Chatty Cantonese | 粵語白白講 (Chatty Cantonese)

This episode features part two of our conversation with YouTuber and blogger Brittany Chan. She shares some of her goals for studying Cantonese, as well as a few of her favorite resources for learning the language.

Link to vocabulary and transcript

Links to resources mentioned in this episode: 

• Hambaanglaang
• InspirLang
• 不浪漫故事 Not a Romantic Story
• 樂霖
• Poetic Cantonese
• Boba Break Cantonese
• Cantonese Chrome Extension
• Linguistic Society of Hong Kong
• https://jyutping.org/
• https://www.cantonesewithbrittany.com
• Brittany’s YouTube channel
• 時事一週 (BBC news in Cantonese)
• SBS 廣東話節目 (SBS news in Cantonese)

Are there any foods that you love to eat when it gets cold out? Today we chat about a Cantonese winter staple, claypot rice (煲仔飯 bou1 zai2 faan6), and the types of Hong Kong shops that specialize in making just one dish. That brings us to the phrase 獨沽一味 (duk6 gu1 jat1 mei2).

Episode transcript and vocabulary

Cantonese is rich with vowel sounds, but some of them can be difficult for non-native speakers. One of the biggest challenges in this realm is differentiating between the "a" and "aa" sounds (with the classic example being gai1 (雞, chicken) vs. gaai1 (街, street)). Luckily, Raymond has three great tips for how to create more distinction between how you pronounce the two.

Vocabulary and transcript

UBC Cantonese pronunciation modules

This episode features the first part of our interview with Dr. Lau, Chaakming, a long-term researcher and proponent of Cantonese in Hong Kong, his previous projects include words.hk and HamBaangLaang, and now he's also developing various other language resources. Dr Lau is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Linguistics and Modern Language Studies at the Education University of Hong Kong, with a research focus on digital humanities and linguistics. Make sure to also tune in next week for the second part of our discussion.

Transcript and translation

This episode features the second part of our interview with Dr. Lau, Chaakming, a long-term researcher and proponent of Cantonese in Hong Kong, his previous projects include words.hk and HamBaangLaang, and now he's also developing various other language resources. Dr Lau is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Linguistics and Modern Language Studies at the Education University of Hong Kong, with a research focus on digital humanities and linguistics. If you did not hear the first part of our discussion, make sure to check out the previous episode.

Hambaanglaang ETPR lessons

Vocabulary and transcript

Have you ever watched an old movie and wondered if some of the lines might be spoken differently today? This week, Cameron challenges Raymond to a game where he has to take lines from Cantonese movies from the 50s and 60s and update them for a contemporary audience. Some of the lines include phrases that are used less in contemporary Hong Kong, while other phrases are still in use yet also have newer, trendier versions. 

If you listen to the episode and think of relevant slang, be share to share with us on Twitter!

In the first of a series of episodes on Sentence Final Particles (SFPs), we look at how just one syllable can change the feeling of a Cantonese sentence. Using aa as an example, we run through how shifts in the tone of that syllable can further impact how the sentence is received. SFPs can be a bit of a challenge, but they are also part of what makes speaking Cantonese so much fun.

Link to vocabulary and transcript

This week features the first half of our discussion with Vivek Mahbubani, a bilingual stand-up comedian from Hong Kong who performs in both Cantonese and English. He has appeared in local film, TV, and radio, and he also co-hosts the podcast Ho Ho Hong Kong. This week’s portion touches on his experience growing up in Hong Kong, linguistic specificity in comedy, and why he never drinks a beer before going on stage. 

This week features the second half of our discussion with Vivek Mahbubani, a bilingual stand-up comedian from Hong Kong who performs in both Cantonese and English. He has appeared in local film, TV, and radio, and he also co-hosts the podcast Ho Ho Hong Kong. This week we look into Vivek’s tips for learning Cantonese, and the role that humor can play in language acquisition.

Vivek's website
Cantonese Alliance of North America
Cantonese Creators Collective
Cantonese Language Association
粵語長片台

Episode transcript and vocabulary

Following up on the last episode about Cantonese stand-up comedy, Raymond challenges Cameron with some Cantonese "爛gag," or anti-humor jokes. Word play and facepalming abound.

Vocabulary and transcript

This week we talk about two more important SFPs, gaa3 (㗎) and laa3 (喇). Raymond has examples aplenty, while Cameron seems to have air conditioning on his mind.

Vocabulary and transcript

Part one of our interview with Jade Wu, author, podcaster, and teacher of Cantonese, Taishanese (Toisanese), and Mandarin. She has published textbooks for teaching all three languages, with Learn to Speak Taishanese I having come out just this year. In this episode we talk to Jade about what got her into writing textbooks, as well as some of the differences between Cantonese and Taishanese–she even gives us a little lesson.

InspirLang Website

Episode transcript and vocabulary

This episode features the second part of our conversation with Jade Wu, where we discuss her publishing process and some of the ways her students have taught her over the years.

Resources suggested at the end of the episode:
Language Reactor
Hong Kong Connection
Rhapsody in Lingo
CantoTalk
Resonate Literary Magazine


Episode vocabulary and transcript

Pop quiz: How would you write "Give me that book" in Cantonese?「畀嗰本書我」or 「給我那本書」? The answer is... well, complicated.  But where might you read the former vs. latter? In this episode we chat about the different ways Cantonese is written, as well as the fancy term "diglossia."

Don's Snow's Cantonese as Written Language
Vocabulary and transcript

More sentence final particles in this episode, this time centering around ones beginning with "z." They can be helpful for talking about quantity, degree, and justification--like when you're talking about that person who's "just" a friend...


Episode transcript and vocabulary

This episode features the first half of our discussion with Dr. Gina Anne Tam, Associate Professor of History at Trinity University, and author of Dialect and Nationalism in China, 1860-1960 from Cambridge University Press. In this episode we talk about the distinction between “dialect” and “language” and what it means for Cantonese. Check back next week for the conclusion of our discussion.

今集有我哋同三一大學歷史副教授，劍橋大學出版社發行《中國方言與民族主義 1860-1960》作者譚吉娜博士討論嘅第一部份。呢一集我哋討論方言同語言嘅區別同埋對粵語嘅意義。大家記得下個禮拜返嚟聽埋後半部份討論。

Episode vocabulary and transcript

This episode features the second half of our discussion with Dr. Gina Anne Tam, Associate Professor of History at Trinity University, and author of Dialect and Nationalism in China, 1860 – 1960 from Cambridge University Press. In this episode, we talk about the relationship between Mandarin and Cantonese in teaching and academia, as well as English’s immense power in the global linguistic landscape.

Works mentioned in this episode:
Silencing Shanghai, by Fang Xu
Gerald Roche (various articles)
Cantonese as Written Language, by Don Snow
Not Like a Native Speaker, by Rey Chow
The Fall of Language in the Age of English, by Minae Mizumura
Borderlands/La Frontera, by Gloria Anzaldúa
Speak Not: Empire, Identity and the Politics of Language, by James Griffiths
Sound, Meaning, Shape: The Phonologist Wei Jiangong (1901-1980) between Language Study and Language Planning, by Mariana Münning

Episode vocabulary and transcript

A little chat about time in the digital age... How do we stay focused when there are so many distractions out there? And what do you call a "bedside table" in Cantonese?

Transcript and vocabulary

How can this be happening?! In this episode, we dig into SFPs (sentence final particles) useful for expressing surprise, reacting to information that should have been known previously, or relaying sketchy things someone else said that you disagree with.

References:
Basic Sentence-final Particles in Hong Kong Cantonese, by Yuen-lam Tsang

Transcript and vocabulary

Bernice Chan is a reporter whose career has stretched across the Pacific, reporting for both the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong and CBC in Vancouver. She also hosted the award-winning podcast Eat Drink Asia. In the first part of our interview, we talk about the trajectory of her career and the influence Hong Kong had on how she learned Cantonese. Be sure to check back next episode for the conclusion of our conversation. 

陳志媺 Bernice Chan 係一名資深記者，佢嘅事業橫跨太平洋，任職於香港嘅《南華早報》同喺溫哥華嘅加拿大廣播公司。 她仲主持過屢獲殊榮嘅 Eat Drink Asia 播客節目。 喺訪問嘅第一部分，我哋講到佢嘅職業生涯以及香港對佢學習粵語嘅影響。 請記得收聽埋下一集我哋對話嘅後半部份。

Bernice Chan is a reporter whose career has stretched across the Pacific, reporting for both the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong and CBC in Vancouver. She also hosted the award-winning podcast Eat Drink Asia. In the second part of our interview, we talk about our favorite dim sum picks, why Hongkongers love trying new flavors, and where on YouTube you can learn Cantonese cooking.

陳志媺 Bernice Chan 係一名資深記者，佢嘅事業橫跨太平洋，任職於香港嘅《南華早報》同喺溫哥華嘅加拿大廣播公司。 她仲主持過屢獲殊榮嘅 Eat Drink Asia 播客節目。 喺訪問嘅第二部分，我哋傾吓我哋鍾意食嘅點心、點解香港人鍾意嘗試新口味、同一個學習做粵菜嘅 YouTube 頻道。

Made With Lau YouTube Channel

Episode vocabulary and transcript

A discussion about where Hongkongers found cool refreshment in the olden days leads Raymond to share some unique drinks. Wonder what "a monk jumping into the ocean" is? Or how you could drink "veggie honey?" Listen to find out.

Vocabulary and transcript

Inspired by a listener question, this episode addresses an issue all beginning Cantonese students face: in thanking someone, when should you use do1 ze6 (多謝) and when should you use m4 goi1 (唔該)?  The underlying principle becomes clear with the help of a few  hypothetical situations.

Transcript and vocabulary

Welcome to Season 3 of Chatty Cantonese! We start things off with a double-interview with two notable figures from the world of Cantopop, Allan Lau and Duck Lau. In addition to talking about their own musical experiences, the pair explain some Cantopop history and how newbies can learn more about the genre and its connection with Hong Kong culture.

Link to vocabulary and transcript

Born and raised in Canada, Allan Lau is a versatile musician, doing everything from orchestrating movie scores to crafting commercial theme tracks for multinational corporations. He is also a voice artist and bass singer, bringing to life video game characters and movie trailers.

Duck Lau Cho Tak is an award-winning Hong Kong musician/composer actively engaged in various music scenes. He is also an experienced singer, having served as chorus member and performance director for numerous concerts and records.

In this second part of our interview, we discuss some principles and interesting aspects of Cantonese voiceover work and lyric writing.

劉熙信係一名全方位音樂人，從事歌曲及廣告音樂製作、電影電視配樂同電子遊戲聲效設計。

劉祖德係著名香港音樂人/作曲人，有份參與監製、作曲或編曲，亦曾喺眾多歌星嘅演唱會及唱片中擔任和音及演繹指導。

今集係訪問嘅第二部分，我哋討論到粵語配音同填詞嘅一啲原則同趣事。

Vocabulary/transcript

In this episode, we are joined by Israel, Kenny, and Samuel from the podcast seoi6 jin4 kwong4 soeng2. In that podcast, the trio uses Cantonese to discuss learning just about every other language in the world, and we highly recommend it to listeners of Chatty Cantonese. Another portion of our conversation appeared on the seoi6 jin4 kwong4 soeng2 feed back in January, so once you finish this episode, you might as well listen to the other part–you’ll find a link in the show notes. 

以下呢一集係特備對談節目，我哋今次有《絮言狂想》播客節目嘅以色列、靳尼同三苗加入。 喺佢哋嘅播客裏面，三位主持使用粵語討論學習世間上幾乎所有其他語言嘅趣事，我哋特別推薦畀《粵語白白講》嘅聽眾。 我哋對話嘅另一部分已經喺一月份嘅《絮言狂想》節目中出現過，所以你聽完呢一集之後，不妨聽埋節目另一部分——你會喺我哋嘅節目說明中搵到連結。

Vocabulary and transcript
絮言狂想
TypeDuck
Hong Kong Code-Mixing Dictionary
Refold Cantonese

Measure words (also referred to as "classifiers" in linguistics, or 量詞/loeng6 ci4) appear in multiple languages, but they have some special functions in Cantonese. Today we begin to discuss what to watch out for when studying or teaching them, as well as some of the ways that their usage differs between Cantonese and Mandarin. 

In this episode we interview the award-winning literary translator Jennifer Feeley. Jennifer has helped introduce English-language readers around the world to a variety of works of Hong Kong poetry and fiction. She has been particularly prolific this year—her translation of Lau Yee-Wa’s novel Tongueless came out in June, and her translation of Xi Xi’s Mourning a Breast just came out this month. Our conversation with Jennifer is split into three parts, with this portion focusing on how she came to learn Cantonese and the language politics of translating Xi Xi. The next episode focuses on her work on Tongueless, while the final episode digs into what it takes to become a literary translator.

Links to Jennifer's recent translations:
Mourning a Breast
Tongueless 

This episode features the second portion of our conversation with the award-winning literary translator Jennifer Feeley. Where last time we learned about her journey to Cantonese and her work translating the poetry and prose of the Hong Kong author Xi Xi, this time we hear about her recent translation of the psychological thriller Tongueless, by Lau Yee-Wa. Set in a Hong Kong secondary school, it zeroes in on the pressure-cooker environment faced by contract teachers as they navigate the shifting linguistic landscape between Cantonese and Mandarin. Make sure to tune in next time for the third and final installment of our conversation where Jennifer shares tips for getting into literary translation.

今集係我哋同得獎文學翻譯家費正華 Jennifer Feeley 對話嘅第二部分。上次我哋了解咗佢同粵語嘅淵源同埋翻譯香港作家西西嘅詩歌同散文作品，今次我哋會聽佢最近翻譯劉綺華嘅驚悚小說《失語》Tongueless 。小說以香港一間中學為背景，講述合約教師喺廣東話同普通話之間變化緊嘅語言環境之下面對嘅無形壓力工作環境。下次記得收聽埋我哋對話第三部分最後一集，Jennifer 會分享有關文學翻譯嘅竅門。

Lean more about Tongueless 

Episode transcript

This episode features the conclusion of our conversation with Jennifer Feeley. Where in previous episodes we discussed specific Hong Kong literature that Jennifer has translated, here she shares some advice for anyone interested in getting into literary translation. We are also thrilled to announce that since taping this episode, the American Literary Translators’ Association has announced two emerging translator mentorships for Hong Kong literature, including one with Jennifer. We have included a link to the details in the show notes and encourage listeners to apply.

今集節目係我哋同 Jennifer Feeley 對話嘅尾聲。喺上兩集我哋討論過 Jennifer 翻譯過嘅香港文學作品，今集佢為有興趣進入文學翻譯嘅朋友分享一啲建議。我哋亦好高興宣布，自從錄咗呢集之後，美國文學翻譯家協會就宣布咗兩個香港文學新興翻譯導師計劃，Jennifer 就係其中一位導師。我哋喺節目簡介入面加入咗詳情連結，並鼓勵各位聽眾申請。

Books mentioned in this episode:

• Making Space, edited by Nicolette Wong
• Cantonese Love Stories, by Dung Kai-cheung
• Atlas: The Archaeology of an Imaginary City, by Dung Kai-cheung
• 《小男人周記》
• 《穿Kenzo的女人》
• Pei Pei the Monkey King, by Wa Wa, translated by Henry Wei Leuung
• Owlish, by Dorothy Tse, translated by Natasha Bruce

Translation resources:

• ALTA Emerging Translators Mentorship Program (with two mentorships for Hong Kong literature)

Episode transcript

Welcome to Chatty Cantonese, also known as 粵語白白講, a podcast all about studying Cantonese. Our regular episodes feature brief conversations in Cantonese about Hong Kong culture and language learning, while transcripts and translations can be found at our website, chattycantonese.com. Also check out our guest episodes, where we do bilingual interviews with people all around the world who have different relationships with the Cantonese language. 下次見！

Raymond and Cameron chat a little about their experiences with Cantonese, as well as why it helps to be interested in what one studies. SPOILER: Today's slang is  牛唔飲水就唔撳得牛頭低. Check chattycantonese.com for a full transcript, translation, and vocabulary words. If you have any questions, please reach out at chattycantonese@gmail.com

Raymond and Cameron tackle the subject of tones--does Cantonese have 6 or 9? Then Raymond shares his own tip for helping students practice tones. As for slang, there are two expressions this week: 雞同鴨講 (gai1 tung4 aap3 gong2)and 唔啱channel (m4 ngaam1 channel). For transcripts and translations, visit chattycantonese.com.

Extra resources for tone practice:
Cantolounge - How many tones are there in Cantonese? https://youtu.be/NM7tXfXnCzM
Cantonese with Brittany - Beginner Cantonese | The Six Tones https://youtu.be/b38H_ySiTd4
Cantonese Learning Centre http://www.clc.com.hk/ 

Cameron and Raymond chat with Pearl Low, a Vancouver-based author, artist, and animator, about their experience studying Cantonese as a heritage language. Pearl shares a number of tips on learning Cantonese in a community-focused way.

To learn more about Pearl's work, check out: https://www.pearllow.com/

Some of the resources Pearl mentions (in this and next episode):
1. Pearl's Twitter thread on Cantonese learning resources

2. Subreddit "r/Cantonese"

3. Cantonese with Winnie (YouTube channel)

4. Hanping Cantonese Dictionary

5. Hanping Chinese Camera: Chinese OCR

Cameron and Raymond continue their conversation with Pearl Low, a Vancouver-based author, artist, and animator, about their experience studying Cantonese as a heritage language. In this segment, Pearl dispels a common myth about Cantonese, and also gives suggestions to younger learners engaging with their heritage language.

To learn more about Pearl's work, check out: https://www.pearllow.com/

Some of the resources Pearl mentions:
1. Pearl's Twitter thread on Cantonese learning resources

2. Subreddit "r/Cantonese"

3. Cantonese with Winnie (YouTube channel)

4. Hanping Cantonese Dictionary

5. Hanping Chinese Camera: Chinese OCR

Also, check out 係咁先啦, the song mentioned by Raymond at the end of this episode.

More info on Cantonese input on iOS.

Raymond and Cameron discuss how Cantopop (Cantonese pop music) can act as a tool for language learning, as well as some of the medium's challenges. As an example, they look at MIRROR's "Ignited" and one of the colloquial expressions from the song: 焫著 (laat3 zoek6).

Link to music video for "Ignited"

Some tones in Cantonese can seem very similar to new learners, particularly when they're similar "shapes" (e.g. tones 2 and 5). How can students figure out the difference? Raymond and Cameron share a few quick tricks. 

This week's guest is John Wakefield, an Associate Professor at Hong Kong Baptist University and a veteran Cantonese screen actor. The conversation has been split up into two parts, with this episode focusing on Professor Wakefield's journey learning Cantonese and his experiences in the Hong Kong entertainment industry. Be sure to check the next episode for part two, where he discusses his research interests at greater length.

The second half of a two-part conversation with Professor John Wakefield, this episode focuses on his linguistic research and thoughts on how Cantonese has evolved in recent decades. Professor Wakefield also discusses his 2019 edited volume Cantonese as a Second Language: Issues, Experiences and Suggestions for Teaching and Learning.

Other resources mentioned in this episode:
ViuTV YouTube Channel
Cantonese.tools

Everyone seems to be a fan of something, but how do you talk about it in Cantonese? This week, Raymond tells Cameron about a few ways that Hongkongers have talked about being a fan across the decades, along with some newer developments in the age of MIRROR.

Link to vocabulary and transcript

Most students of Cantonese have probably encountered different pronunciations when it comes to words beginning with an "n" or "l" sound. Why is that? In this episode, Raymond and Cameron take on variations in Cantonese pronunciation and talk about why flexibility can be your greatest friend.

Link to vocabulary and transcript

The first part of a two-part conversation with YouTuber and blogger Brittany Chan, who creates content about overseas Chinese communities and studying Cantonese. Topics discussed include what first inspired her to begin making videos, as well as the community that has supported her along the way.

Link to transcript and vocabulary
Brittany's YouTube channel