Hello and Panic
posted on Tuesday, May 17, 2005 @ 11:15 pm
Hong Kong’s main language of communication is Cantonese, but it’s not uncommon that a native Hong Kong-er (yours truly, for example) mixes an English word or two into their daily Cantonese conversation. Some do it to show off; some do it mainly because they suck at expressing themselves entirely in their mother tongue. As much as a braggart I seem to be, it’s definitely the latter case for me… (and I am aware that I can’t really express myself in English, either).
The normal Hong Konger usually says “wei” when they pick up the phone, but some just like to say “hello”, er, to be creative? I’m rather surprised, though, that most of those who said “hello” didn’t actually expect the person on the other end to reply in English. The following happens quite frequently when I call people…
someone picks up the phone
Me: 喂? (Sounds like “wei”)
Person: Hello?
Me: May I speak to so-and-so, please?
Person: … (awkward silence) Wait.
person puts down phone
(whispers in Cantonese, confused, possibly frowning): She… speaks English…
Darling, if only you said “wei” instead of “hello”. 
In other news, oh boy am I inspired to make a new (but not necessarily better) layout for the domain. Everything’s already here *taps head*, now let’s see if I could squeeze the time needed to put the idea into graphics and codes into my tight schedule of eating, sleeping, reading, drawing, prospectus-flipping*, porno-watching, etc. that I (have to) do every day.
*I should really write an entry on this.
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May 18, 2005 at 10:19 am
I come from Hong Kong but I grew up in Canada, making me speak “Chinglish”. It’s odd isn’t it? I say Hello in English when I answer the phone just in case a person not chinese is on the other side. I don’t have caller id so I wouldn’t know. But when I did say “wei” when I was younger, people will always be like…”uh……do you speak english?” or “did i get the wrong number?” In only they was an international “hello” word.
Good Job on getting inspired! ;]
May 19, 2005 at 1:29 pm
the other way happens to me. i just moved to HK about a year ago and hasn’t learned cantonese yet… so when i answer my fone, it’s “hello”. the other would go “wei?” and i’d explain that i don’t speak cantonese, but they’ll go on talking anyway.. then they hang up. most of them doesn’t even have the courtesy to apologize for getting the wrong number…
May 20, 2005 at 8:33 pm
Happened to me way… too many times. :lol: Not sure if i should feel guilty at times :lmao:
May 22, 2005 at 6:14 pm
The Hong Kong people I talk to on the phone always panic when I say “hello” first on the phone, because they think I only speak English and start to switch off or go haywire. It’s funny that they go silent completely when someone speaks English to them. I wonder why?