RE: Hong Kong: a case of language murder/suicide

["Dixie" <Dixie@singnet.com.sg>]

 > Well, it's almost similar situation for Singapore.

> Many, but not all of the Singapore Hakka can't speak their mother tongue.
> Instead, most of the young generation Hakkas adopt a different common
> dialect; e.g.: Hockkien, Cantonese, etc.

There is actually a difference. In the case of Singapore, ALL the dialects
are being
replaced by Mandarin, not another dialect, although Hokkien used to be
popular 20 
years ago.

> I believe that language can mold a person's behaviour and the way they
think.
> Do you agree?? If a person having contact and speak that dialect, the
behaviour will also alter.
> This is just me own notion and not a mean to offend.

I think this is a good point. It had never occurred to me before. I agree
with you.


> But on the other hand, did Deng XiaoPing speak Hakka??

>From what I know, the answer is NO.

> Did Lee Teng Hui speak Hakka?? what about Lee Kwan Yew, Sun Yat-Sen??

Lee Teng Hui speak Minan (Hokkien) dialect.
Lee Kuan Yew speak English and Malay (Peranakan mother) although he claim
that he
can speak Hakka in his memoirs. His father speak fluent Hakka.
Sun Yat-Sen speak Hakka and Cantonese.


> The first revolution in China was ignited by the Hakkas, so was the 2nd
by
Sun Yat Sen.
> Could that be because we are Hakka????It's in our blood....Did anyone
made
some kinda research
on that??

There is some link. There is a story that Sun Yatsen, when he was a small
boy, he
was listening (together with other children in his village) to the exploits
of Hong Xiuquan
and the Taiping Kingdom from an old former Taiping solder. From then on, he
was
determined to be Hong Xiuquan No 2 and liberate China.

The Communists started not too long after the Nationalists. It is natural
that leaders get
support from the people of the same dialect/county group at that time. And
these supporters
would become the sub-leaders and sub-sub-leaders.

There is probably not much link between Lee Teng Hui and those above. And
probably no link
between Lee Kuan Yew and the rest at all. Lee Kuan Yew had stated that
certain groups of 
people are smarter than others. He had great admiration for the Teochews,
who dominate the 
leadership of Singapore in numbers and the Hakkas, who dominate in
percentage terms.
(Hope this does not offend anyone.)

There was an article by a lawyer from Singapore which I will try to post it
again here.


- Dixie