Language
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Boston, Jo'burg, HK
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Lifetime Diamond, CX Gold, Mrs. Pickles travels for free
Posts: 13,161
Really? I would say the boardroom and conference room is where the real business environment is and English is the defacto standard; no matter whether you are at ICC, IFC, 1 Garden Rd or 1 Jackson Sq.
Mandarin in business is limited to the casual conversation in the lifts and retailers.
Mandarin in business is limited to the casual conversation in the lifts and retailers.
I wouldn't dream of hiring a junior person who didn't speak Mandarin, and even for a senior hire not speaking Mandarin is always a meaningful demerit. And I should know, as I've done most of the hiring.
The times of the fat, ignorant, beer-drinking gweilo FILTH who could drop in from their colonial outposts and run the show are over. As much as I don't like the idea, Mandarin is a necessary evil in Hong Kong business these days.
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,271
I'm not sure if I have "the look". I was in Singapore last year for work and eating dinner at the airport with a group where I was the only "asian-looking" one. All the staff seemed to be speaking Cantonese to each other. One of the waiters walked directly to me and asked me a question in Mandarin. I had wondered why he assumed that I spoke Mandarin. I had been speaking English to my co-workers the entire time. I assumed because Mandarin is more prevalent over there.
#19
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,785
English alone is perfectly sufficient in Hong Kong unless you visit some local small store ran by a single elderly owner and you cannot communicate what you need by pointing, then you may have to break out your Mandarin!
One time I was in a taxi and I thought I would make it easy for the driver and told him in Cantonese that I need to go to 港麗酒店. The guy thought for a second.. and then said in perfect English with the British Accent, "Conrad Hotel?"
One time I was in a taxi and I thought I would make it easy for the driver and told him in Cantonese that I need to go to 港麗酒店. The guy thought for a second.. and then said in perfect English with the British Accent, "Conrad Hotel?"
#20
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: ZRH, CGN
Programs: AA Gold, *G
Posts: 257
I'm not sure if I have "the look". I was in Singapore last year for work and eating dinner at the airport with a group where I was the only "asian-looking" one. All the staff seemed to be speaking Cantonese to each other. One of the waiters walked directly to me and asked me a question in Mandarin. I had wondered why he assumed that I spoke Mandarin. I had been speaking English to my co-workers the entire time. I assumed because Mandarin is more prevalent over there.
address Mandarin speaker in Cantonese --> Mandarin speaker may, especially in a touristy area, wonder why the staff are not being more accommodating to tourists.
#21
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: ZRH, CGN
Programs: AA Gold, *G
Posts: 257
Actually, I think the majority of the older generation can speak English pretty well (at least the phrases needed to do business). English education isn't stressed as much in anticipation of and after the introduction of Mandarin in schools.
#22
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: TYO / WAS / NYC
Programs: American Express got a hit man lookin' for me
Posts: 4,596
I can only speak for my own profession (corporate law), but I have consistently heard that you basically have to speak Mandarin to get a job in HK these days, unless you have a diamond-studded solid gold resume that sh*ts rainbows. Pretty much every job there involves a lot of mainland transactions, mainland clients, or both.
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Boston, Jo'burg, HK
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Lifetime Diamond, CX Gold, Mrs. Pickles travels for free
Posts: 13,161
I can only speak for my own profession (corporate law), but I have consistently heard that you basically have to speak Mandarin to get a job in HK these days, unless you have a diamond-studded solid gold resume that sh*ts rainbows. Pretty much every job there involves a lot of mainland transactions, mainland clients, or both.
#24
Suspended
Join Date: May 2006
Location: HKG
Programs: A3, TK *G; JL JGC; SPG,Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,952
My friends from Taiwan who grew up in the US don't bother w/ Mandarin in HK. They all say they get further with English and people treat them better.
Mandarin is still considered the "communist" language in HK in some regards, even still in 2014. It just has to do with a lot that the older generation has gone through and relates to the history of HK.
Just see what works best for you, but from what my friends say they all use English first over Mandarin. Obviously Cantonese would be best though.
Mandarin is still considered the "communist" language in HK in some regards, even still in 2014. It just has to do with a lot that the older generation has gone through and relates to the history of HK.
Just see what works best for you, but from what my friends say they all use English first over Mandarin. Obviously Cantonese would be best though.
#25
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: None any more
Posts: 11,017
#26
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Tri-State Area
Posts: 4,728
I'm a little late to this conversation but thoroughly enjoyed reading the wide variety of responses. I was born in HK but went stateside early so don't speak Cantonese. But I do speak Mandarin. In the 40 plus years of traveling back/forth -- either for pleasure or business, I've seen a transformation in the local environment.
Back in the late 70's/early 80's when Taiwan opened up travel to China via HK, many of the retail areas [especially the jewelry shops!] learned quickly to speak mandarin. Behind the tourists back, they'd snicker but happily count the cash rolling in. Elsewhere you had to rely on Cantonese and even English was not as wide-spread as it is now.
Post turn-over, once travel from China opened up, this dramatically changed. Now Mandarin is a must secondary language - almost on equal status to English. Some 30-40 million tourists visit last year, and 80% from China....
As an example, I have a son who has lived in HK the past 7 yrs and recently just got his "citizenship/passport". He speaks English, Mandarin and shame on him - not a word of Cantonese, except how to understand mini-bus driver directions/instructions
If you're not Asian, any language skill is appreciated, whether in Cantonese or Mandarin. If you're Asian, they will always speak to you in Chinese. IMHO
Back in the late 70's/early 80's when Taiwan opened up travel to China via HK, many of the retail areas [especially the jewelry shops!] learned quickly to speak mandarin. Behind the tourists back, they'd snicker but happily count the cash rolling in. Elsewhere you had to rely on Cantonese and even English was not as wide-spread as it is now.
Post turn-over, once travel from China opened up, this dramatically changed. Now Mandarin is a must secondary language - almost on equal status to English. Some 30-40 million tourists visit last year, and 80% from China....
As an example, I have a son who has lived in HK the past 7 yrs and recently just got his "citizenship/passport". He speaks English, Mandarin and shame on him - not a word of Cantonese, except how to understand mini-bus driver directions/instructions
If you're not Asian, any language skill is appreciated, whether in Cantonese or Mandarin. If you're Asian, they will always speak to you in Chinese. IMHO
#27
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, IHG Platinum, Accor Gold
Posts: 1,019
I can only speak for my own profession (corporate law), but I have consistently heard that you basically have to speak Mandarin to get a job in HK these days, unless you have a diamond-studded solid gold resume that sh*ts rainbows. Pretty much every job there involves a lot of mainland transactions, mainland clients, or both.
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Boston, Jo'burg, HK
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Lifetime Diamond, CX Gold, Mrs. Pickles travels for free
Posts: 13,161
#29
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: EWR
Posts: 680
It depends what field you're in. I'm in banking and there have been relatively few Mandarin speakers in the two global banks I've worked for in HK. The language of business is English unless dealing with the mainland (even with Taiwan, English is often used) and the lingua franca in the office is generally Cantonese. In my current office, we speak a mixture of French, English and Cantonese. No Mandarin at all. However, staff are offered lessons in Mandarin so it's clear that's the way things are going. I rarely hear Mandarin in a business context but there are plenty of mainland tourists in HK aggravating the locals and generally being unpopular. I'd suggest the OP sticks to English as Mandarin isn't particularly popular with many of the HKers due to what they view as the mainland "invasion". You'll get better service/help by speaking English.
#30
I have the same experience whenever I visit the HK branch of my bank. Cantonese and English in the office. English with clients unless they're from China. Locals despise the mainlanders and their mood typically sours if you start conversing with them in mandarin. If you can't speak Cantonese, you're better off with English (unless you can pull off the rich mainlander look).