Why do people in Hong Kong have American accents?

Acting Head of English at Hong Kong’s City University, Dr Rodney Jones, said: “There’s no doubt that the American accent is becoming more prevalent here. The main reason is because people are more exposed to it. “In the past in Hong Kong there was a sense that speaking in a British accent made you sound more educated.

Can Hong Kong speak English?

English is one of the official languages in Hong Kong, and is used widely in the Government, academic circles, business and the courts. All road and government signs are bilingual. Those who spoke English or were taught English were considered the elite and upperclassmen.

Can Hong Kong speak Mandarin?

Hong Kong’s recent census report states that Mandarin is the second language most spoken on the island following Cantonese. As for Mandarin, 48\% of Hong Kong’s population can speak it, compared to 46\% of population that can speak English. Previously, English was the second most spoken language.

Do you need to speak Chinese to live in Hong Kong?

You don’t need Cantonese or Mandarin to live and work in Hong Kong in most cases. However, if you want to know the place you call home and interact with the people that share it with you, then you should learn Cantonese, at the very least. Perhaps focus on Mandarin if you go to the Mainland for business.

How do you pronounce Hong Kong accent?

Like many accents in Britain, Hong Kong English is non-rhotic, so /ɹ/ is only pronounced before a vowel. However, with the growing influence of American English and Canadian English, many young people in Hong Kong now pronounce the /ɹ/ in the coda of a syllable.

What language do they speak in Hong Kong?

Hong Kong English is the English language as it is used in Hong Kong. The variant is either a learner interlanguage or emergent variant, primarily a result of Hong Kong’s British overseas territory history and the influence of native Cantonese speakers.

Why is Hong Kong English not recognised as an Asian language?

It has been argued that the lack of recognition of Hong Kong English as a variety on par with other Asian varieties, such as Indian English or Singaporean English, is due to a lack of research.

What is the official language of business in Hong Kong?

During the colonial period and up to 1974, English was the official language and language of business in Hong Kong. Today, approximately 3\% of the population write and speak fluent English while almost 38\% have basic conversational English skills.