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Rally! Rally! Rally!
My friend told me she had seen a large banner in Guangzhou saying “Be civilised, speak the civilised language.” (What? You don’t know what the civilised language is? It’s not Cantonese, that’s for sure.)
I’m so sick of these people who think the behemoth mandarin needs any help at all to devour all before it.
But all is not lost! Sorry about the short notice, but I only got the message ten minutes ago. There are going to be rallies against the mandofication of the world – well, PRO Cantonese really – today and tomorrow, 2pm Southorn Stadium in Wan Chai. Wear white! Stand up and be counted! I include the invitation in its entirety:
Please support Chinese regional languages rally on 18, 19 September.
We would like to inform you there is another rally coming up to support Cantonese and other Chinese regional languages.
This week is nation wide pro-Mandarin week in China. Earlier (Guangdong) Dongguan Government had released a guideline regulating the use of languages, measures included -1. Local radio, TV Channel cannot have more airtime in Cantonese than Mandarin, 2. In public area ie restaurants, shops, streets, schools, workplaces–only Mandarin should be spoken, civil servant need to pass a standard Mandarin exam. This act shown that local government in order to follow central government’s promotion of Mandarin, strictly control and discourage the use of Cantonese. We worry about the impact of these new measures on regional languages, so we are calling for a worldwide rally on 18, 19 September.
This event is organized by different supporters through Internet. Please support and help us promote this event.
Support Chinese regional languages rally
Date: 18 and 19 September 2010
Time: 2 pm
Location (multiple):
Hong Kong: Southorn Playground in Wan Chai
Macau: Ruins of St.Paul’s Cathedral
Guangzhou: Guangzhou Park A1 exit
Dongguan: Central Plaza
Foshan: Nanhai Qiandeng lake
Guangxi: Guangxi Nanning International Airport
Shanghai: World Expo Hong Kong Hall
Vancouver: Vancouver International Airport
Chicago protest will take place on 18 Sept
time: 2pm (local time)
location: Chicago O’Hare International Airport (meeting point: International arrival Terminal 5 Concourse McDonald’s)
It will be a sit-in. The protesters will prepare posters/ placard and flyers.
Contact person: Louis Ng This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
San Francisco protest will take place on 17 September
time: 1pm- 3pm (local time)
location: San Francisco Consulate General Of People’s Republic of China
Contact person: Jun-he Tse This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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The Most Canto-Friendly Shop In Hong Kong
Last Friday I went to IKEA (pronounced Ee-Keh-Ah by the way) (that’s right, I have a secret direct line to the Swedish language) and as usual said to my client that day: “Wish me luck. I’m going into the bowels of hell.”
So I shopped around for a while, getting the last pieces of furniture for the guest room/ big bathroom I’m building downstairs, and in the middle of Elaka Brallor or Bögjävel or Myspågarna or whatever that folding table was called, I suddenly realised something.
IKEA isn’t the bowels of hell at all! I had spent a whole 30 minutes without having my eardrums perforated by “Hah-llo! Welcome!” Nobody had stood right next to my elbow, breathing softly on it, saying “We have many collah”. Yes, there hadn’t even been a single “can I heltchiu”. The management at IKEA obviously think people know how to shop and can choose stuff for ourselves. And, when I did need help, the blue-yellow little helpers were extremely service-minded and efficient.
Best of all, I probably talked to five or six of the staff and not one of them started clapping or laughing when I spoke Cantonese, they just answered my questions in Cantonese as if I were a normal human being.
IKEA, you have my vote! Now forget the meatballs and start producing clothes and shoes. Then I will, like the people in the video above, move in. 
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China Everything – The Movie. Yes, Mandarin!!!!
Three months of work are finally over and the result is a 114 minute travel, language, transport and accommodation guide to the Silk Road including Kazakhstan, and, well, anything in China really. The premiere was →
New Bust-blocker from Happy Jellyfish People’s Democratic Language Bureau!
Damn – I’ve done it! I’ve gone and betrayed my love, the Cantonese language. Well, all I’ve said about it is true and right, and it is my beloved language number 1A. It’s just that →
We Are Flogging, We Are Flogging ….
So I have this book, right? Don’t Joke On The Stairs. The title is based on a sign I saw in Gansu once, in the staircase of a language school. “Avoid the exchange of jokes →
Hono Begging For Your Patronage (Writing Course This Saturday)
I’m not kidding! After my book launch on the 6th of October where about 60 or 70 people descended, drinking hundreds of bottles of beer in the quiet time of the restaurant, the owner of →
Last Product Placement – Today
So I’ve made this two-hour Cantonese learning DVD as I’ve mentioned once or twice. Here is a short excerpt giving you a little glimpse into Going Native. It’s only HK$100, including shipping inside Hong Kong, →
Book Review!!!!
Wei wei everybody, wei! After a long absence caused by circumstances beyond my control, I’m now itching to write again. And what could be better than to start with something written by somebody else? Yep, →
More Proddie Placie. I’ve Earned It.
Finally it’s here (maybe you didn’t even know that it was going to be here???) – the second installment of Cantonese – The Movie. This DVD, all two hours of it, is for people who →
A Little Proddie Placie
Wei wei, it’s finally happening: I’m launching my new book Don’t Joke On The Stairs on Blacksmith Books this week. I actually wrote most of it four years ago and had signed a contract with →
Joke-share
Here’s a joke that I’d like to share with all Cantonese speakers/learners – well, not all. It only works if you’re caucasian. In Norway we have a saying: Beloved child has many names. So it →
New Book on the Block
Hallo, hallo, everybody everywhere. My new book is finally being published and you are invited to the launch. As well as beer and books for sale, there is also my new DVD ‘Going Native’ which →
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Special: Going Native and Cantonese – The Movie
Now you can own both Cantonese – The Movie and Going Native in this special bundle. Take your Cantonese from complete beginner to an intermediate level without even trying! Let Happy Jellyfish Language Bureau take you on an adventure through all things Canto with some interesting places and characters thrown in along the way.
Going Native
You have watched Cantonese – The Movie and feel more confident about your Canto. Now it's time to crank up the action! Going Native takes you from beginner to intermediate level – again without really trying!
Warning: Contains full frontal nudity.
Stay Grounded
Would you like to travel around China but are worried about your Mandarin being not up to scratch (or non-existent)?
Now you can get all the Mandarin words and expressions needed for getting around the Middle Kingdom in this handy video which covers train and bus travel, hotel stay, eating and drinking and other situations you might find yourself in when you, like us, are going to for example Hong Kong to Kazakhstan, by train…
Cantonese – The Movie
“DID YOU KNOW THAT Cantonese has no word for YES or NO?
But… but how can this be? you're probably thinking. Without yes and no, how can you answer Yes/No questions? It's easy! Just download Cantonese – The Movie and all will be explained.
Chillies! Sichuan food made easy
Everyone who has working tastebuds will surely agree that Sichuan food is the best of all food, not only in China but in the world. Sadly, many restaurants call themselves Sichuan without being the real thing. So why not avoid disappointment by learning to cook it for yourself? It's easy!
Fortune Cookie Express
Cecilie eats her way across Americas Chinese restaurants speaking only Cantonese. If the staff don’t speak Cantonese then she leaves….unless she is really hungry.
Don’t Joke on the Stairs – The Movie
Cecilie visits China and looks at the fun side of life. More information soon.
Yam Cha
Find out about the delicacies of Yam Cha.
Contact us today
Email info@learncantonese.com.hk
to find out how you can start learning Cantonese.