Re: hakka: Re: Hakka

[PITTOLIM@aol.com]

Hi,

I am glad my simple enquiry has turned into a lively discussion issue. Hakkas
were called the Jews of the orient. Jewishness however is defined by the
practice of Judaism as a religion and the language Hebrew. Anyone who practise
neither perhaps will have a difficult time calling oneself a Jew. Hakkaness in
constrast is defined by a unique culture and a dialect. Unlike the Jews, Hakka
parents can not make their children practice "Hakka". So, you are right in
saying that modernisation and urbanisation make Hakka less of a survival
advantage as a dialect. Those descendants of Hakkas who did not grow up in
Hakka households and speak no Hakka probably have less emotional attachment to
the label "Hakka". Many famous Hakkas spoke no Hakkas but merely used the term
to describe their origin. I agree that any attempt to define Hakkaness is
futile and is unwarranted. In contrast to the mainland Chinese, I call myself
"Hakka Ngin" as the knowlege of  my ancestral village has been lost. My
descendants will most unlikely speak the dialect although I shall make an
effort for them to learn chinese which will invariably be mandarin.

Pitt