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06
Jun 2026
(Sat)

Bridging the Linguistic Gap: How Hongkongers Navigate Between Written and Spoken Language

Event of
Open SPACE 2026
Subject
Chinese
Print
Date & time
06Jun 2026 (Sat)14:00 - 15:00
Type of Event
In-person Attendance
Venue
Room 602, 6/F, United Centre, 95 Queensway, Hong Kong (Exit D, Admiralty MTR Station)
Fee
Free
Speaker
  • Ms Cheung Lai Yin ( )

Ms Cheung Lai Yin

Born in Hong Kong, Ms Cheung received a Bachelor of Arts from Jinan University (Guangzhou) in 1982, a Master of Philosophy from the University of Hong Kong in 1989, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2003. She previously served as Professional Consultant and Deputy Programme Director at the Putonghua Education Research and Development Centre, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. With many years of experience in Chinese language and linguistics education and research, Ms Cheung maintains a strong interest in sociolinguistic phenomena and specialises in Cantonese dialect studies, with particular emphasis on comparative research between Cantonese and Putonghua.

REGISTER (IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE)
Enquiry
3762 0850 (cnlang@hkuspace.hku.hk)
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Hong Kong is a city where people constantly shift between what they write and what they say—often across Cantonese, Standard Written Chinese, and varying degrees of “mixed code.” This talk explores the “distance” between written and spoken language in Hong Kong and how speakers manage it in everyday life: in classrooms, workplaces, social media, messaging apps, public announcements, and popular culture. We will look at why written norms diverge from spoken habits, what choices people make when they switch registers, and how identity, audience, formality, and technology shape those choices. The talk also considers what these patterns mean for communication, literacy, and language education in Hong Kong today.

Language: Cantonese supplement with Putonghua

 

The School may make available related programme information material at the seminar.
The School reserves the right to alter or modify the schedule of the event if necessary or expedient.