The Cantonese language originates from the spoken Chinese language (like Mandarin). It is an off-shoot of the Sino-Tibetan or Proto-Sino-Tibetan. The difference between Mandarin and Cantonese is largely verbal as all Chinese languages are tonal and syllables vary in meaning depending upon how they are pronounced. Cantonese has between 6 and 9 tones whereas Mandarin has around only 4 producing difference in spoken forms of Chinese.
During the Zhou Dynasty when 'Archaic' or 'Ancient Chinese' was spoken this was the common language before the split into distinct differences. However the history surrounding the development is complex but certainly rooted in differences originating from the geography of the population as variations of the language sprung up in different regions which included both Mandarin and Cantonese. These various Chinese languages are called 'dialects.' The Cantonese language itself comes from the name of the place called Canton now known as part of China and capital of the Guangdong province.
Indeed, until the nineteenth century, the Cantonese language did not really come into recognition as there is little in the way of a written form until the nineteenth century. Today it is used for personal correspondence, diaries, comics, poetry and magazines.
As far as the vernacular is concerned, however, it was political upheaval over a long period of time that introduced some of the changes in language. China was subjected to control from both the Qin Dynasty and the Hang Dynasty where Zhao Tua absorbed territories into the kingdom of Nanyue which includes part of Guangdong (which is now a place of trading and business where Cantonese is spoken). The political changes saw the history of the Cantonese and Guangdong merge and link both in terms of language.
However the language became modified at a greater rate later on in the century as it as not simply tied to certain locations but a surge of migration also brought vast changes. Subsequent dynasties such as the Tang Dynasty and Song Dynasty caused many Han Chinese literati migrate to the South. The migration saw an inter-mixing with various local populations at different times which created a number of Chinese populations including Cantonese, Hakka and Chaozhou groups in Guangdong. Following this the Opium Wars cost China control over Hong Kong which was ceded to the British Empire precipitating more migratory tides. Yet this migration was from the Chinese provinces of Fujian and Guangdong and many took the language of Cantonese with them to North America, Australia and South East Asia. It allowed Mandarin to dominate in China yet in some areas, particularly those estranged from the main part of China, such as Hong Kong, Cantonese continued to be the spoken language. It is not the official language of Guangdong or Hong Kong but it is broadcast on television and radio, indeed Hong Kong has actively produced Chinese language entertainment in both countries and in Hong Kong schools are all Cantonese speaking.
There are several countries that speak Cantonese but it is largely concentrated in the Chinese Provinces.
Around 110 million speak Cantonese and it is spoken largely in Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macau. However due to the migration waves of earlier times it is actually quite widely dispersed around the world in Europe, South East Asia and the USA.
Language
There are many useful phrases one could consider using when visiting Hong Kong or Guangdong such as 'jo san' (good morning), 'wei' (hello), 'jo tau' (good night) or 'dim a' (what's up?) to someone you know well. You could also ask, 'lei hou ma?' (how are you?), 'lei sik dzo fan mei a?' (have you eaten yet?) and 'dzou gen dim a?' (how have you been lately?).
For more practical purposes you could ask, '(li go) hai gon dUng wa dim gon a?' (how do you say (this) in Cantonese?) or 'tsen lei gon man di?' (could you speak more slowly please?) and you could also explain, 'o (hai) hai England lai ga' (I am from the country of England) and 'o (number) sou' (I am.years old). At the end of the conversation you could say, 'bai' (bye!) or 'ting yet gin' (see you tomorrow!).
Culture
The culture of Guangdong and Hong Kong has been shaped by geography, climate and political change. Swamp areas, typhoons and flooding affected the coastal areas which meant that in order to survive the natives relied much on the use of a practical culture to survive. However, Guangdong also provided central trading as there was an influx of Chinese visitors and migration also impacted culture. As a result of this there was an interest in Chinese Art and the invention of Feng Shui. However the impact of trading has made it a centre of business practice and art is not as significant as it is in China and instead the culture has developed in terms of an emphasis on practicality and business combined with local superstitious practices to promote health and happiness.
Hong Kong differs slightly in that it has been impacted by political takeover. As a result
Hong Kong has grown from the simple beginnings where it was a culture of fishermen and farmers to a modern metropolis that more closely resembles New York as it has developed into a fusion of Western and Chinese influences and emphasises commerce. It employs a vast number of people from Guangdong to maintain its busy trading ports but its business tends to be service based rather than manufacturing. It has the highest population density in the world and is comprised of skyscrapers, shopping malls, temples and markets in an attempt to serve both the modern world and sustain tradition.
The business culture is receptive to Westerners as Cantonese are far more welcoming to outsiders. The Cantonese are risk takers and enjoy finding out about new business as they perceive it as relatively simple to get monopoly profits from new business. However there is a risk in engaging with Cantonese business as they have developed their business acumen and have a long tradition of business, therefore they have predatory instincts and could take advantage of naive people. It could be useful to know some Cantonese as they are more likely to be impressed those who make the effort to engage at their level and demonstrate an understanding of the business culture.
It is useful to learn Cantonese as Guangdong and Hong Kong are exciting places of contemporary culture and technological advancement but also when doing business in these key areas the language would certainly assist relations
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