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Tag Archives: language
Hong Kong’s archaic English and ‘Litter cum Recyclable Collection Bins’
There is something that seemingly every English speaking tourist snickers about when visiting Hong Kong – the “Litter cum Recyclable Collection Bins” found on every street corner. In this case “cum” is the archaic Latin word which means “combined with” […]
Books for learning Hong Kong Cantonese
My son has always been interested in learning Cantonese, so our last trip to Hong Kong we did the rounds of bookshops, trying to find a book on the subject. We ended up buying a copy of “Illustrated Hong Kong […]
Lost in translation while navigating the MTR
Navigating the Mass Transit Railway network is Hong Kong is pretty easy – the map is easy to read, the signage is in both Chinese and English, and the audio announcements are repeated in Cantonese, Mandarin and English. So how did my dad and I managed to get confused when getting from A to B?
Posted in Transport
Tagged Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, language, lost in translation, Mass Transit Railway, MTR
3 Comments
The ‘secret’ Chinese restaurant menu
When westerners visit Chinese restaurants, the idea of a secret’ menu that only Chinese people get is a common one – and on my last visit to Hong Kong I finally encountered one, on the popular tourist island of Cheung Chau.
Posted in Tourism
Tagged Cheung Chau, dining out, Hong Kong, language, lost in translation, restaurants
5 Comments
Octopus cards of Hong Kong: bilingual?
On my last trip to Hong Kong I did the same thing as every local resident, and picked up an Octopus card so that I could travel around the city by public transport. What most people don’t know is that the cards come in two versions: English and Chinese.
Posted in Transport
Tagged Hong Kong, KCR, Kowloon Canton Railway, language, lost in translation, Mass Transit Railway, MTR, Octopus card, trains
12 Comments