so for the following generations?

you know a little about chinese ,now ,chinese in usa speaking mandrine take up majority part ,even catonese ,they understand mandrien easily ,
becos it is just a dialect of mandrine.

You really have no clue, do you?

Firstly, migrants from Canton or HK, living in the US (irrespective of which generation) cannot speak Mandarin, or just a tiny bit - they definitely do not do so easily.
My wife is Hokkien speaking and lived in the valley a few years - she had to communicate with SF Chinese in English or the little Canto she can speak. (She is fluent in Manadarin - they couldn't/can't speak it)

Why do you think the PRC has made it compulsory to teach and enforce Mandarin thoughout the country? BECAUSE ONE REGION CANNOT UNDERSTAND THE NEXT AND THEY WANT/NEED TO MAKE MANDARIN THE LINGUA FRANCA IN CHINA.

Where do you get this idea that dialects are so similar to the root language?

Do you even know what you are talking about or do you just write nonsense and expect people to believe you?

As Eric said . . . . yup!

(Thanks, mate - we agree on this dude, he seems to get worse from one post to the next)

[earthfriendly]

Just wondering, earthfriendly - how do you communicate to Chinese in the US, most of whom are Cantonese, in Mandarin? Even less so for the following generations?

You are referring to Old Chinatown in SF? I hardly vist that part of town and yes it is mainly the Cantonese who lives there. Since they are old timers, more intrenched in their ways and cantonese-only skills. When I visit the newer Chinese malls, I do not have problem communicating with the emplyees there, unless they are Vietnamese or other SE Asians.

Many of the new immigrants from Canton understand my Mandarin, I don't speak Cantonese, and can speak Mandarin back to me, tinge with a very heavy Cantonese accent. Those from HK too but I don't find that many HK anymore. Many have migrated to USA due to fear of 1997 takeover but once they realize the communist threat is insignificant, have returned to HK. However, still a small group left especially the older ones as they do not want to face the prospect of going back to HK and starting over again.

So what's left are mainly the mainlanders and Taiwan Chinese. Most of my friends and and acquantaces are Taiwan Chinese.

Hope I am not boggling you with all the details. I just want to provide a clear explanation. Haaa!!! Chinese race so complicated! I wish China is a smaller country and more homogeneuos. Get a little worn out trying to explan all these complications to foreigners. Don't take it wrong way, I welcome all questions and comments.

[earthfriendly]

migrants from Canton or HK, living in the US (irrespective of which generation) cannot speak Mandarin, or just a tiny bit - they definitely do not do so easily.
My wife is Hokkien speaking and lived in the valley a few years - she had to communicate with SF Chinese in English or the little Canto she can speak. (She is fluent in Manadarin - they couldn't/can't speak it)

Why do you think the PRC has made it compulsory to teach and enforce Mandarin thoughout the country? BECAUSE ONE REGION CANNOT UNDERSTAND THE NEXT AND THEY WANT/NEED TO MAKE MANDARIN THE LINGUA FRANCA IN CHINA.

Cantonese do have many similar-sounding words as Mandarin but for the most part, it sounds very different from Mandarin. I have tried to speak a few Cantonese phrases but get my tongue all tangled-up.

I do not know the reason why the very early immigrants and population of Chinatown are unable to communicate in Mandarin with me while the new arrivers from Canton can. There are enough Chinese supermarkets springing up in CA that there is no need to head to chinatown for grocery.