Comments on: Top 10 Reasons to Learn Cantonese http://www.due-east.org/2009/10/21/top-10-reasons-to-learn-cantonese/ Tue, 27 Sep 2011 15:18:29 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Brian King http://www.due-east.org/2009/10/21/top-10-reasons-to-learn-cantonese/comment-page-1/#comment-191817 Brian King Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:02:10 +0000 http://www.due-east.org/2009/10/21/top-10-reasons-to-learn-cantonese/#comment-191817 I agree. There are plenty of reasons to learn Cantonese. My article at http://hanyu.com/2009/08/02/so-yuh-wanna-learn-cantonese-eh/ which laid out 5 reasons NOT to learn Cantonese, was intended to be taken tongue in cheek and to stimulate discussion. I encourage anybody interested in learning Cantonese to do so. BTW, the number of tones is often misunderstood. There's no need to analyze Cantonese as having more than 6 tones. There are 3 level tones, 1 falling, and 2 rising. The Entering Tone is the same as the 3 level tones, except it always has a final stop consonant -p, -t, -k. Treating the Entering Tones as 3 separate tones gives 9 tones. For some speakers, the high level tone may also have a slight fall to it, leading some to posit 7 tones. I agree. There are plenty of reasons to learn Cantonese. My article at http://hanyu.com/2009/08/02/so-yuh-wanna-learn-cantonese-eh/ which laid out 5 reasons NOT to learn Cantonese, was intended to be taken tongue in cheek and to stimulate discussion. I encourage anybody interested in learning Cantonese to do so.

BTW, the number of tones is often misunderstood. There’s no need to analyze Cantonese as having more than 6 tones. There are 3 level tones, 1 falling, and 2 rising. The Entering Tone is the same as the 3 level tones, except it always has a final stop consonant -p, -t, -k. Treating the Entering Tones as 3 separate tones gives 9 tones.

For some speakers, the high level tone may also have a slight fall to it, leading some to posit 7 tones.

]]> By: John Moxford http://www.due-east.org/2009/10/21/top-10-reasons-to-learn-cantonese/comment-page-1/#comment-188537 John Moxford Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:12:30 +0000 http://www.due-east.org/2009/10/21/top-10-reasons-to-learn-cantonese/#comment-188537 The article is very good and I agree that it is very important that the culture and languages are preserved. I urge you all to <a href="http://www.langocity.com/learn-cantonese-course-one.html" rel="nofollow">learn Cantonese</a>. The article is very good and I agree that it is very important that the culture and languages are preserved. I urge you all to learn Cantonese.

]]> By: Ben Ross http://www.due-east.org/2009/10/21/top-10-reasons-to-learn-cantonese/comment-page-1/#comment-188037 Ben Ross Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:48:22 +0000 http://www.due-east.org/2009/10/21/top-10-reasons-to-learn-cantonese/#comment-188037 Cantonese is still alive and kicking in Chicago. While the number of Mandarin speakers is gradually increasing, Cantonese (or more accurately Taishan hua)is still the dominant language in Chinatown. Cantonese is still alive and kicking in Chicago. While the number of Mandarin speakers is gradually increasing, Cantonese (or more accurately Taishan hua)is still the dominant language in Chinatown.

]]> By: Hao Hao Report http://www.due-east.org/2009/10/21/top-10-reasons-to-learn-cantonese/comment-page-1/#comment-187761 Hao Hao Report Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:41:41 +0000 http://www.due-east.org/2009/10/21/top-10-reasons-to-learn-cantonese/#comment-187761 <strong>Someone thinks this story is fantastic...</strong> This story was submitted to Hao Hao Report - a collection of China's best stories and blog posts. If you like this story, be sure to go vote for it.... Someone thinks this story is fantastic…

This story was submitted to Hao Hao Report – a collection of China’s best stories and blog posts. If you like this story, be sure to go vote for it….

]]> By: Top 10 Reasons to Learn Cantonese http://www.due-east.org/2009/10/21/top-10-reasons-to-learn-cantonese/comment-page-1/#comment-187633 Top 10 Reasons to Learn Cantonese Sat, 31 Oct 2009 23:14:51 +0000 http://www.due-east.org/2009/10/21/top-10-reasons-to-learn-cantonese/#comment-187633 [...] You find the original post here www.due-east.org/200 … | 孙智谦 [...] [...] You find the original post here http://www.due-east.org/200 … | 孙智谦 [...]

]]> By: 孙智谦 http://www.due-east.org/2009/10/21/top-10-reasons-to-learn-cantonese/comment-page-1/#comment-187278 孙智谦 Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:25:36 +0000 http://www.due-east.org/2009/10/21/top-10-reasons-to-learn-cantonese/#comment-187278 Mandarin has me plenty busy, too. But I've found that Cantonese is like an infection in people's hearts. I've known several of people who at one time made fun of Cantonese and looked down on it as rough and ugly-sounding, but after being around it a while completely changed their tune. I didn't particularly love it when I first heard it, but now if for some reason i don't hear it, I kind of miss it. I've tried to just focus on Mandarin for a few years now, but in time I always fall off the wagon and try to pick up a few words or phrases of Cantonese. "Cantonese, I wish I could quit you." Is there a 12-step group for Cantonese? Cantoholics Anonymous, maybe? Mandarin has me plenty busy, too. But I’ve found that Cantonese is like an infection in people’s hearts. I’ve known several of people who at one time made fun of Cantonese and looked down on it as rough and ugly-sounding, but after being around it a while completely changed their tune. I didn’t particularly love it when I first heard it, but now if for some reason i don’t hear it, I kind of miss it. I’ve tried to just focus on Mandarin for a few years now, but in time I always fall off the wagon and try to pick up a few words or phrases of Cantonese.

“Cantonese, I wish I could quit you.” Is there a 12-step group for Cantonese? Cantoholics Anonymous, maybe?

]]> By: Guus http://www.due-east.org/2009/10/21/top-10-reasons-to-learn-cantonese/comment-page-1/#comment-187262 Guus Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:17:08 +0000 http://www.due-east.org/2009/10/21/top-10-reasons-to-learn-cantonese/#comment-187262 Haha - a long-term learner of Mandarin, I guess that Chinese language will keep me busy for a while. Your reasons are mainly cultural, and though I agree with you on the coolness factor and the interestingness of the language, I think you'd agree that Mandarin beats Cantonese in terms of how broad its being used. That said, I think anyone just speaking Mandarin will have a hard time getting anything done in HK and Guangdong Haha – a long-term learner of Mandarin, I guess that Chinese language will keep me busy for a while. Your reasons are mainly cultural, and though I agree with you on the coolness factor and the interestingness of the language, I think you’d agree that Mandarin beats Cantonese in terms of how broad its being used.

That said, I think anyone just speaking Mandarin will have a hard time getting anything done in HK and Guangdong

]]>