Job Discussion Forums

[kowlooner]

My apologies to Doyle and others for the previous thread. It really got out of hand and terribly off topic. Again, apologies. Apologies also to the moderator.

Doyle, besides the CU program (which now offers courses in TST and Causeway Bay, so you're no longer limited to going all the way out to Shatin!), there are a few private schools such as Pacific Language, but I can't attest to their quality. Most offer free trial classes, so it doesn't hurt to call them up. Then again, there's always Berlitz! Also, you might be interested in an online community that focuses on Cantonese learning: www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk It has some language help tools available for free (flashcards, if you're interested in writing) as well as a forum where Cantonese learners share their experiences. Definitely worth a look.

The funny thing about HK is that there are tons of schools teaching Mandarin but apparently just a handful teaching Cantonese! So if you decide not to do CU, you're probably best off putting your effort into finding a decent tutor and a decent text and doing it the old-fashioned way. You'll need plenty of self-discipline, though. For decent textbooks, the Sidney Lau series is very good, though perhaps a little dated.

[Doyle]

Thanks again Kowlooner!

Actually I just got back from paying the fee for the course I'll begin in Sept. I've got a school bag, book, CD and all and I feel so happy about being a student again. I hope I can actually learn something.

I won't post the name of the school just yet. Perhaps I'll post my thoughts about the school in the future and how it worked for me.

[11:59]

If you are really, really serious about wishing to begin to get a conversational foothold on Cantonese, then you could do much worse than to contact Cecilie Berg, a Norwegian lady who taught herself Cantonese here in HK through a process of immersion, who then went on to host and present the old RTHK3 Cantonese-language lessons, and who now gives (by some standards, somewhat offbeat, though by any standards, effective) courses in everyday, functional, colloquial Cantonese. Students are basically introduced to the language in a way which reflects the way an immigrant would have to begin to get a grip on the language. My wife (a native speaker of Guangdong Cantonese) says Cecilie's Cantonese is excellent, and as a teacher myself I would give her ten out of ten. (Sorry if this smacks of an advertisement but the course of lessons I did with her were first class, and a lot of fun, too.)

Her website is here:

http://www.happyjellyfish.com/

And you can see and hear her use Cantonese here (from a TV 'documentary'):

(PART 1): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs5CWBXm-JA
(PART 2): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC2E5t_08Gs
(PART 3): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_Qi4svs5bE

[kowlooner]

Fantastic, Doyle! I'm sure you'll do well. As long as the program is half decent you'll do fine since you obviously have a good attitude and honest desire to learn. Once you start the course, if you're happy with it please do let us know. And do check out the language impact website. It'll help you organize and take control of your own learning. Regardless, you're in a real program, from the sound of it, so should make good progress.

[DLP]

Congratulations, Doyle, on taking your first steps into the wonderful world of Cantonese. I'm excited and delighted for you.

If you find your present course unacceptable for some reason, which I certainly hope you do not, 11:59 has provided a quite helpful resource in Cecilie Berg's website. Her accent is barely discernable, which impresses me. It looks like she used a total immersion approach in her own language acquisition. We can't all put that kind of time into it, but I'm sure her experiences make her an interesting and helpful teacher.

[kowlooner]

No disrespect intended DLP, but I would have to slightly disagree that Ms. Berg's accent is barely discernible. She speaks quite well but with a distinctly non-native accent. And it's hard to tell from the Youtube videos how well she does in situations beyond survival chat and fairly concrete situations, though she's probably more than capable.

Still, we can give her the benefit of the doubt, and as to her accent, it's clear enough to not interfere with communication, and that's the important thing. And as you said, likely an interesting and helpful resource, especially for those just starting out and wanting to jump right in!

[DLP]

[Doyle]

[Kaloi]

Cantonese movies have really helped me; it seems that many of the neologisms that people have trouble keeping up on are found in pop culture.

Also, a guy named Stephen Matthews has compiled a great grammar that will work in addition formal study.

The writing system is so fun that I can't imagine why people would want to take shortcuts and just take conversation classes!

Of course, even after several years of taking writing courses, I still sound like a donkey.

[11:59]

Yes, Professor Matthews (of HKU) has, along with Yip, compiled a top notch introductory guide to Cantonese grammar (Cantonese: A Comprehensive Grammar, London, Routledge, 1994). It is reviewed here:

http://people.cohums.ohio-state.edu/chan9/pubn/matthews-rev.htm

He also speaks Chaozhou and as a sideline/hobby plays the violin in the SAR Philharmonic!

[Kaloi]

Well, it's probably very uncommonly said about grammarians, but that's fuckin' cool.

From the same publisher, Routledge(?), I had to buy a reference guide to Chinese grammar. The text was dry as hell, it was really high-context, but it's the most comprehensive book I've seen on the subject (beats the hell out of sixty year old Taiwanese women who assume that white boys everywhere were born gnawing on a mao bi).


11:59 - do you work at the University? I'm very interested in studying there.