Re: Save the hakka language

["Fat" <96981339r@polyu.edu.hk>]

Dear Kevin,

You are too optimistic. There are ten times as much languages in the world
disappeared than those existing. When 99% of Hakka parents in Hong Kong do
not want to teach their children Hakka anf as the language has no standing
in the society, I see no chance of survival for Hakka in 30 years' time. I
was studying the language change pattern in Hong Kong and my conclusion that
Hakka is dying is not just a warning but a reality. My children can speak
Hakka just becuase I am alert - I believe that Hakka will die out, but most
people like you do NOT think it can happen. Sadly speaking, only a few
people who are alert cannot save a language. Unfortunately, the case is
worse than I believe. The Hakka in China are also giving up their mother
tongue much more quickly than I expected.

More unfortunately, the Hakka associations, prominent Hakka scholars or
merchants in Hong Kong are INDIFFERENT to the change. Their children are
speaking any language but Hakka. A Hakka scholar, who is also the leader of
a famous Hakka assocaition (which I don't want to name), means that Hakka
people can live without the Hakka language, which in his eye is old and not
following pace of the time. They usually speak Cantonese in their meetings.

If you want to save Hakka, you must use your family as a living example to
see how our language vanished in a Hakka family. I published many papers to
show that our lanugage is dying. Some Hakka associations even view me as an
enemy because I am doing things to show that Hakka are weak and "inferior"
than other groups. It is up to you to judge who is right.

If you want to learn Hakka, you must come back to China to live for a few
months in a Hakka speaking world. My Japanese friend who can speak Cantonese
and Mandarin made it in four week's time. If you know no word of Chinese, it
lasts a bit longer, say three months to half a year. Maybe you can make it
by starting an English tutorial class in a Hakka town in Guangdong. The
problem is, even if you manage Hakka, you cannot pass it to your children so
easily, especially when you are living outside China. I think it will be
more meaningful to keep Hakka speakers to continue their language at their
home. This is the point for setting a province for Hakka speakers.

Jiaying province is the only answer to the survival of Hakka for the thrid
millennium.

best regards,

LIU Zinfad



----- Original Message -----
From: Kelvin <kachie-hakit@account-pro.com>
To: <96981339r@polyu.edu.hk>
Cc: <fhakka@asiawind.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2000 5:57 AM
Subject: Save the hakka language


> Dear Dr. Lau Chun Fat,
> It is sad that some parents don't bother to teach their kids the Hakka
> language. But there are parents who will teach their kids. The Hakka
> language will not disappear because there are people like you who will
> make sure it won't dissipate.
>
> I wish if I could learn the Hakka language. Do you know of someone who
> could teach the subject in Toronto, Canada? I could find other people
> who would be interested in taking a class on learning to speak Hakka.
> Sincerely,
> Henrietta Akit.