Functions of Bilingualism in Hong Kong: Comparing the Linguistic Landscape of Tsim Sha Tsui and Tai Wai

Xinyi HUANG*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Other Conference ContributionsConference Paper (other)Other Conference Paperpeer-review

Abstract

As a former British colony and one of the most famous world financial centers today, Hong Kong attracts countless businessmen and tourists to visit or settle down every year. Hong Kong is a land that leads western culture to blossom in Asia, and in the meantime, it inherits the unique charm of Chinese traditional culture. The Chinese-English bilingual phenomenon can be seen everywhere in Hong Kong. The public presentation, code choice, and practical use of these two languages can also reflect the economic and social status, population distribution, and individual identity construction of a specific area. This paper mainly compares the linguistic landscape of two areas with different social functions in Hong Kong: Tsim Sha Tsui, a large commercial center in Kowloon, and Tai Wai, a residential area in New Territories. By adopting the methodology of the Walking Tour, the bilingual data of 75 photos are collected unintentionally during the field trip in the two areas. Through the methods of quantitative analysis and linguistic landscape studies, this paper deeply analyzes the similarities and differences in language distribution and the respective social functions of two languages in the two places.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - 9 Dec 2022
EventInternational Conference on Sociolinguistics and Language - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Duration: 9 Dec 202210 Dec 2022
https://waset.org/sociolinguistics-and-language-conference-in-december-2022-in-kuala-lumpur

Conference

ConferenceInternational Conference on Sociolinguistics and Language
Abbreviated titleICSL2022
Country/TerritoryMalaysia
CityKuala Lumpur
Period9/12/2210/12/22
Internet address

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