[jaxbot]

That's a great point about access to Shenzhen from HK. How's the language barrier been? Have you had to learn both Canto and Mando and read both simplified and traditional? Is there a distinct advantage to living on one side of the border over the other?

[echevil]

The hard part living in HK for a lot of people is real estate price. It's extremely expensive either to rent or buy apartments. Lot of people live in apartments less than 200 sqr feet, and the average living space per person is less than 100 sqr feet.

Moreover, Shenzhen is one of China's tech capitals while HK is mostly finance.

[zukunftsalick]

HK has uncensored and fast internet. The language barrier can be a issue but English is still widely spoken, even in remote areas of HK like where I live. I know enough Canto for numbers, food and the rare times I get a taxi. I can't ready anything though. There's a big question mark as 2047 looms closer, which is till when China promised to keep HK the way it is now (capitalism, different currency, open, legal system and so on).

[philsnow]

> There's a big question mark as 2047 looms closer, which is till when China promised to keep HK the way it is now (capitalism, different currency, open, legal system and so on).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Hong_Kong_protests

They're not going to wait until 2047. Already many (most?) elementary schools in HK speak Mandarin instead of Cantonese.

[ralph84]

Some elementary schools also have a non-trivial number of mainland children who cross the border every day for school. Birth tourism for mainlanders was big in HK (they've cracked down on it now) because Chinese born in HK automatically get HK permanent residence.

[chaostheory]

> Already many (most?) elementary schools in HK speak Mandarin instead of Cantonese.

Mandarin is far easier to learn and speak than Cantonese

[philsnow]

I don't know what you're getting at. Shouldn't they learn Spanish or something because it's "easier"?

[chaostheory]

It sounded like you lament transition the from Cantonese to Mandarin and you make it seem like a bad thing, near equivalent to the loss of rights and freedoms. I don't feel that way.

Sarcasm aside, Spanish is not easier for Chinese people since barely anyone speaks it in Asia other than nouns in the Philippines. Mandarin is easier because it's already the primary language for most Chinese people and not just the mainland. It's also generally easier to speak and understand compared to Cantonese. Having one standard language is an advantage vs having a million "dialects".

There are many bad things about the HK handover. Standardizing on Mandarin is not one of them.

[philsnow]

Language attrition is a real thing, and it's terrible.

Erasing the language erases part of the culture that makes Hong Kong unique and interesting. It's a poverty to do so.