T
he illiterates of the 21st Century only speak one
language,” said my glamorous new European friend.
I was an Australian backpacker, fresh off the plane.
She was French and spoke three languages. Her
comment wasn’t meant to be mean, nor was it directed at me
but it cut deep. I’ll never forget it.
Fast forward a decade and as a mother of two, living
in a foreign land, I can say with some experience it seems
she was right – the illiterates of this century only speak one
language. I’m one of them, but I’m damned if my kids will be.
A second language is a powerful gift to give a child. The
third, fourth and fifth fall with greater ease after the second.
We illiterates should be so lucky! Living in Hong Kong, many
parents will decide that learning Chinese is a priority for their
child. But what’s the reality of learning Chinese for those kids
without any previous exposure? And what’s the difference
between Putonghua and Cantonese; simplified characters
and traditional characters?
Never fear,
Playtimes
has you covered with the basics of
learning Chinese in Hong Kong.
Chinese languages taught in Hong Kong
First things first, let’s clarify the language of Chinese languages
– it can be very confusing! Parents doing their research will
“
November 2016
67
