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1/7 Seeing as nothing seems to make sense atm, I thought I'd throw my hat in the ring.
My mother tongue is Hakka. It's an odd dialect, a cross between Mandarin and Cantonese (not to be confused with 'Chinese', which doesn't exist- so please don't ask if I speak Chinese).
My mother tongue is Hakka. It's an odd dialect, a cross between Mandarin and Cantonese (not to be confused with 'Chinese', which doesn't exist- so please don't ask if I speak Chinese).
2/7 It's sort of a loud language. Like arguing & shouting, all of the time. I remember once walking into a shopping centre hearing 2 women holler in Hakka at each other. When I got closer, it turned out to be my ma, talking to an auntie who was standing right next to her.
3/7 As I grew up with the language, I never questioned some of the phrases we used. It's only now when I'm teaching the kids (to their hoots of laughter) that I wonder why on earth we use such ridiculous phrases.
Here are some that made my kids chuckle. Some exist in Cantonese..
Here are some that made my kids chuckle. Some exist in Cantonese..
4/7 ...too but sounds much funnier in Hakka.
1. 'Chill meow see'- literal meaning: stinks of cat poo. Used when describing kids play turning sour.
2. 'Yill char hor'- lit meaning: swim car river. Means going out for a ride in the car.
Obvs.
1. 'Chill meow see'- literal meaning: stinks of cat poo. Used when describing kids play turning sour.
2. 'Yill char hor'- lit meaning: swim car river. Means going out for a ride in the car.
Obvs.
5/7
3. 'Tong pak hok'- lit meaning: slaughter white crane (the bird). Means being sick.
Visualise it? Yup. See what I mean?
4. 'Sit long mee'- lit meaning: eat wasted rice. Means waste of space. Used to describe ppl.
Makes sense really.
3. 'Tong pak hok'- lit meaning: slaughter white crane (the bird). Means being sick.
Visualise it? Yup. See what I mean?
4. 'Sit long mee'- lit meaning: eat wasted rice. Means waste of space. Used to describe ppl.
Makes sense really.
6/7
5. 'Pak gap ngan'- lit meaning: pigeon eyes. Means looking down at people.
Why not?
6. 'Chill men byang'- lit meaning: smelly face. Means looking like you smelt something bad.
Aka. RBF
I'm really fond of Hakka. Sadly it has a reputation for being a village language...
5. 'Pak gap ngan'- lit meaning: pigeon eyes. Means looking down at people.
Why not?
6. 'Chill men byang'- lit meaning: smelly face. Means looking like you smelt something bad.
Aka. RBF
I'm really fond of Hakka. Sadly it has a reputation for being a village language...
7/7 and it's dying out. Even my parents can't remember some of the words they used to use. I really hope my kids will continue to speak Hakka. It'll be a real shame if this rich, colourful language died out.
Gong yen. Lit means talking finished.
End.
Gong yen. Lit means talking finished.
End.
*I've had a couple of Hakka clients before. In one case, I had no interpreter. So I took instructions in Hakka. In ct, I had to turn my back to explain something to client. Afterwards, the clerk asked if I was having a go at them. That's how shouty Hakka sounds!
Finally. Honestly, finally. If you could do with a good hearty laugh at the moment:
This 'I'm sexy and I know it' in Hakka makes me cry with laughter. Every time.
This 'I'm sexy and I know it' in Hakka makes me cry with laughter. Every time.
