The Development Of Cantonese Terms And Cantonese Education In New York

Cantonese is a regional language used in Guang-dong, and Guang-xi. It is also an important language for the overseas Chinese. Most of the Chinese schools in Hong Kong, Macau, and overseas are using Cantonese as their language of instruction.Cantonese originated from "Yayan" in the Xia dynasty (2100B.C.-1600B.C.)."Yayan", which means refined language, was used in the Central Plains of North China. The Yellow Emperor (2697B.C.-2599B.C.) used it to communicate with tribal chiefs. In the Zhou dynasty (1100B.C.-256B.C.),"Yayan " was the official language.Qin Shihhuang unified China in246B.C., and stationed500,000northern soldiers at Ling Nan, south of the five ridges in Guang-dong. People from states conquered by Qin Shihuang also escaped to Ling Nan. Through business communication and marriages, they assimilated with the natives. Since the Han dynasty (206B.C.), Ling Nan has been a part of China.Government officials came, and schools were established to teach Yayan and Chinese culture. After the collapse of the Han dynasty (A.D.220) and the fall of the Northern Song dynasty (1127), barbarians ruled the north for several centuries. Millions of northerners fled to the south; and Cantonese was greatly influenced by this new influx.Many features of the languages of the Tang dynasty (618-906) and Song dynasty (960-1279) are still preserved in Cantonese. The initials and finals of modern Cantonese match those of the Guang-Yun, dictionary of rhymes in the Song dynasty. They do not match the sounds of rhyming dictionaries of later dynasties. There are also resemblances to the grammar and vocabulary of Tang and Song writings. Cantonese is closer to Old Chinese, than Mandarin in having many monosyllabic words. Archaic meanings are also preserved more. One prominent difference from Northern Mandarin is the absence of the suffixes "er"and "zi"As evidence that modern Cantonese has preserved ancient vocabulary, the author chooses many words and phrases that appear in colloquial Cantonese, but are not used in Mandarin, and show their use in classics from the Zhou dynasty to the late Qing dynasty (1100B.C.-1911). The meanings of some words have extended, reduced, or even changed, but their relationship to the earlier words can still be recognized easily. This article uses the works of different periods to track such changes.The author also compares Cantonese and written Chinese, which is based on Mandarin, and finds a number of terms used in Tang and Song poetry that are still currently used in spoken Cantonese, but are used only in written Mandarin.In order to enhance the practical value of this paper, the author identified Cantonese words that are used frequently in books from the Old Chinese, Middle Chinese, and early Modern Chinese periods. Cultural exchanges with the outside world are also mentioned. There are English loan words in Cantonese and Cantonese loan words in English. In recent decades, some popular Cantonese terms have entered Mandarin through popular Hong Kong movies and television programs. These words are frequently pronounced as in Cantonese. Since Cantonese preserved the sound system of the Tang and Song period, these words can actually be found in the old classics.As far as education is concerned, owing to the fact that a great number of overseas Chinese are Cantonese, Cantonese became the common language in Chinatowns. Old immigrants want their children to preserve Cantonese and Chinese culture. New immigrants must learn English and living skills through Cantonese. Professionals who work in Chinatown, such as doctors, lawyers, police officers, need to communicate with the inhabitants. Different schools are therefore set up in Chinatown, teaching Cantonese and Chinese culture. As a result, Cantonese is still widely used.