What is the most spoken language among 華人

Discussions on the Cantonese language.
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Arsenii

What is the most spoken language among 華人

Post by Arsenii »

I've heard that it's Hokkien, but in the books it writes that it's cantonese. So, which is it?
Dylan Sung

Re: What is the most spoken language among 華人

Post by Dylan Sung »

It is Mandarin. Hokkien is of the minor dialects of Chinese, like Cantonese. Mandarin putonghua is the national language of China, taught in schools and has an international defined romanisation.

Dyl.
Arsenii

Re: What is the most spoken language among 華人

Post by Arsenii »

I know. I'm learning mandarin. I wanted to ask about chinese from overseas. From Malaysia and Indeonesia, Thailand, Kamboja, Vietnam etc.
Is it realy Hokkien?
ziwan

Re: What is the most spoken language among 華人

Post by ziwan »

Most definitely Cantonese in those countris.
i think

Re: What is the most spoken language among 華人

Post by i think »

i think most of them understand cantonese... but juz not sure if most of them can speak cantonese... :p
lisa c

Re: What is the most spoken language among 華人

Post by lisa c »

My friends that are Vietnamese Chinese all learned Mandarin in Chinese school and spoke their own dialect at home. A lot of them are TeoChew but they told me that for business or shopping the language is Cantonese.

Many of the friends that I have from Malaysia and Singapore speak a smattering of many dialects, but seem to be most fluent in understanding and speaking Cantonese. Dunno why since they're educated in Mandarin too. Maybe because of the popularity of the HK singers and movies. This might be changing among the younger set. I'm in my 30's.
tj

Re: What is the most spoken language among 華人

Post by tj »

I am a Chinese Malaysian. I think I can give you a correct answer:

Malaysia:
Major dialect group by population is Hokkien, Hakka, Cantonese and Teochew. Major speaking dialect are Hokkien (Northern and Southern region) and Cantonese (Central region, KL). Mandarin is used in all Chinese school, as such 85% of Chinese Malaysian can speak Mandarin + their own dialect and English, the remaining 15% english/malay educated Chinese can speak only English, Malay and some dialects.

Singapore:
Major speaking language is Mandarin and English for young generation where Hokkien is dominantly speaking among the people with age 40 and above

Thailand:
majority of the Chinese are Teochew. I heard that the young generation can only speak Thai language + little bit teochew

Philipine:
Almost all Chinese are Hokkien. Mostly can speak Hokkien, English and Tagalog, some chinese educated Chinese can speak mandarin.
Usually, Chinese Philipine speak Tagalog (Philipine native lang) in open area even they are all Chinese.

Indonesia:
Not sure which dialect is majority. Maybe is Hokkien.
almost all chinese young generation in Indonesia can speak only Indonesia language except those Chinese in Medan(Sumatera) can speak Hokkien

Cambodia:
Teochew is the major dialect. Quite a lot of people there also can master Mandarin.
i think

Re: What is the most spoken language among 華人

Post by i think »

dear tj

from ur saying, seems that not that much ppl communicate in cantonese, rite?

thank you. :)))
tj

Re: What is the most spoken language among 華人

Post by tj »

Hi I think,

Yes.

Quantitatively, 85% of Chinese malaysian can speak+write Chinese/mandarin; About 50% of Chinese Malaysian can speak Cantonese. more than 50% understand Cantonese but not fluent in speaking (I'm in this category, typical Chinese Malaysia like me can speak Mandarin/Malay/English + their own dialect).

As for singapore, Only those aged citizen whose dialect group is cantonese can speak cantonese well.

In South East Aisa, Cantonese is popular only in Malaysia (mostly spoken by hakka ngin) and some Indo-China countries.
Hokkien speaking shall be the most popular in term of total quantity but Mandarin is getting popular sharply in SEA after emergence of China and I predict she will become the most popular language among chinese in SEA within 20 years.

Any people can explain about condition in Indochina?
tj

Re: What is the most spoken language among 華人

Post by tj »

Hi I think,

Yes.

Quantitatively, 85% of Chinese malaysian can speak+write Chinese/mandarin; About 50% of Chinese Malaysian can speak Cantonese. more than 50% understand Cantonese but not fluent in speaking (I'm in this category, typical Chinese Malaysia like me can speak Mandarin/Malay/English + their own dialect).

As for singapore, Only those aged citizen whose dialect group is cantonese can speak cantonese well.

In South East Aisa, Cantonese is popular only in Malaysia (mostly spoken by hakka ngin) and some Indo-China countries.
Hokkien speaking shall be the most popular in term of total quantity but Mandarin is getting popular sharply in SEA after emergence of China and I predict she will become the most popular language among chinese in SEA within 20 years.

Any people can explain about condition in Indochina?

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