Although Cantonese has survived the vicissitudes of time and spread throughout the world (Gordon, 2005), its current development in China seems to face challenges from the country’s current language policy that promotes English as the most important foreign language (Hu, 2009). This policy that accentuates the instrumental value of a global language (Adamson, 2002) unleashes Cantonese people’s craze for learning the prioritized language (He, 2010), despite the fact that the prevalence of English has resulted in language shift and replacement in the world (Kamwangamalu, 2003; Pakir, 1999). Motivated by the need to better understand the influence of English on Cantonese in China, this study examines the results of a survey that was conducted in Guangdong province of South China and explored 102 native Cantonese speakers’ general beliefs about English and Cantonese in terms of language as a medium of instruction, language as a compulsory school subject, language use, and language as a resource. Conflicting language attitudes emerge, and they have impacted the survey respondents’ languaging practices. Evidence of voluntary language shift from Cantonese to English is observed, indicating further longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes for gaining a more in-depth look into the issue of language shift in Guangdong.
Note
"Chickens talk to ducks" is a Cantonese idiom. Literally, it means chickens cannot understand ducks’ language when they talk together.
References
Adamson, B. (2002). Barbarian as a foreign language: English in China’s schools. World Englishes, 21(2), 231-243.
Gordon, R. G. Jr. (Ed.). (2005). Ethnologue: Languages of the world (15th ed.). Dallas, TX: SIL International.
He, N. (2010, August 5). Rush to learn English fuels quality issues. China Daily. Retrieved from http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2010-08/05/content_11103536.htm
Hu, G. (2009). The craze for English-medium education in China: Driving forces and looming consequences. English Today, 25(4), 47-54.
Kamwangamalu, N. M. (2003). Globalization of English, and language maintenance and shift in South Africa. International Journal of Sociology of Language, 164, 65-81.
Pakir, A. (1999). Bilingual education with English as an official language: Sociocultural implications. In J. E. Alatis & A. H. Tan (Eds.), Georgetown University round table on languages and linguistics (pp. 341-349). Washington D.C.: Georgetown University Press.
