Speaking the Same Language “Cantonese”
Embracing the Greater Bay Area Spirit of Pioneering Excellence
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34624/ro.v0i5.40357Keywords:
The Greater Bay Area, Cantonese language, Lingnan culture (the South Ridge culture).Abstract
Since its official introduction by China in 2015, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA, 粵港澳大灣區) has become a widely discussed topic. The GBA comprises nine neighboring cities in Guangdong Province and the two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau. While much has been written about its political status, economic development prospects, and cultural characteristics of each city, little attention has been given to its linguistic commonalities. Although Mandarin is the national language of the GBA, Cantonese serves as the common spoken language among the 11 cities, which contributes to their shared history and cultural heritage. Cantonese holds significant status and influence in China, second only to Mandarin. This article aims to explore the structure and formation background of Lingnan culture and Cantonese language. Furthermore, concerns regarding the potential decline of Cantonese have also spurred contemplation about the use and survival of various languages worldwide.
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