On the Mainlandisation of Cantonese: Language and Identity

Throughout Hong Kong’s dynamic history, the relationship, balance, power, and symbolism between the languages of Cantonese, English, and Putonghua has constantly been changing at different times. Many scholars were especially interested studying the sociocultural reactions to these three primary languages spoken in the territory before and after the transfer of sovereignty in 1997. However, in recent years, a new trend has been emerging within the Cantonese language. Foreign vocabularies, especially those of Mainland Putonghua origins, were noted to have entered the daily speech of the Cantonese language and perhaps even replaced Cantonese vocabularies. As Hong Kong maintains a culture and identity different from that of Mainland China’s, the phenomenon of the so-called “mainlandisation” of Cantonese was seen by some to be blurring the cultural difference between Hong Kong and China, thereby assimilating the local identity into the Chinese identity. Thus, this study on the changing Cantonese language and its relationship with the Hong Kong identity offers some insights into this relatively new linguistic trend, at a time when there is an increase in social movements and awareness aimed at maintaining Hong Kong’s autonomy and drawing distance from China politically and culturally.