Ysc3 Twincharged December 9, 2012 Share December 9, 2012 seein the "foreign language" thread made me want to question : how many chinese out there can speak your own dialect ? seems that the younger generation now can't even speak/understand there on ancestral dialect !!?? ↡ Advertisement Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baphomet 3rd Gear December 9, 2012 Share December 9, 2012 (edited) seein the "foreign language" thread made me want to question : how many chinese out there can speak your own dialect ? seems that the younger generation now can't even speak/understand there on ancestral dialect !!?? i can't because not even my dad or my late grandpa speaks it.. Its Hakka.. They only speak hokkien.. so I picked it up too Edited December 9, 2012 by Baphomet Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonglh Neutral Newbie December 9, 2012 Share December 9, 2012 (edited) Interesting. I am wondering how many sei yap folks around here. And those who still knows how to speak sei yap dialect. I do have a few relatives in Hong Kong and SG who still speak sei yap but only those from my father's generation who are already at 3/4 of their life journey. The rest only speak in cantonese. Sei yap is close to cantonese and also quite close to Hakka. And yes, I do speak fluent sei yap and cantonese. Plus half cooked hokkien which learned from army days. Edited December 9, 2012 by Leonglh Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoverofCar 6th Gear December 9, 2012 Share December 9, 2012 So you at which quarter of you life journey? 3/4 too? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightkids 6th Gear December 9, 2012 Share December 9, 2012 dad cantonese, ok mum hakka, listen still ok, speak not really..... hokkien, ok Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toothiewabbit Supersonic December 9, 2012 Share December 9, 2012 Interesting. I am wondering how many sei yap folks around here. And those who still knows how to speak sei yap dialect. I do have a few relatives in Hong Kong and SG who still speak sei yap but only those from my father's generation who are already at 3/4 of their life journey. The rest only speak in cantonese. Sei yap is close to cantonese and also quite close to Hakka. And yes, I do speak fluent sei yap and cantonese. Plus half cooked hokkien which learned from army days. Nei a tiu mo ah? Agreed. IMO, Sei yap is considered extinct in SG...long time ago. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambporkidney Neutral Newbie December 9, 2012 Share December 9, 2012 Interesting. I am wondering how many sei yap folks around here. And those who still knows how to speak sei yap dialect. I do have a few relatives in Hong Kong and SG who still speak sei yap but only those from my father's generation who are already at 3/4 of their life journey. The rest only speak in cantonese. Sei yap is close to cantonese and also quite close to Hakka. And yes, I do speak fluent sei yap and cantonese. Plus half cooked hokkien which learned from army days. Just curious - how do you say "lei ho mah?" and "sek bao mei?" in sei yap? Thks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambporkidney Neutral Newbie December 9, 2012 Share December 9, 2012 So you at which quarter of you life journey? 3/4 too? Three quarter seems to be an ideal percentage, that's why the custom officer makes sure our tanks are three quarter at woodlands n tuas check points Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
2BDriver Hypersonic December 9, 2012 Share December 9, 2012 Just curious - how do you say "lei ho mah?" and "sek bao mei?" in sei yap? Thks "lei ho mah?" Nyak Ho Moh "sek bao mei?" Hyak Pow Mei Ar Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambporkidney Neutral Newbie December 9, 2012 Share December 9, 2012 "lei ho mah?" Nyak Ho Moh "sek bao mei?" Hyak Pow Mei Ar Thanks! Very different. When I visited distant relatives during CNY many years ago as a small child, I found it weird but enjoy these old aunties old uncles talking in sei yap Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonglh Neutral Newbie December 9, 2012 Share December 9, 2012 So you at which quarter of you life journey? 3/4 too? 1/3.. I bet you must be at4/4 of your life journey already? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berncsp76 6th Gear December 9, 2012 Share December 9, 2012 My dialect group also quite rare to hear people speaking...Hock Chew....think only about 2-3% in SG knows how to speak and mostly they are older folks and many have passed on already... Speak it to my late dad, ah ma, uncles and relatives (from my dad's side)...my mom's side are mostly Cantonese as some of them are still Msians. Now only hear it outside when those foreigners (usually from PRC, sarawak or Batu Pahat) and will chit chat abit with them. Will definitely teach my kids how to speak when I have them too... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer 4th Gear December 9, 2012 Share December 9, 2012 younger generation no speak because older generation speak lesser what...like that also want fault younger generation siao Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoverofCar 6th Gear December 9, 2012 Share December 9, 2012 1/3.. I bet you must be at4/4 of your life journey already? Is that a curse? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jman888 Moderator August 12, 2013 Share August 12, 2013 I agree on his foresight on speaking mandarin campaign in the 80s and make Singapore having advantage with China compare to other countries. The focus on Chinese and English also simplified the language spoken in public. However, i would feel sad for some that have forgotten how the dialect were spoken and the culture behind these dialects. Those non popular dialect such as hakka, hainanese, foochow, etc will soon to be forgotten. Discuss... LKY antagonising an entire generation of Chinese From Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donut Supercharged August 12, 2013 Share August 12, 2013 I agree on his foresight on speaking mandarin campaign in the 80s and make Singapore having advantage with China compare to other countries. The focus on Chinese and English also simplified the language spoken in public. However, i would feel sad for some that have forgotten how the dialect were spoken and the culture behind these dialects. Those non popular dialect such as hakka, hainanese, foochow, etc will soon to be forgotten. Discuss... LKY antagonising an entire generation of Chinese From Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gitanic 6th Gear August 12, 2013 Share August 12, 2013 I agree on his foresight on speaking mandarin campaign in the 80s and make Singapore having advantage with China compare to other countries. The focus on Chinese and English also simplified the language spoken in public. However, i would feel sad for some that have forgotten how the dialect were spoken and the culture behind these dialects. Those non popular dialect such as hakka, hainanese, foochow, etc will soon to be forgotten. Discuss... these dialects still exist and will not perish in China. As for Singapore, languages are only of value if they communicate and economically valuable. Sometimes i see these new immigrants come here and speak their home tongue here really is confusing and fuse misunderstanding. Bad for small Singapore if citizens are confused. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oblong 3rd Gear August 12, 2013 Share August 12, 2013 It was a 6 part documentary and very interesting if u catch all of it. For language and the policy, i honestly think old man is not the domain expert mastering multiple languages/ dialects. He is dyslexic and missed the best years (early childhood, i.e. 0-5 yo) for learning a/or multiple lanaguage(s). Especially chinese form of writing, "logograms" a combination of distinct symbols, phonological and abstract formation. Chinese lexicography is divided into 6 categories: http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%85%AD%E6%9B%B8 He was fighting an uphill battle for his chinese proficiency in his mid 30s and he did't win. His chinese standard, I would reckon at p6 level using 1990s standard. Erhh, i guess we do know the current chinese standards are actually substandard for the East Asian cultural sphere ... Anyway, it could be an ego issue, or some power concerns that some decisions are made along the way. I would think a more accurate picture may surface 6 months or 2 years after the lid is closed, ashes to ashes. If it takes another 20 years before it is clearer, so be it. The most important thing for a responsible historian is to live longer than the decision makers. ↡ Advertisement Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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