Knowing people in australia from Macau around the 30 and below mark, some are quite fluent and others arent.
From what I have seen the ones more fluent force their children to speak it at home, and watch it at home.
However the ones who werent forced are less prone, will always go to English and tell me that I speak it better than them, which is a shame cause I know mine stinks!
Living in a Canto household, I can only communicate with my mother in law in Canto, however the in-laws can understand it, but their command of it seems to be quite shocking. The youngest cant even speak it at all, because the sibilings tend to converse in half english half canto, and to the youngest pretty much just straight english.
So abroad it aint great, the only way to keep it is to maintain the cultural values and force it at home. If it isnt forced, it will be forever diluted.
My personal preference is that Hong Kong and Macau force the language as criteria for employment and truly give it independent autonomy. To make it part of the economic structure will secure its future, and should be maintained as a local region policy. Without it, well it will go the way of 廣西.
It's kind of annoying knowing more chinese than my in-law's, because most words they just wont know. However their comprehension in 鄉下音 is way better than mine, which kind of sucks. (maybe I'm overly competitive?)
From what I have seen the ones more fluent force their children to speak it at home, and watch it at home.
However the ones who werent forced are less prone, will always go to English and tell me that I speak it better than them, which is a shame cause I know mine stinks!
Living in a Canto household, I can only communicate with my mother in law in Canto, however the in-laws can understand it, but their command of it seems to be quite shocking. The youngest cant even speak it at all, because the sibilings tend to converse in half english half canto, and to the youngest pretty much just straight english.
So abroad it aint great, the only way to keep it is to maintain the cultural values and force it at home. If it isnt forced, it will be forever diluted.
My personal preference is that Hong Kong and Macau force the language as criteria for employment and truly give it independent autonomy. To make it part of the economic structure will secure its future, and should be maintained as a local region policy. Without it, well it will go the way of 廣西.
It's kind of annoying knowing more chinese than my in-law's, because most words they just wont know. However their comprehension in 鄉下音 is way better than mine, which kind of sucks. (maybe I'm overly competitive?)