Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Modern Written Chinese
Wong Hiu Lam Sally
黃曉林
M.A. Dissertation
The University of Hong Kong
June, 2006
Abstract of thesis entitled
“The Integration of Yue Dialect Words into
Modern Written Chinese”
Submitted by
Wong Hiu Lam Sally
for the degree of Master of Arts
at The University of Hong Kong
in June 2006
There is a language dilemma in Hong Kong: on the one hand, its unique
social‐cultural environment calls for a kind of written Chinese that has a local flavour,
while on the other hand, there are strong expectations for the use of more
“standardized” varieties. The use of “Yue dialect words” is thus an important and
words, locally generated words, loan words, local abbreviations and some standard
words with extended meaning.
To maintain language standards, some scholars have proposed “dialect words
integration principles”, making use of Ferguson’s theory of ʺDiglossiaʺ(1959). They
believe that formal use of language should be based on the standard language as
defined by the Central government, which accommodates only a relatively small
number of dialect words.
This research aims to understand the use of local dialect words in Hong Kong
written Chinese. Dialect words are collected from a local newspaper to form a
database which can be studied on four axes: (1) the occupational domains where the
words are used; (2) the different functions of the words in the text; (3) the different
roles the words play in a sentence; and (4) the origins of the words. Interviews were
conducted with experienced journalists to provide further data.
It was found that there is no correlation between dialect words usage and the
degree of formality of different sections of the newspaper. However, dialect words
are not used in an arbitrary manner. The rationale for the usage is explored in two
ways: language attitudes of the journalists and the practical motives of achieving
different communicative goals.
DECLARATIONS
I declare that this thesis represents my own work, except where due
acknowledgement is made, and that it has not been previously included in a thesis,
dissertation or report submitted to this University or to any other institution for a
degree, diploma or other qualifications.
__________________________________________
15th June 2006
1
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Dr Luke Kang
Kwong, for his guidance, tolerance and valuable advice in the design,
implementation and writing up of this thesis. His perceptive remarks and support
at various stages of this study were of great help to me.
I would also like to thank all the journalists who have generously contributed
their time and ideas in the interviews.
2
CONTENT
Declarations
Acknowledgements
Content
List of Tables and Charts
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION TO THE RESEARCH ISSUE
1.1 The Research Background (Page 9)
1.2 The Research Issue (Page 12)
CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 The Language Question in the Written Language in Hong Kong (Page 13)
2.2 The Characteristics and Evaluations of the Language Used in the Hong Kong
Mass Media (Page 15)
2.2.1 The Overview: The Prevalence of Dialect Words (Page 15)
2.2.2 The Language Styles of Different Types of Mass Media (Page 18)
2.2.3 The Words Appearing in the Mass Media are Influential to Language
Learners (Page 20)
2.3 The Reason for the Prevalence of Local Dialect Words in the Written Language
(Page 21)
2.4 The Academic Research and Proposals in Standardizing the Written Language in
Hong Kong (Page 23)
3
2.4.1 The Urge for Standardization Research for Written Language (Page 23)
2.4.2 The Principles Proposed by Hong Kong Linguists (Page 25)
2.4.3 The Integrating Progress of Yue Dialect Words in the Standard Language
and the Working Focus in the Future (Page 28)
2.5 Arguments Against the Integration of Yue Dialect Words into the Standard
Language (Page 30)
CHAPTER III THE RESEARCH
3.1 The Scope of the Research (Page 32)
3.2 The Basis and Aim of the Research (Page 33)
3.3 The Hypothesis (Page 35)
3.4 The Methodology of the Research (Page 36)
3.4.1 Research Materials (Page 36)
3.4.2 Creating a Database with Four Dimensions with Local Dialect Words from
a Newspaper (Page 37)
3.4.3 Interviewing Five Experienced Journalists (Page 41)
CHAPTER IV FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Overview of the Findings in the Newspaper Study (Page 42)
4.2 The Results of Sorting Word Data with the Four Axes (Page 44)
4.3 General Features and Internal Differences between the Local Dialect Words in
Each Sample Section (Page 46)
4.3.1 General Features and Internal Differences of Local Dialect Words on
Important News and Local News (Section A Pile I) (Page 46)
4
4.3.2 General Features and Internal Differences of Local Dialect Words on
China News and International News (Section A Pile II) (Page 51)
4.3.3 General Features and Internal Differences of Local Dialect Words of the
sample section on Financial news and Property news (Section B) (Page 55)
4.3.4 General Features and Internal Differences of Local Dialect Words on
Entertainment News (Section D) (Page 59)
4.3.5 General Features and Internal Differences of Local Dialect Words on Life
Supplementary Features (Section E) (Page 63)
4.3.6 General Features and Internal Differences of Local Dialect Words in the
sample section on Educational news (Section F) (Page 67)
4.3.7 General Features and Internal Differences of Local Dialect Words on
Sports News (Section S) (Page 71)
4.4 Jusitifications for the Internal Differences within the Local Dialect Word Data
and the Reasons for the Integration (Page 75)
4.4.1 Motives for Journalists to Integrate Local Dialect Words into the Chinese
Written Language (Page 78)
4.4.1.1 The Insufficiency of the Present Principles for Dialect Word
Integration
4.4.1.2 Using Dialect Words to Demonstrate Reality
4.4.1.3 Using Dialect Words to Act as a Rhetorical Means of Expression
4.4.1.4 Using Dialect Words to Appeal to Local Readers
4.4.1.5 Using Dialect Words to Create an Icon of Hong Kong’s Identity
Efficiency
4.4.2 Conscious Application of Local Dialect Words (Page 88)
5
CHAPTER V THE CONCLUSION
5.1 The Result of the Research (Page 91)
5.2 Towards Principle Setting for Language Standardization in Hong Kong (Page 92)
Appendix A: The Full List of Newspaper Study Results (Page 95)
Appendix B: The List of Local Dialect Words Sorted By Their Sources (Page 109)
Appendix C: The List of Local Dialect Words Sorted By Their Grammatical Functions (Page
117)
Appendix D: The List of Local Dialect Words Sorted By the Word Origins (Page 126)
Bibliography (Page 136)
Research Material: The sample pages studied in the newspaper study (Page 140)
6
LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS
TABLES
Table 1: The coding, the main content and size of each sample section.
Table 2: The overall result of the newspaper study.
CHARTS
Figure 1: Pie chart showing the proportion of local dialect words found in each
sample section.
Figure 2: Pie chart showing the proportion of local dialect words found with
different sources of text functions.
Figure 3: Pie chart showing the proportion of local dialect words found with
different grammatical functions.
Figure 4: Pie chart showing the proportion of local dialect words found in different
origins.
Figure 5: Column chart showing the general features and internal characteristics in
the sample section on Important news and Local news (Section A Pile I).
Figure 6: Column chart showing the general features and internal characteristics in
the sample section on China news and International news (Section A Pile II).
Figure 7: Column chart showing the general features and internal characteristics in
the sample section on Financial news and Property news (Section B).
Figure 8: Column chart showing the general features and internal characteristics in
the sample section on Local and Overseas Entertainment news (Section D).
7
Figure 9: Column chart showing the general features and internal characteristics in
the sample section on Supplementary Life features (Section E).
Figure 10: Column chart showing the general features and internal characteristics in
the sample section on Educational news (Section F).
Figure 11: Column chart showing the general features and internal characteristics in
the sample section on Sport news (Section S).
Figure 12: Horizontal accumulative bar chart showing the percentage proportion of
dialect words used in different text sources of each sample section.
Figure 13: Horizontal accumulative bar chart showing the percentage proportion of
dialect words used in different grammatical functions of each sample section.
Figure 14: Horizontal accumulative bar chart showing the percentage proportion of
dialect words used in different origins of each sample section.
8
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION TO THE RESEARCH ISSUE
1.1 THE RESEARCH BACKGROUND
Since “Modern Written Chinese” was adopted in the 1950s, “the language of
northern China based on the Beijing dialect” has became the common language of
mainland China. Basically, all the words licensed by the standard language are
limited to the ones existing in the written language of the “May‐Forth” writers. It
excludes dialect words in the standardization process.1
In the last few decades, China has gone through an era of tremendous political,
standardization have switched their focus to firstly, enhancing the flexibility and
dictionaries and machine translators, in order to catch up with an era of intensive
generation of new words. In the 2005 edition of the Chinese dictionary “Xiandai
Yanjiu suo (中國社會科學院語言研究所) which has been one of the authoritative
pieces of literature, has introduced over 6,000 new words into the dictionary, over
1 賈植芳主編(2002)《開端與終結:現代文學史分期論集》。上海:復旦大學出版社。
2 宋劍華(2005)《前瞻性理念︰三維視角中的中國現代文學史論》。北京:文化藝術出版社。
9
one third of which originated from the Yue region.3
Chinese cities and provinces along the southeast coast, especially Yue province,
have been flourishing with cultural development. With increasing vitality, Hong
Kong is especially influential in various aspect of life. Since the 1980s, some Hong
Kong dialect words (most of which are traditional Yue dialect words and loan words)
have been gradually accepted by people in mainland China as a part of their word
use.4
In contrast, the language standard and language proficiency is criticized
extensively in Hong Kong.5 The use of Yue dialect words and its grammatical
collocations has become a controversial topic. Academic research has been done
with an open attitude in studying the language use in the mass media 6 . The
standpoints are fairly one‐sided. Hong Kong educational linguists have closely
studied the principles and guidance of dialectal word use in Chinese language
teaching7. Principles proposed are dynamic according to the different word origins.
Their common ground lies in considering the frequency of appearance of the words
in the formal written languages, as well as there being no other replaceable words in
the standard language. Most of these academic researches apply the theory
3 中國社會科學院語言研究所詞典編輯室編(2005)《現代漢語辭典》
(第五版)
。北京:北京商務印書館。
4 韓敬體(1997)《從對現代漢語的影響及在學術界的反映看香港的方言詞語》
,見《一九九七與香港中國語文研討會論文
集》
。香港:香港中國語文學會。Page 235‐259
5 Some of the recent criticisms can be found in 黃煜、盧丹懷、俞旭著(2000)《並非吹毛求疵──香港中文報章的語言
與報道問題評析》。香港:三聯書店 and 莊澤義主編(2000)《香港書報語誤評說》。香港:三聯書店。
6 Some academic researches in positive attitude can be found in 伍慧珠(2000)《香港傳播媒介語言的特色及對語文教學
的影響》
,見《中文教育論文集第九輯:語文教育的反思》
。香港:香港教育學院,Page 246‐261; 邵敬敏(1997)《香港
報紙用語的層次等級及其對策》
,見《一九九七與香港中國語文研討會論文集》
。香港:香港中國語文學會。Page 204‐212;
黎楊蓮妮、湯志祥(1997)《香港商業廣告語句的創意的特色》
,見《一九九七與香港中國語文研討會論文集》
。香港:香
港中國語文學會。Page213‐228, etc
7 Various researches are conducted by 鍾嶺崇(2000)《香港中文教師對香港詞彙進入書面語的觀感與態度研究》香港:
香港大學博士論文; 楊利成(1999)《中大學生對規範書面語的認知和運用》
,見《語文與評估》
。香港:香港教育學院,
Page 412‐423 and 康寶文(2000)《香港中小學生作文中的方言成分》
,見《二零零零國際語文教育研討會論文集》
(光碟)
。
香港:香港大學教育學院。
10
introduced by Ferguson, Charles A (1959) ʺDiglossiaʺ in that they expect formal
languages of the High Varieties to be based on the official language.
11
1.2 THE RESEARCH ISSUE
Chung wonders if the theoratical predictions and aspirations must be realized.8
While the use of dialect by Hong Kong students has been thoroughly researched,
this research tries to reveal the present phenomena in dialectal word use in Hong
Kong mass media, another influential local word user and producer. Local dialectal
words are deliberately used in certain “high varieties” and “low varieties” in every
sections of a local newspaper. Also, the study may shed light on the real motives
behind the word use so as to figure out the reasons for its conservative resistance to
the total adoption of the standard language.
8 鍾嶺崇(2000)《香港中文教師對香港詞彙進入書面語的觀感與態度研究》香港:香港大學博士論文
12
CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW
This section reviews recent academic findings in five aspects. It summarizes (1)
the language question in the written language in Hong Kong; (2) the general
characteristics and evaluations of the language used by the mass media (3) the
reason for the prevalence of local dialect words in the written language; (4) the
academic research and proposals in standardizing the written language in Hong
Kong; and (5) arguments against the integration of Yue dialect words into the
standard language.
LANGUAGE IN HONG KONG
A controversial Hong Kong language question was seriously discussed in the
1997 Chinese Language Conference that Cantonese dialect words were integrating
into the standard written language in Hong Kong. The two Chinese languagees
varieties seem to be mutually influencing each other.
The opening speech9 of the mentioned conference summarized that though
Modern Standard Chinese is recognized as the frame of reference in language use, it
lacks words representing local concepts and new ideas. While the sense of Hong
9 陳方正(1997)《開幕詞:中文的規範與進化》,見《一九九七與香港中國語文研討會論文集》。香港:香港中國語文學
會。Page 1‐5
13
Kong’s identity was growing after the 1967 riots, people valued their own culture
instead of following the imposed “standard”. Moreover, Hong Kong was enjoying
its superior international status economically, socially and culturally. Foreign ideas
and advanced concepts were rapidly imported into Hong Kong within the region of
Chinese societies. These situations demanded new words. A positive view is stated
that language is always undergoing evolution as it does throughout its development.
Hong supported this view in the conference by proving the integration of the dialect
words in the standard language as an inevitable fact. 10
10 韓敬體(1997)《從對現代漢語的影響及在學術界的反映看香港的方言詞語》
,見《一九九七與香港中國語文研討會論文
集》
。香港:香港中國語文學會。Page 235‐259
14
2.2 THE CHARACTERISTICS AND EVALUATIONS
MASS MEDIA
2.2.1 The Overview: The Prevalence of Dialect Words
An overview study of language use in the mass media was carried out by Ng in
200011. Hong Kong’s mass media likes to use colloquial language in formal articles,
homonymic words in their publications. These languages are found to be highly
expressive and full of varieties to suit the market interests. The writer appeals to
editors to reinforce the accuracy as students are always learning from the mass
media.
Cantonese words are frequently seen in major types of formal written
languages in Hong Kong. The book “Contrasting Hong Kong Chinese Language
(translated)”《港式中文兩面睇》12 states it is an undeniable fact that Hong Kong
Chinese has already become the formal written language in this society. This
aggressive view predicts the present principles in the standard language may be
overthrown later. Word examples from important news reports (“hard news”) are
quoted from Singdao Daily issued from 2003 to 2004 while this newspaper
11 伍慧珠(2000) 《香港傳播媒介語言的特色及對語文教學的影響》
,見《中文教育論文集第九輯:語文教育的反思》
。香
港:香港教育學院,Page 246‐261
12 石定翔(2006)《港式中文兩面睇》
。香港:星島出版有限公司。
15
publisher has upheld the use of standard language strictly. Readers should know
about the differences of word use in Cantonese and the standard language. Hong
Kong people need to communicate correctly and efficiently with people in other
societies.
In the chapter entitled “Written Cantonese in Modern Hong Kong” of the book
“Cantonese as Written Language” (2004)13, Don Snow describes the high degree of
social acceptance of Cantonese writing (partly, or even in the whole text) nowadays.
It is even accepted by people in academic fields. Written Cantonese appears in the
comic books. The writer proves its significant role in Hong Kong society. Written
Cantonese texts are not only appearing in “low variety languages” only, but also are
associated with text in “high varietiess” especially in light topics.
The popularity of using local dialect words in the mass media is shown by
Chan14. Samples of local dialect words are found from the “soft news” sections, even
in “hard news” sections in local newspapers, in advertisements, pop song lyrics and
comics. Local dialect words are proved to be significant in the Hong Kong
community. They are featured by the flexible use of parts of speech, presence of
affixes, newly created monosyllabic verbs, transliterated and adapted oral sounds,
loan words from other societies, etc. Chan accepts the presence of dialect words in
the low varieties, but she criticizes the presence of them in high varieties before the
dialect words could be generally known to Chinese societies.
13 Snow, Don B. (2004) Cantonese as Written Language, Written Cantonese in Modern Hong Kong, Hong Kong: Hong
Kong University Press. Page 125‐174
14 陳月紅(1997)《粵方言與香港中文書面語的詞彙》,見《一九九七與香港中國語文研討會論文集》。香港:香港中國語
文學會。Page 274‐281
16
A focus study of Hong Kong loan words was performed in 2001.15 It compared
the differences in loan words used in Hong Kong and mainland China. The
characteristics of loan words used in Hong Kong are summarized and the positive
and negative impacts of such word use were revealed. The loan words suggest the
high status of foreign cultures in Hong Kong. Besides, the post‐colonial culture,
prestigious economy and education system created in the colonial era affected the
use of words. Loan words are integrated in written articles.
Loan words in Hong Kong are firstly introduced by the mass media16. The
majority of the loan words are transliterated or borrowed directly from alphabetical
words instead of translated by paraphrasing. It serves the aim of keeping pace with
the fast information circulation. 17 The words will undergo a process of
specialization such that the meaning of the original word is localized. It means some
words keep part of the original meaning while some word meanings are extended
locally. Based on the loan words, some new words have been generated by the
media too.
15 邵敬敏(2001)《香港方言外來詞比較研究》
,見《語言文字應用》2000:3, Page 3‐12
16 邵敬敏(2001)《香港方言外來詞比較研究》
,見《語言文字應用》2000:3, Page 3‐12
17 鄭寶璇(2004)《傳媒翻譯》
。香港:香港城巿大學出版社。
17
2.2.2 The Language Styles of Different Types of Mass Media
Focused research on the use of dialect words in each type of the mass media
has been carried out.
Language proficiency of newspapers in Hong Kong, mainland China, Taiwan
and Singapore was graded in 1997.18 The grading criterion was the frequency of
dialectal words and community words used. Hong Kong newspapers possess the
highest frequency of local dialect words. The cause of the phenomenon was
discussed. The writer urged for a language reform in language being used in formal
occasions.
The style of Hong Kong advertisements’ language was studied.19 Word use
was especially analyzed. Locally generated words were characterized by their
ability to reflect and reconstruct the value system of the general public. Some of
these words were generated based on Cantonese words. The fabrication is not
restricted by any part of speech and many semantic agreements of commendatory
and derogatory use of a word. In some sentences, grammar is sedulously violated
for the sake of commercial promotions.
Hong Kong comic language has been studied20. Their dialectal word use was
discussed. Comic language preserves a style of traditional Chinese novels by
18 邵敬敏(1997)《香港報紙用語的層次等級及其對策,見《一九九七與香港中國語文研討會論文集》
。香港:香港中國語
文學會。Page 204‐212
19 黎楊蓮妮、湯志祥(1997)《香港商業廣告語句的創意的特色》,見《一九九七與香港中國語文研討會論文集》。香港:
香港中國語文學會。Page213‐228
20 鍾嶺崇、鄭文亮(1997)《香港流行連環圖的語言學考察》,見《一九九七與香港中國語文研討會論文集》。香港:香港
中國語文學會。Page 239‐252
18
keeping a lot of idiomatic phrases, four‐syllable words and the classical language
which gives a sense of written language. Besides, Cantonese words, slapstick, triad
society language and foul language are also widely used in Hong Kong comic
books.
19
2.2.3 The Words Appearing in the Mass Media are Influential to
Language Learners
In a research of local dialect words used in student compositions21, the result
was not convincing that Hong Kong students’ compositions are much affected by
Cantonese dialect words, especially in primary students’ work. In the same aspect, it
was discovered that students’ performance deteriorated as they progressed to
secondary school. By comparing the work done by secondary students and primary
students, it reveals that their reading habits and the knowledge area may affect their
performance. Words used in the mass media are found to be very influential on
teenagers. In reality, the words’ impact also on local Chinese teachers in that they are
sometimes incompetent in identifying dialect words when the words repeatedly
appear in formal written language.
Whether the use of dialect words lowers the language proficiency of university
students was revealed by other research by Yeung22. University students can obtain
the ability to distinguish between Cantonese words and the standard language
words. However, university students deliberately do not follow the standard
language. University graduates do not admit that this is a phenomenon involving
the lowering of Chinese language proficiency. The article supports the fact that
Cantonese dialect words can enlighten idea expression but they should be aware of
their target readers to make sure the language serves the desired aim.
21 康寶文(2000)《香港中小學生作文中的方言成分》
,見《二零零零國際語文教育研討會論文集》
(光碟)
。香港:香港大
學教育學院。
22 楊利成(1999)《中大學生對規範書面語的認知和運用》
,見《語文與評估》。香港:香港教育學院,Page 412‐423
20
2.3 THE REASON FOR THE PREVALENCE OF LOCAL
DIALECT WORDS IN THE WRITTEN LANGUAGE
Dialect words that have been integrated into the standard language have been
studied. 23 They are words representing local ideas and new objects. There are no
replaceable options found in the standard language and are distinct by their
expressiveness. However, cases where some local words are integrated into the
standard language without a convincing reason are also found.
Tin (2005)24 explains the deviations in Hong Kong written language. Hong
Kong possesses a specific historical background and economic status in the
geographical region. The language naturally has features deeply influenced by
English and Japanese language, traditional Yue dialect words, ancient words and
community words. A lot of transliterated words are used to represent various
imported concepts and advanced inventions. The new loan words are likely to be
used directly in the form of Latin letters. They are localized and modified from time
to time and integrated into the standard language in the final stage.
In the same article, Tin further explains Hong Kong community words, as well
as the way of generating words and phrases, show regional distinctiveness.
Homophonous characters are borrowed from the standard language transliterating
Cantonese sounds. Some characters, even using parts of the Latin alphabet, are
23 韓敬體(1997)《從對現代漢語的影響及在學術界的反映看香港的方言詞語》
,見《一九九七與香港中國語文研討會論文
集》
。香港:香港中國語文學會。Page 235‐259
24 田小琳(2005)《現代漢語和香港社會之研究》
,見單周堯、陸鏡光主編《語言文字學研究》中國社會科學出版社,2005:12。
21
generated to represent other Yue dialect sounds. Some words in the classical
language are left behind in the dialect. These features are closely related to Hong
Kong’s cultural life and the language environment in Hong Kong (proved in Tin’s
1989 work25 and 2002 work26). Political measures, economic development, education
reform, technology and social life generate and enrich local dialect words. Therefore,
Tin adopts an open attitude towards dialect words (especially the locally generated
ones) but standard glossary lists are needed for the sake of mutual understanding
between Chinese societies.
25 田小琳(1989)《香港流通的詞語和社會生活》
,陳恩泉主編《雙語雙方言》,中山:中山大學出版社。
26 田小琳(2004)《香港社區詞研究》
,見《第七屆國際漢語教學討論會論文選》
。北京:北京大學出版社。
22
2.4 THE ACADEMIC RESEARCH AND PROPOSALS
IN HONG KONG
Language
After pointing out the predominant style of written Chinese language in Hong
Kong, both Miu27 and Hong28 agree although the languages variety has its own
features in word use, the basic structure is close to the standard one. They propose
that a tailored writing standard should be made for Hong Kong society. A case
study of “quantifiers”29 finds how measuring units differ in Hong Kong, mainland
China and Taiwan without a proper control. A standard is needed to eliminate any
misunderstandings especially in proper activities. This is the reason for linguists to
urge for the highest efforts to give an account of and guidelines for a healthy lexical
development: keeping the liveliness of the standard language without damaging the
communicative function of the language.
Another article by Wong30 shows the demand of intervention measures to
27 繆綿安(1997)《香港當前的語言狀況和合理可行的規劃》,見《一九九七與香港中國語文研討會論文集》。香港:香港
中國語文學會。Page 76‐82
28 韓敬體(1997)《從對現代漢語的影響及在學術界的反映看香港的方言詞語》
,見《一九九七與香港中國語文研討會論文
集》
。香港:香港中國語文學會。Page 235‐259
29 朱永鍇、譚成珠(1997)《度量衡及其他──詞語研究拾零》
,見《一九九七與香港中國語文研討會論文集》。香港:香
港中國語文學會。Page 282‐286
30 王培光(1997)《粵語與普通話的平衡點──一個展望 1997 的社會語言學觀點》
,見《一九九七與香港中國語文研討會
23
control unhealthy integration. As a matter of fact, Hong Kong people are loyal to
Cantonese, yet they have to adopt the social norm of using the standard language in
work and study. Luckily, Wong’s 1995 work31 proves that people of other Chinese
provinces favour Cantonese due to Hong Kong’s leading prosperity status. Hong
Kong people may want to preserve their unique identity by using Cantonese, their
dialect. The social factor indirectly promotes merging of local Hong Kong words
into the standard language.
The concept of “Hong Kong Chinese” is proposed.32 The written language in
Hong Kong has the distinctive style of profound absorption of local dialect words,
phrases and English (and other foreign languages) in the “high varieties”. The lack
of language policy and standardization work in Hong Kong is criticized. Teachers
and students are not provided with any reference to check the accuracy of word use.
There is no one trying to develop a “correct language concept” for the Hong Kong
standard language. Lee33 also has a similar point of view. He has done a research
basing on Chinese historical and lexicographical works to prove his point.
論文集》
。香港:香港中國語文學會。Page 99‐104
31 王培光(1992)《普通話敎學新探討》。香港:廣角鏡出版社。
32 于君明(1997)《
「港式中文」形式的原因及後果》
,見《一九九七與香港中國語文研討會論文集》
。香港:香港中國語文
學會。Page 169‐174
33 李建國(1997)《傳統語文規範及其現實觀照》,見《一九九七與香港中國語文研討會論文集》。香港:香港中國語文學
會。Page 147‐155
24
2.4.2 The Principles Proposed by Hong Kong Linguists
Actually, some work has been done by Chinese linguists in Hong Kong. Tsang
published a book in 2002 providing a list for cross referencing between local dialect
words (mainly traditional Yue dialect words) and oral Putonghua words. It records
14,000 Cantonese terms.34 The words are further classified according to the degree
of occurrence in the standard language. Type I is a group of ancient words which is
not used in both written and oral language. Type II is a group of words that is
seldom used in Putonghua but frequently appears in Cantonese. Most are
monosyllabic. Type III refers to dialect words that also appear in the standard
language. This view is similar to the integration principles proposed by Lee35. Lee
stresses his requirement of checking the activeness of ancient words and dialect
words. Nevertheless, this shows linguists have been conscious of the topic of dialect
words integration.
In his article published in 199336, Lee proposed three principles for integration
of dialect words into the written language: the frequency of the dialect word
appearing in the standard language; the general demand for the word in that it
gives a specific meaning; and the meaning explicitness of the word. In short, a
popular dialect word which has a specific meaning (or explicit associative meaning)
is qualified to be integrated with the standard language for effective communication.
34 曾子凡(2002)《廣州話‧普通話語詞對比研究》光碟版。香港:三聯書店。
35 李家樹(1993)《什麼是真正的文言詞》
,見《漢語詞彙講話》
,香港:現代教育研究社。page 39‐42 and 李家樹(1993)
《過去的就讓它過去》,見《漢語詞彙講話》
,香港:現代教育研究社。page 43‐46
36 李家樹(1993)《吸收方言詞的標準》,見《漢語詞彙講話》,香港:現代教育研究社。page 47‐51
25
This argument is elaborated upon in his 1989 work37. The main point is, in licensing
the use of dialect words in the standard language, people should check if the
extended meaning or metaphoric meaning is explicit.
In 200038, these principles were applied to justify the quality of using Cantonese
words in written language (in which words are extracted randomly from the mass
media including newspapers and magazines.) Expressive dialect words are proved
to be able to enhance the communicative function of the standard language itself,
but further standardization work is needed to maintain language proficiency.
The Chinese linguist Tin Siu‐lam has done thorough research on Hong Kong
popular words since the 1980s till now. In 1993, she suggested a new concept of
“community words”39. In short, “community word” refers to the group of words
that is only used in a particular society. The words reflect a district’s culture
especially politics, economy and other life aspects. Deliberate use of community
words shows the growth of citizen identity. It differs from traditional dialect words
in that they are not subjected to a change of form when leaving the area. Mutual
influences may take place between community words from different societies from
time to time. She elaborates40 by distinguishing community words from classical
words, traditional dialectal words and loan words.
From the close relationship between words and Hong Kong cultural life, Tin
37 李家樹(1989) 《以運用方言土語時是否符合詞義衍生方式作為民族共同語吸收方語的標準》,見《語文研究和語文教
學》
。香港:商務印書館。Page 88‐95。
38 李家樹、陳遠止、謝耀基(2000)《港式中文以粵語詞入文平議》,見《第七屆國際粵方言研討會論文集》。北京:商務
印書館。Page 12‐18。
39 田小琳(1993):
《語文和語文教學》。濟南:山東教育出版社。
40 田小琳(1997)《由社區詞談現代漢語詞匯的規範》
,見《香港中文教學和普通話教學論集》
。北京:人民教育出版社。
26
sets out the rules for language standardization by including community words in
the standard language. Tin defines Cantonese words41 both in a narrower sense and
a broader sense. The narrower sense refers to terms where their meanings refer to
particular phenomena in Hong Kong while the broader sense refers to Cantonese
words which have a higher potention incorporate into the Chinese common
language.
Lacking a strong language policy, the burden of setting and adjusting
standardization principles is lowered onto the shoulders of Hong Kong educators.
There are articles discussing the difficulties teachers encounter in upholding the
principles of the standard language.
Educational linguist Chung Ling‐sung42 studied the attitude of Hong Kong
Chinese language teachers in treating local dialect words in compositions. The
article published in 1993 finds out that language teachers are willing to accept the
dialect words to a certain extent. Widely used nouns and transliterated words are
mostly accepted. The 2000 thesis43 summarizes three basic requirements for teachers,
with a list of “selection requirements” for “licensing” Cantonese words to be used in
written language. A much clearer principle or guideline is needed to catch up with
the trend of word changing in Hong Kong.
Language standardization works of Modern Standard Chinese is still going on
under strong governmental support. 44 The statisitics of word use frequency is
41 田小琳(2004)《香港社區詞研究》
,見《第七屆國際漢語教學討論會論文選》
。北京:北京大學出版社。
42 鍾嶺崇、張瑞文(1993)《中學中文教師對學生作文中使用香港方言詞語的語言態度問卷調查報告》,見《教育曙光》
1993:34
43鍾嶺崇(2000)《香港中文教師對香港詞彙進入書面語的觀感與態度研究》香港:香港大學哲學碩士論文
27
always used as one of the standard for “word licensing”. The method is introduced
by Chan45. He granted licenses for some newly generated “idioms” which are built
from loan words in Hong Kong, Taiwan and other Chinese societies. This also
suggests a type of integration principle.
2.4.3 The Integrating Progress of Yue Dialect Words in the
Standard Language and the Working Focus in the Future
The integrating progress of Yue dialect words in the standard language started
from the 1980s, and has persistently increased in the 90s till now. The article “A
Quantitative Analysis of the Lexical Distribution in different Chinese Communities
in the 1990s”46 describes the word use landscape based on the extensive Chinese
Corpus (中港台漢語詞庫) built by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, containing
over 5 million Chinese characters. Similarities and the varieties in community word
use of important cities of mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong are compared.
The research is quantitative. By the concordance of the corpus and its corresponding
analysis, the conclusions are objectively presented. Basic words are found to be the
same in these societies, but words which are only used in one or a few societies are
also listed and discussed.
A latter study (1997)47 proves mutual absorptions and adaptations incandesce
集》
。香港:香港中國語文學會。Page 8‐14
45 新學超(2001)《新時期慣用語與現代漢語教學》,見香港大學教育學院課程系編《語文教育的創新和突破》,香港:香
港大學出版社。
46 陳瑞端、湯志祥(1999)《九十年代漢語詞彙地域分佈的定量研究》
。見《語言文字應用》1999:3, Page 10‐18
47 陳建民(1997)《大陸新詞語融入香港的初步調查與未來中港詞語互相融合的預測》
,見《一九九七與香港中國語文研討
會論文集》
。香港:香港中國語文學會。Page 51‐58
28
as time passes. Both “community words” and “traditional Yue dialect words” are
gradually integrating into the standard language. However, the reason for the
integration has changed. The importance of economic status, entertainment business
and cultural phenomena spread by the mass media outweigh political and
educational enforcement. Local dialect words from Hong Kong always carry new
concepts and lively ideas; readers in mainland China could easily accept a variety of
new words and Yue dialect words that describe the particular condition in Hong
Kong. On the other hand, this creates problems for any Chinese who are
unconnected to Hong Kong to comprehend words with modified meaning by the
Hong Kong mass media.48
professional corpuses have been developed by the leading universities in China like
Beijing University and Qinghua University. With different foci including semantics,
translation, grammar and statistics on word use frequencies, much research has
been done. To eliminate and include dialectal words in the mature corpuses is
always one of the key foci in the discussion process. The platform provides a tool for
quick analysis and integration of “useful words” in the future.
48 石定翔(2006)《港式中文兩面睇》
。香港:星島出版有限公司。
29
2.5 ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE INTEGRATION OF
LANGUAGE
Hong49 gives examples from different occupational fields of dialect words that
have been included into modern Chinese corpuses already. From the lexicographer’s
point of view, intense arguments from the supporters and the opponents are listed.
The topic is very controversial that the discussions are especially keen. The use of
loan words and letter words should be based on word use frequencies, popularity
and expressiveness. The discussion revealed that there is a large amount of
of loan words and letter words since there are not enough explanations and
researches done. They think that sufferers are the language learners.
Chow50 contrasts the word use in mainland China and Hong Kong and points
out the inappropriateness of direct adaptations of dialect words in Putonghua
teaching. The cited arguments are mainly predicates and functional words since
they are especially contrastive. As a matter of fact, the words show cultural
differences of the two places no matter whether in terms of weather, clothes,
transportation or eating habits. For language learners, they need to grasp the
cultural differences to handle the words well. The role of the teachers is to annotate
active words in Hong Kong, to uphold those still aligned with Chinese traditions,
49 韓敬體(1997)《從對現代漢語的影響及在學術界的反映看香港的方言詞語》
,見《一九九七與香港中國語文研討會論文
集》
。香港:香港中國語文學會。Page 235‐259
50 周燕語(2000)《芻議香港普通話教學和文化語言學的關係》
,見《中文教育論文集第六輯》
。香港:香港教育學院,Page
246‐261
30
and to avoid words which only describe the national conditions in mainland China.
Leung 51 arrived at the same conclusion by contrasting the word senses of the
standard language. She suggests the medium of instruction of Chinese language
should be changed to Putonghua to alleviate the “unpleasant fact” of dialect word
intervention.
51 梁雅玲(1997)《普通話與語文教學》,見《一九九七與香港中國語文研討會論文集》
。香港:香港中國語文學會。Page
423‐431
31
CHAPTER III
THE RESEACH
3.1 THE SCOPE OF THE RESEARCH
As the leading financial city of the Zhu‐jiang Delta, Hong Kong has been very
influential for the region in the recent couple of decades. Her language is not an
exception. The research topic concentrates on Hong Kong dialect words and their
integration into the standard written language, Modern Standard Chinese.
Within the literature, there are two main senses in defining “Yue Dialect
Words”. In a narrower sense, it refers to the oral language words in Guangzhou. In a
broader sense, it refers to words that are widely used but regionally confined within
Yue province. The research adopts the latter definition, in order to figure out the
relationship between the dialect words and the ease of integration into the standard
written language. It proposes that internal difference between different types of
dialect words may give the clue.
32
3.2 THE BASIS AND AIM OF THE RESEARCH
The language dilemma in Hong Kong’s written language is clear: while
Modern Standard Chinese is regarded as the standard language in mainland China,
written language in Hong Kong is expected to follow the standard language
especially in formal publishing. However, the literature reveals that the written
language in Hong Kong is affected by other factors. More importantly, Hong Kong
needs this particular style of language , “Hong Kong Chinese”, in different aspects
of life. Scholars are asking for a localized language standard (in a stricter sense) or
an “integration principle” (in a more open sense) as the Modern Standard Chinese,
in order to maintain the language proficiency and efficiency for Hong Kong society.
One of the marked styles of Hong Kong written language is its word use. The
use of non‐standard words is controversial. It includes the use of traditional Yue
dialect words, locally generated words, loan words (including letter words,
“abnormal” ways in using the standard words. In most cases, they are used as
different parts of speech with extended metamorphic or analogical meaning from
the root. The degree of tolerance varies towards different origins of non‐standard
word use, different occupational disciplines, different functions of the text, and
different roles it plays in a sentence.
The aim of the research is to reveal the present phenomena of local dialect
word integration in the standard written language in Hong Kong. It is going to
33
justify the degree of dialect words tolerance, to explore the motive of using dialect
words and reasons for Hong Kong people to resist the total adoption of the standard
language. Hence, the findings can be helpful for the local language standardization
work.
34
3.3 THE HYPOTHESIS
While journalists are conscious of their language use as a part of their
professionalism, limited local dialect words use is expected. It is assumed that Yue
dialect words have been integrated into the various written contexts. The hypothesis
is that the frequency of local dialects decreases with the seriousness of the nature of
the news.
35
3.4 THE METHODOLOGY OF THE RESEARCH
3.4.1 Research Materials
Taking advantage of the thriving advancement of information technology, the
efficiency of information spreading has greatly increased. The language used in the
mass media reaches every social stratum and everyone who is willing to browse the
internet. Many word use phenomena are firstly introduced by the mass media that
they are described as the “language demonstrator” ‐ it has been said that language
learners should read newspapers for language improvement. Journalists seem to
pocess every right to use words in every way and to loan words from other
languages. They are even “word creators”. Language appearing in local newspapers
is very abundant, practical, sticking to life, and very lively which qualifies as
material for undertaking research into words. Journalists’ help is also needed for the
explanation and justification of the local word use.
build an image of seriousness and professionalism in journalism, by keeping an eye
on the upholding of the use of the standard language. The Singdao Daily is a typical
example. This makes the newspaper suitable for the study of the dialect word
reporters, are interviewed to uncover principles in refining the Hong Kong written
language by balancing the use of the standard language as well as the dialect words.
36
3.4.2 Creating a Database with Four Dimensions with Local
Dialect Words from a Newspaper
The chosen Hong Kong newspaper is the “Singdao Daily” issued on 27th
April 2006. Local dialect words are extracted from this sample newspaper to form
ONE database. In the study, the database is sorted four times according to four
different axes: (1) occupational disciplines where the dialect words are used; (2)
different functions of the dialect words in the text; (3) different roles the dialect
word plays in a sentence; and (4) the origins of the dialect word.
To ensure the sample newspaper reflects the recent language development, a
newspaper issued on 27th April 2006 is chosen. It is a Thursday and a normal
working day. The newspaper reports news from a typical routine life of Hong Kong
society.
Language used in the Singdao Daily newspaper is widely recognized as “above
average” 52 by linguists, scholars and literary authors in Hong Kong. The
headquarters of the Singdao Daily has also released memos to their journalists from
time to time insisting on the use of the standard language 53 . Words that the
newspaper uses reflect journalists’ professionalism in licensing the terms to be used
together with the written language.
The newspaper includes several sections with different reporting foci:
52 The idea is provided by 莊澤義主編(2000)《香港書報語誤評說》
。香港:三聯書店。,石定翔(2006)《港式中文兩面睇》
。
香港:星島出版有限公司。etc
53 Provided by Journalists A and B
37
♦ Section A (pile I) reports on important news and local news.
♦ Section A (pile II) reports on China news and international news.
♦ Section B and Section C reports on financial news and property news.
♦ Section D reports on entertainment news from local and international events.
♦ Section E is the supplement of the newspaper which shows features from
different aspects of life.
♦ Section F reports on local educational news, including pages for student
readers.
♦ Section H reports on news from local horse races.
♦ Section S reports on local and international sports news.
In addition to these sections, there are two separate supplementary sections, which
contain the featured topics, with all contents provided by specific business firms –
one is an educational firm and the other is a financial firm. In the study, dialect word
samples are taken from every section of the newspaper, excluding three sections. In
order to maintain the validity of the samples, the mentioned two separate
supplementary sections and Section H are eliminated for the language used is
generally not censored by the journalists of the Singdao Daily.54
In view of the difference in number of pages in each section, the sample size of
each section is further adjusted by maximizing the number of pages in each section
up to ten pages. Table 1 below shows the details of the study sample size.
Name of the Newspaper: Singdao Daily
Dated on 27th April 2006
54 Provided by Journalists A and B
38
Sections Main Content of the News Section Total Number of
Sample Pages
Section A (pile I) Important news and Local news 10 pages
Section A (pile II) China news and International news 6 pages
Section B and Financial news and Property news 10 pages
Section C
Section D Entertainment news 10 pages
Section E Supplementary Life features 10 pages
Section F Educational news 8 pages
Section S Sports news 6 pages
Table 1: The coding, the main content and size of each sample section.
In each of the sample pages, ALL words, including the page headers and
footers, the name of the news column, as well as all the titles, the leads, the text, the
captions for figures for the main content, as well as all words in the advertisement
are closely studied and examined. All words, besides the names of person,
organizations or brands, are looked up in the “Xiandai Hanyu Cidian” 現代漢語詞
典 (July 2005 edition)55 published by the Commercial Press (Beijing) which is the
latest representation of word use in Modern Standard Chinese. The selected words
are double checked in the 2003 CD‐ROM of lists of Cantonese words developed by
Tsang Zi‐fan (曾子凡)56, a linguist who has been studying Cantonese words for
many years. All words that are not present in the mentioned dictionary are listed in
the study result. In this study, they are named and referred to as the dialect words.
Each “present Yue dialect word” is listed and counted once per news section.
At this stage, all the sample data is collected. The database is then developed
with a tagging job according to the four axes mentioned in the first paragraph in
55 中國社會科學院語言研究所詞典編輯室編(2005)
《現代漢語辭典》(第五版)
。北京:北京商務印書館。
56 曾子凡 Tsang Tze‐fan (2002) 《廣州話‧普通話語詞對比研究》光碟版。香港:三聯書店。
39
3.4.2.
In the first axis, the occupational domains where the dialect words are used are
considered. All the dialect words are sorted according to the sample sections, which
is dominated by certain occupational domains as mentioned previously. Appendix
A shows the sorted results.
In the second axis, different functions of the dialect words in the text are
considered. Collected words are marked according to the source of the Yue dialect
word. The categories are: “The title, the lead and the column names” as words
serving the purpose of accouchement and attraction; “main text and the caption” as
words serving as descriptive purpose in that languages are in the third person and
written objectively; “quoted statements” are words that serve a descriptive purpose
written in the first person and written subjectively and the category of
“advertisement”. Appendix B shows the sorted results.
In the third axis, different roles the dialect word plays in a sentence are
considered. The collected words are categorized by thematic roles in the sentence
predicates, adjectival or adverbial phrases as well as functional words. Appendix C
shows the sorted results.
In the fourth axis, the origins of the dialect words are considered. The collected
words are tagged with their origins with categories of “locally generated words”
40
words which are locally generated), “traditional Yue dialect words” (the narrow
sense of Yue dialect words) and “standard words which possess a new local
meaning”.
3.4.3 Interviewing Five Experienced Journalists
Five experienced journalists, including reporters and editors from Hong Kong
understood to be conscientious and careful publishers57. Individual interviews are
conducted with questions on principles in dialect words used under their
supervision. Interviewees are also asked to justify the study result. Their basic
information is as follows:
1. Journalist A, Editor (Department of Supplementary Life features), Singdao Daily,
aged 47
2. Journalist B, Reporter (Department of Local news), Singdao Daily, aged 34
3. Journalist C, Editor (Department of Education news), MingPao, aged 51
4. Journalist D, Editor (Department of Entertainment news), Wen Wei Po, aged 55
5. Journalist E, Reporter (Department of Local news), Da Gongbao, aged 35
57 he idea is provided by 莊澤義主編(2000)《香港書報語誤評說》
。香港:三聯書店。,石定翔(2006)《港式中文兩面睇》。
香港:星島出版有限公司。etc
41
CHAPTER IV
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
NEWSPAPER STUDY
All the local dialect words collected are shown in the appendices. There are
1,334 target local dialect words found in the sample sections. On average, there are
26.7 words per page. The proportion of the dialect words found from each sample
section is then calculated for a clear comparison with the average proportion of
14.3% per section. The full list can be found in Appendix A. The summarized figures
are shown in the following table and the figure.
Sample Section No. of local Average no. of local Proportion
dialect words dialect words (%)
Important news and Local news 150 words 15 words per page 10%
(Section A Pile I)
China news and International 59 words 9.9 words per page 7%
news (Section A Pile II)
Financial news and Property 293 words 29.3 words per page 20%
news (Section B)
Entertainment news (Section D) 414 words 41.4 words per page 29%
Supplementary Life Features 226 words 22.6 words per page 16%
(Section E)
Educational news (Section F) 135 words 16.8 words per page 12%
Sports news (Section S) 57 words 9.5 words per page 7%
The mean
Total/Average 1,334 words 26.7 words/ page
is 14.3%
Table 2: The overall result of the newspaper study.
42
Figure 1: Pie chart showing the proportion of local dialect words found in each
sample section.
With the help of word count technology and the website of the Singdao Daily58,
it is roughly found that the average number of words per page within the
newspaper was about 5,000 words (a word is defined as an item of vocabulary, not a
character). This sharp ratio proves that the intervention of local dialect words
remains low throughout the newspaper.
The result from each sample section varies dramatically. The decreasing order
of proportion of the dialect words towards the sample sections are Entertainment
news (Section D) 29%, Financial news and Property news (Section B) 20%,
Supplementary Life features (Section E) 16%, Educational news (Section F) 12%,
Important news and Local news (Section A pile I) 10%, and followed by China news
and International news (Section A pile II) 7% and Sports news (Section S) 7%. The
line of the mean average cut across at 14.3%, which indicates the former three
sections had a higher frequency of dialect words.
58 Singdao Daily (Hong Kong)「星島日報網頁」, “http://singtao.com/", viewed repeatedly from 15th April, 2006 to
30th May, 2006
43
4.2 THE RESULTS OF SORTING WORD DATA WITH
THE FOUR AXES
The Yue dialect words collected were then sorted in four ways, which is shown
in the appendices of this thesis. This chapter should be read together with Appendix
A for the full list of study results which is sorted by sample sections, Appendix B for
the full list of results sorted by the source of the words, Appendix C for the list of
local dialect words sorted by their grammatical functions, Appendix D for the list of
local dialect words sorted by word origin. The figure below shows the overall
proportion to word source, grammatical functions and word origins.
Figure 2: Pie chart showing the proportion of local dialect words found with
different sources of text functions.
44
Figure 3: Pie chart showing the proportion of local dialect words found with
different grammatical functions.
Figure 4: Pie chart showing the proportion of local dialect words found in
different origins.
45
4.3 GENERAL FEATURES AND INTERNAL
WORDS IN EACH SAMPLE SECTION
4.3.1 General Features and Internal Differences of Local Dialect
Words on Important News and Local News (Section A Pile I)
4.3.1.1 Brief Descriptions of the Sample section
In the sample section about important news and local news (Section A Pile I),
30 columns of articles and 10 advertisements were studied. 150 dialect words were
found.
Together with two full pages of advertisements, the leading articles reported on
the major headline of the day of 27th April 2006, the report released by the Audit
Commission of the Hong Kong government. The report revealed how several
government bodies were managing public funding improperly. Three full pages
were dedicated to the reporting of, responding to and discussion of the topic. The
discussions were especially keen on the criticism of Radio Television Hong Kong
(RTHK). The other pages reported other important local news on commercial
activities in Hong Kong.
46
4.3.1.2 The Distinguishable Statistical Features of the Local Dialect
Words in This Sample Section
A considerable amount of dialect words were found in this sample section.
They spread out in various type of text in the sample section. Most of them are
locally generated referring to regional confined ideas. They are used with various
In news reporting, i.e. the most important and controversial issue in society
(which is a kind of “hard news”59), the style and language used are expected to be
formal as it reports the most influential news, events and speeches in a serious
manner60. However, against expectations, the study result shows the proportion of
local dialect words within this sample section is neither too high nor too low. The
percentage figure of 10% is just below the average line (which is 14%). Pages on
China news, international news and sport news possess a much lower proportion of
dialect words to this sample section (consisting 7%). (ref. Appendix A)
59 莊澤義主編(2000)《香港書報語誤評說》。香港:三聯書店。
60 許嘉璐(1997)《中國語言文字的現狀和對策──兼論 1997 後的香港語文》,見《一九九七與香港中國語文研討會論文
集》
。香港:香港中國語文學會。Page 8‐14
47
Figure 1: Pie chart showing the proportion of local dialect words found in each
sample section
Compared to other sample sections, the local dialect words are quite evenly
distributed. The standard deviation value is rounded up to 22. This means dialect
words appear in a random manner in the title, article leads, column names and the
main text, the captions, quoted statements and even in advertisements. (ref.
Appendix B)
Analyzing the result in grammatical functions, the largest proportion (38%) of
the dialect words is found to be subjects or agents in the language expressions.
should also be noticed as they occupy a percentage of 28% and 29% respectively. (ref.
Appendix C)
With respect to the origins of word, the dialect words in this sample section
48
originate from different aspects in quite an even manner. Among them, words that
are newly created by society are usually referred to as local concepts61 and a series
of traditional Yue dialect words dominates. Yet, though only occupying 14%, the
category of standard words with locally developed metaphorical and analogical
meaning possesses a considerably big proportion with reference to other sample
sections. (ref. Appendix D)
61 伍慧珠(2000)《香港傳播媒介語言的特色及對語文教學的影響》,見《中文教育論文集第九輯:語文教育的反思》。香
港:香港教育學院,Page 246‐261
49
Figure 5: Column chart showing the general features and internal characteristics
in the sample section on Important news and Local news (Section A Pile I).
50
4.3.2 General Features and Internal Differences of Local Dialect
II)
4.3.2.1 Brief Description of the Sample Section
In the sample section on China news and international news (Section A Pile II),
38 columns of articles and 10 advertisements were studied. 59 dialect words were
found.
The sample section contains a relatively small number of pages (including two
full pages of advertisements). It reflects there is not much important news in the
section reported on that day. The main content of the China pages reports on a series
of crimes in mainland China. The focus topic of the pages on international news and
Taiwan news falls on topics of diplomacy.
51
4.3.2.2 The Distinguishable Statistical Features of the Local Dialect
Words in this Sample Section
A small amount of dialect words are found in this sample section. Most of
the dialect words are subjects and agents that refer to non local concepts. The
words are from various origins such that a lot of non‐standard abbreviations and
loan word are used; the style is congruent with the recent language development
As the news sources of the press releases and figures are provided by news
agencies like Xinhua News Agency, Central News Agency (CNA), Associated Press
(AP), Agence France‐Presse (AFP) and Reuters, the reported news are selected,
translated and further integrated by the journalist‐translators62. The proportion of
local dialect words within this sample section is one of the smallest, consisting of 7%
of all the extracted words. The dialect words collected in this sample section are
mainly from the pages on China news while the words are mostly the terminologies
describing the crimes particularly in China. (ref. Appendix A)
The majority (54%) of the dialect words are extracted from the main text and
captions. The context hints that there cannot be any statement quoted from
Cantonese speakers, so the relative percentage should be ignored. Since the average
ratio of 1:35 is found63 in the word count of the title to the main text on a normal
page of the newspaper, the ratio of dialect words appearing in this section is marked
62 Combined ideas from Journalist B, C and D
63 Combined ideas from Journalist A and E
52
at 31:54. This is further proved by the small standard deviation value (around 23).
The dialect words do not appear in a random manner in the title, article leads,
column names, the main text, the caption and also in advertisements. (ref. Appendix
B)
Analyzing the result in terms of grammatical function, the largest proportion of
the dialect words is found to be subjects or agents in the expressions. Over half of
the dialect words (53%) are used for concept definition, followed by adjectival or
adverbial phrases (consisting of 25%, which is the least amongst the sample sections)
and predicates (consisting of 22%). Interestingly, there is no functional dialectal
word found in this sample section. (ref. Appendix C)
Considering the origin of the dialect words in this sample section, the
proportion is seemingly spread in a very even manner. However, the result is very
interesting in that it opposes the general trend in three ways: firstly, there are a lot of
non‐standardized abbreviations used (21%) which is the highest proportion of all
the sample sections. Secondly, it uses a considerable amount of loan words,
translated words and transliterated words. Thirdly, only eight traditional Yue dialect
words are found from the whole sample section, which is the smallest proportion of
all. (ref. Appendix D)
53
Figure 6: Column chart showing the general features and internal characteristics
in the sample section on China news and International news (Section A Pile II).
54
4.3.3 General Features and Internal Differences of Local Dialect
Words of the sample section on Financial news and Property
news (Section B)
4.3.3.1 Brief Description of the Sample Section
In the sample section on financial news and property news (section B), 66
columns of articles and 23 advertisements were studied. 293 dialect words were
found.
On the specific day of 27th April 2006, financial news and property news were
basically reporting in a routine way: describing the general achievements of the
stock market, to analyze and predict the price value of key shares, to provide the
latest information on companies motivating force in the market.
4.3.3.2 The Distinguishable Statistical Features of the Local Dialect
Words in this Sample Section
A large amount of local dialect words are found in this sample section. They
are mainly found in the main text. Word uses are flexible and borrowed from
jargon of various occupational domains and difference sources for descriptive
purposes. New words are generated for the advanced financial ideas. Typical
55
examples are 力谷 掛牌 揭盅 攀升.
As an international financial centre, the Heng Sang index is an indicator of
Hong Kongʹs financial performance of the day while the performance of the
property market shows her economic performance for a longer period of time. The
financial and property news widely interest both by Hong Kong citizens and people
in other neighbouring financial centres, and in the terminology of journalism,
financial news is demarcated as ʺhard newsʺ64. The language used in these pages is
supposed to be formal, serious and accessible to the general public65. However, the
newspaper dialect words study reveals that this is not the case.
The proportion of local dialect words within this sample section is surprisingly
big such that it occupies about one‐fifth (21%) of all the sample words, which is
about 6% above the average line. The frequency of the dialect words just came
second below the entertainment pages. Reading the sample words closely, the
meaning of them tend to reflect the advanced financial concepts and are descriptive
in showing the fluctuation and undulation of the performance of the stock market.
(ref. Appendix A)
Dialect words collected are mainly from the source of the main text (while the
number of captions is negligible within the sample section) so that it occupies a
three‐quarter proportion (75%) which is the highest among all the sample sections.
Contrastingly, the words used in the advertisements within the sample section are
mostly in the standard language so that only 25 words are found (containing 9% of
64 Combined ideas from Journalist B, C and D
65 Combined ideas from Journalist A and E
56
the sample section). The proportion of dialect words found in the title and the news
lead is about average. The data is found to be extreme and the standard deviation
value is the highest (34) of all the sample sections. (ref. Appendix B)
Analyzing the result in grammatical functions, the largest proportion of the
dialect words lies in adjectival or adverbial phrases (consisting of 41%), followed by
subjects or agents (consisting of 33%) and by predicates (consisting of 21%). A small
amount of dialectal function words are found in this sample section. Generally
speaking, the dialect words appear in various grammatical functions so that it gives
an average appearance. (ref. Appendix C)
Considering the origin of the extracted dialect words in this sample section, the
proportion shows the words are dominated by certain types of origin. A lot of
traditional Yue dialect words (consisting of 37%), locally created words (30%), and a
relatively high proportion of non‐standardized local abbreviations (17%) exist. (ref.
Appendix D)
57
Figure 7: Column chart showing the general features and internal characteristics
in the sample section on Financial news and Property news (Section B).
58
4.3.4 General Features and Internal Differences of Local Dialect
Words on Entertainment News (Section D)
4.3.4.1 Brief Description of the Sample Section
In the sample section on local and overseas entertainment news (Section D), 47
columns of articles and 7 advertisements were studied. 414 dialect words were
found.
Entertainment news is quite diversified in the sample section. It reports on the
life of film stars and singers like preparing entertainment products, disputes and
public activities. It also provides entertainment information and the schedule for
lots of colourful pictures and tables included to create an image of liveliness
throughout the whole sample section.
4.3.4.2 The Distinguishable Statistical Features of the Local Dialect
Words in this Sample Section
The dialect word section is the largest among all. Most of them are found in
quoted speeches. Most of them are commentary terms originating in the Yue
dialect. The dialect words mainly play the role of description in a sentence and
59
most are adjectival and adverbial phrases.
The entertainment news section reports on details of local stars and
entertainment activities, as well as all sorts of information about celebrities in the
world. The ruling principles for journalists when highlighting the news are the
general interests of the readers. In Hong Kong’s situation, there is usually no
mastering factor in entertainment news to society development. The reporting style
and content, including relevant advertisements are reader interest oriented.66 On
the other hand, the new focus is able to lift up a popular trend, or even stir up a
great mass fervour. The language used in the entertainment news section is
supposed to be informal and able to serve the purpose of leisure for the general
public.67
The general study result fits the expectation. The proportion of the dialect
words is the highest (consisting of 29%) of all the sample sections. It stands out by
15% from the average line. Reading the sample words closely, the meaning of the
dialect words tend to be emotional, descriptive words, and quite a number of them
are commentary terms. They are provocative and offensive so that they can carry
obvious meanings of appreciation or non‐appreciation. (ref. Appendix A)
Proportionally speaking, dialect words are mostly found in the direct
quotations of local stars and singers (where the proportion is up to 27%). The
proportion of dialect words appearing in third person narratives is relatively lower.
With reference to the overall ratio of reported texts to quotations of this sample
66 Combined ideas from Journalist B, C and D
67 Combined ideas from Journalist A and E
60
section, the proportion of the dialect words found in the direct quotations is
overwhelmingly outweighed by those found in the main texts (which is below the
average line by 15%). Similar phenomena are noticed in the section of “the title and
the lead” in each news column in overseas entertainment news. This shows a
conscious preference of journalists to balance the language used between the article
title, the main text and the quoted statements. As a result, the dialect words densely
spread out in this sample section. The standard deviation value is the lowest of all
the sample sections, though it has a special preference in the quoted statements. (ref.
Appendix B)
Analyzing the result in grammatical functions, over one half of the dialect
words are found to be adjectival or adverbial phrases (consisting of 54%), which is a
of 26% and 16% respectively) is found. A certain amount of dialectal function words
are found in this sample section especially in the quoted statements. (ref. Appendix
C)
When the data of this sample section is sorted according to the origins of the
dialect words, three extreme proportions are found to be against the main trend.
The sample section contains the least proportion of locally generated words and
non‐standardized local abbreviations (consisting of 19% and 10% respectively only)
which figure is the lowest of all the sample sections. Another distinctive figure goes
to the huge proportion of traditional Yue dialect words which consists of nearly 60%
out of the 414 words found in the sample section. (ref. Appendix D)
61
Figure 8: Column chart showing the general features and internal characteristics
in the sample section on Local and Overseas Entertainment news (Section D).
62
4.3.5 General Features and Internal Differences of Local Dialect
Words on Life Supplementary Features (Section E)
4.3.5.1 Brief Description of the Sample Section
In the section on Supplementary Life features (Section E), 36 columns of articles
and 9 advertisements were studied. 226 dialect words were found.
The main content of this sample section of Supplementary Life features
introduces the thoughtful services of the shopping malls, new fashions released by
well‐known brands and fashion shows, fashionable dishes and accommodation for
luxury vacations. The dialect words extracted are found to refer to these fashionable
objects with a new context. The sample section also includes one page of prose and
essays for eminent writers and caricaturists to share their life experiences and
thoughts. The language used represents the fact that every one of them has a
distinctive style in his or her work.
4.3.5.2 The Distinguishable Statistical Features of the Local Dialect
Words in this Sample Section
Comparatively speaking, word use is conservative in this sample section.
There is very few dialect words used deliberately. Locally generated words are
usually modified by morphemes of the standard language. Dialect words are
63
used only when there are no alternatives that there are no standard words to refer
to some new contexts so the proportion of subject and agent is dominating.
The section on “Supplementary Life features” is a kind of daily magazine
which reveals the latest news and trends in the four essential requirements of the
metropolitan life. The word ʺqualityʺ is upheld in that the news is supposed to be
trend building and proclaimative. Lots of ʺthe bestʺ in different life aspects is to be
presented in this daily life magazine.68 The language used needs to be convincing to
readers in order to keep up with authoritative tone in the features.69
The overview figure shows that the proportion of appearance frequency of the
dialect words is slightly higher than the general average figure in that there are 22.6
dialect words on each page in this sample section on average. The proportion of the
dialect words came third after the entertainment news and business news such that
it makes up 16% of the word data. The dialect words collected are new names and
concepts related to the reported theme. Very few functional and structural words
are found. Most of them are non‐commentary terms. (ref. Appendix A)
When studying the spread of data according to the source of the dialect words,
it is one of the most extreme cases in the sample sections such that the standard
deviation value rises to 33. Comparatively speaking, the proportion of the dialect
words found in ʺthe title, the lead and the column namesʺ is the smallest (consisting
of 9% only); while the one found in the main text and the caption is one of the
68 Combined ideas from Journalist B, C and D
69 Combined ideas from Journalist A and E
64
highest (consisting of 74%). This fact suggests that the journalists have been
deliberately avoiding the use of dialect words in the title and the article lead unless
it is needed to describe a new thing. All words found are ʺcontent wordsʺ
(contrasting to function words) in this sample section. (ref. Appendix B)
Once the data is sorted according to grammatical functions, the result clearly
shows there is a predominant proportion of dialect word playing the role of stating
the subject or agent in sentences (consisting of 53% of the listed data). All other
categories, including predicate, adjectival or adverbial phrases and function words
are proportionally lower than the average line. (ref. Appendix C)
When the dialect words of this sample section are sorted by origin, the result is
quite balanced and evenly distributed, while the figures even lie on the average line
in proportion except one. This result means the dialect words used in this sample
section are developed from various origins. The only figure worth mentioning is the
relatively big proportion of loan words used, which includes letter words, translated
words and transliterated words. Most of these loan words refer to imported ideas
and trends. (ref. Appendix D)
65
Figure 9: Column chart showing the general features and internal characteristics
in the sample section on Supplementary Life features (Section E).
66
4.3.6 General Features and Internal Differences of Local Dialect
Words in the sample section on Educational news (Section F)
4.3.6.1 Brief Description of the Sample Section
In the sample section on Educational News (Section F), 27 columns of articles
and 15 advertisements were studied. 135 dialect words were found.
The main content of this sample section reports on the newest Form three
Territory‐wide System Assessment (TSA) of the day. University policies, as well as
student pages discussing some language foci are also printed. Words extracted are
found to be referring to the educational policies and ideas introduced after the
adoption of educational reform in 2000. There is no dialect word found in the study
guides and articles written by language educators and advertisements released by
education institutes.
4.3.6.2 The Distinguishable Statistical Features of the Local Dialect
Words in this Sample Section
Articles are basically aligned with the standard language. The dialect words
found are evenly spread in terms of different functions in the text and in the
grammatical roles, except that it is dominated by a large proportion of locally
67
generated terms, the terms that refer to the new practices in the Hong Kong
education reform since 2000.
The education news section contains local educational news and student pages.
The former contents mainly report on the progress of the recent education reforms
and the feedback from society. The latter is used to discuss tertiary education
information and advice together with some articles written as study guides and
some in‐depth discussions on language topics by linguists. 70 Language used
should be suitable for students, learners of the standard language, to read. 71
The proportion of the dialect words found occupies 12% of the total amount
found, which proportion is below the average line; around 16.8 dialect words are
found on each page within this sample section on average. Most words collected are
locally confined as they refer to the specific education policy set for Hong Kong
circumstances. There are relatively large amounts of dialect words concentrating in
the advertisement part; the advertisements are found in the classified recruitment
pages within the sample section. Many dialect words are used to describe the nature
of the offered jobs. (ref. Appendix A)
The collected data is found evenly from different sources. With the standard
deviation value of 24, the news tends to use dialect words in titles, the main content,
the quoted opinion as well as in advertisements. Amongst all the sample sections,
the proportion of the dialect words found in the advertisements is the biggest
(occupying 23% of this sample section). Besides getting a certain proportion of
70 Combined ideas from Journalist B, C and D
71 Combined ideas from Journalist A and E
68
dialect word presence in the quoted statements by Cantonese speakers (around 4%),
the other two figures of proportion of dialect words are found in ʺthe title, the lead
and the column namesʺ (consisting of 14%); the proportion found in the main text
and the caption (consisting of 59%) are normal figures fitting into the main stream
perfectly. This fact suggests that the journalists have been very self disciplined with
regard to the written language when producing articles in the education news
section. (ref. Appendix B)
Once the data is sorted according to grammatical functions, the result shows
that both the proportion of “subject or agent” and “adjectival or adverbial phrases”
are parallel wings. They make up 44% and 45% of the words found correspondingly
and are percentages lingering around the mean. The proportion of predicates is the
smallest (accounting for 9% only) of all the sample sections. (ref. Appendix C)
The dialect words of this sample section are sorted according to origin. The
proportion of the locally generated words is very high in that it accounts for 37% of
the data section, in quick secession by the proportion of traditional Yue dialect
words (consisting of 36%) and non‐standardized local abbreviations (13%). The
proportion shared by the other two categories (including loan words and standard
words with locally developed meanings) are similar to the other sample sections,
consisting of 8% and 6% correspondingly.. (ref. Appendix D)
69
Figure 10: Column chart showing the general features and internal characteristics
in the sample section on Educational news (Section F).
70
4.3.7 General Features and Internal Differences of Local Dialect
Words on Sports News (Section S)
4.3.7.1 Brief Description of the Sample Section
In the section on Sports News (Section S), 45 columns of articles were studied.
There were no advertisements in this sample section. 57 dialect words were found.
The sports news of the day in the sample section had several reporting foci.
Unluckily, there was no main sports competition on the day. Instead, the news
focused on some preparatory events for the upcoming World Cup, the retirement of
several important football stars as well as some criticisms and predictions for the
coming events. The words collected are mostly commentary terms that are
non‐appreciation.
4.3.7.2 The Distinguishable Statistical Features of the Local Dialect
Words in this Sample Section
Small amounts of dialect words are found in this sample. The words are
mainly found in the title of the news articles. The words are very descriptive
which is dominated by adjectival and adverbial phrases. Flexible uses of
descriptive standard words are also found.
71
The sport news reports international sport events and sports stars, local sports
events followed by the news describing the relevant gambling market.72 As the
function of sports news is similar to that of entertainment news, it is a section with
an entertaining function. Language used is supposed to be attractive, refreshing and
descriptive to let the readers enjoy the news. 73
An astonishing fact is that the proportion of the dialect words found in this
sample section occupied 7% of the total amount, which is one of the lowest
proportions among all the sample sections. Only 9.5 dialect words were found on
each page within this sample section on average. Most of the dialect words collected
was relatively vulgar, yet vivid in describing sports related activities and the
responses of their audiences. (ref. Appendix A)
Considering the sources of the data, all the local dialect words listed are found
in the title, the main text and the caption. As the sports news is dominated by
international sports news, all the quoted statements are translated in the standard
language. Since there are no advertisements to be found in this sample section, the
percentage portion is invalid. The standard deviation value is 24 as a result of this
uneven distribution. Compared to the general result, the proportion of the dialect
words found in the title and the article news is outstanding and tripled the normal
proportion (up to 49%), while the dialect words extracted from the main texts is
therefore relatively low in general (51%) (ref. Appendix B)
72 Combined ideas from Journalist B, C and D
73 Combined ideas from Journalist A and E
72
On the axis of grammatical functions, the dialect word data shows the largest
proportion of “adjectival or adverbial phrases” which consists of 61% and the
smallest proportion of “subject or agent” which consists of 21% only among all the
sample sections. The proportion of predicates is higher than the average line by 6%.
(ref. Appendix C)
With reference to the origins of the dialect words, the proportion of the
standard words with locally generated metaphorical and analogical meaning is the
highest in that it accounts for 18% of the data section; the proportion of loan words
is the least of all (consisting of 2%). Besides, the use of traditional Yue dialect words
is higher than the average to a certain extent (consisting of 42%). There are also
dialect word samples which originate from locally generated words and
(occupying 22% and 16% respectively). (ref. Appendix D)
73
Figure 11: Column chart showing the general features and internal characteristics
in the sample section on Sport news (Section S).
74
4.4 JUSITIFICATIONS FOR THE INTERNAL
INTEGRATION
In this subsection, the interview results with the journalists are contrasted with
the newspaper study. The journalists’ motives for using local dialect words in formal
news writing are collected. The overall interview results are compiled and the
performance in the sample sections is analyzed based on the four dimensions.
Different types of dialect words are purposefully organized. It shows the rationale
behind the journalists’ convention in the integration of dialect words. The figure
below shows the detailed composition of the analysis with the four dimensions for
reference in this subsection.
75
Figure 12: Horizontal accumulative bar chart showing the percentage proportion
of dialect words used in different text sources of each sample section.
Figure 13: Horizontal accumulative bar chart showing the percentage proportion
of dialect words used in different grammatical functions of each sample section.
76
Figure 14: Horizontal accumulative bar chart showing the percentage proportion
of dialect words used in different origins of each sample section.
77
4.4.1 Motives for Journalists to Integrate Local Dialect Words
into the Chinese Written Language
Present principles of dialect word integration are not effective in newspaper
production due to practical factors which demand dialect words. Proper use of
dialect words can show the reality, enhance expressiveness, appeal to the market,
create an icon of Hong Kong identity and help readers to comprehend the
message.
4.4.1.1 The Insufficiency of the Present Principles for Dialect Word
Integration
In spite of the frequent complaints of the lowering of the language standard in
formal newspapers74, the interviewed journalists criticized the fact that not all the
academic principles could be adopted in reality. Instead, the adoption of absolute
standard language words hinders them in fulfilling their profession.
The greatest limitation of words in the standard language is that they fail to show
the professionalism of the local journalists who are the servants of fact and fact hunters
(referring to the target readers). (Journalist E)
Although the public read different sections of the newspaper for various aims, the
basic motivation for them remains the same, to get extensive information and to gather
74 石定翔(2006)《港式中文兩面睇》。香港:星島出版有限公司。
78
concerned facts for a new view of life. (Journalist C)
Language and the words used show your professionalism in balancing the dignity
of the mass media and your target readers. (Journalist A)
The finding shows that journalists from each section of the Singdao Daily are
still upholding and preserving the “micro language culture” within each news
section established throughout the recent years. Out of the 6 experienced journalists
interviewed, all agree that this is the only way to ensure the survival of the news
section and the market value of the whole piece of the newspaper.
The findings in the newspaper study and the journalist interviews reveal the
reason why newspaper are purposefully using dialect words.
4.4.1.2 Using Dialect Words to Demonstrate Reality
The outstanding amount of local dialect words in the financial news and
property news is outstanding and against the assumption that formal language is
used in important pages of “hard news”.75 The words found in financial news are
locally created and newly generated referring to economic concepts like 「邊際利
潤 」、「 藍 籌 」 . This point is further supported by the high percentage of
subjects/agents of the grammatical function which are usually nouns.
On the other hand, due to the lack of financial activities in China before 1980s,
75 鄭寶璇(2004)《傳媒翻譯》
。香港:香港城巿大學出版社。
79
standard words in describing intense commercial activities are rare; the only choice
for efficient journalists is to use lots of Yue dialect words to describe the fluctuation
and undulation of the performance of investors since that period of time. This habit
is kept till now. Words like 大跌 大熱 and 快刀斬亂麻 are found in the sample
paper. Besides, the abundant number of standard words with locally generated
that the words used reflect the needs of the business field. Though these words are
getting more familiar in Mainland China in describing other situations, they are
obviously development from Yue dialect words to demonstrate business activities.
When reporting events outside Hong Kong, the demand for dialect words
usage obviously decreases. The supporting argument comes from the lowest
percentage of dialect words in the section of China page and the international page.
According to the usual practice in newspaper companies, the articles in these pages
are not written by Hong Kong journalists themselves but they are usually bought
from international agencies. The messages bought will be translated, edited or
rewritten; also the titles of the news will be rewritten to attract and pinpoint the
emphasis of the message from the point of view of Hong Kong people. However,
unlike the exceptionally high percentage of the presence of dialect words in sports
news, dialect words were seldom discovered throughout the titles, main texts and
the captions as no dialect words are needed to describe the concepts and cases
outside Hong Kong society.
80
4.4.1.3 Using Dialect Words to Act as a Rhetorical Means of
Expression
In his book76, Don Snow suggests local dialect words appear in newspapers
especially in the title of articles. Using the WiseNews internet system, it is found
that the majority of titles of headlines and important local or international news use
local dialect words, or even dialect statements.
As the use of words is determined by the function of the text, journalists’
opinions are summarized as follows.
The function of a quality news article title, the news lead and the news column is
not only to summarize and integrate the main point of the reported content, most
importantly, it reveals why and how the context is important and meaningful to know
about it. In short, the function of it is information announcing. This is the basic ground
of attraction and tension. (Journalists C)
The function of the main text of the news article is to narrate and to describe.
Information is highly condensed and concise while important messages should be
detailed and attention seeking. Besides presenting the importance of news in
descending sequence, the particulars can also build a focus of attention for readers.
(Journalist B)
76 Snow, Don B. (2004) Cantonese as Written Language, Written Cantonese in Modern Hong Kong, Hong Kong: Hong
Kong University Press. Page 125‐174
81
In the study, a careful word count was done with the help of the website of the
Singdao daily77. It was found that the average ratio between the word counts in
article titles (including article leads and column names) to the word counts in the
main text is rounded up to one to thirty‐five, while the ratio from the findings in the
sample sections is 17:59 (rounded up to one to three point five words). This
numerical data is used to bring out the theme: the editors deliberately and
intensively use local dialect words in the titles. Reading the proportion of dialect
words used in the titles in different sample sections (Appendix B) is quite similar to
each other.
Important figures are found in descriptive news sections: they occupy a
relatively high proportion of local dialect words which are adjectival and adverbial
phrases, traditional Yue dialect words, and ordinary words with locally extended
meanings. All the three kinds tended to be very expressive words.
Local dialect words that are found in the main text have occupied the highest
percentage of traditional Yue dialect words (in terms of the word sources) and the
highest percentage of adjectival and adverbial phrases (in terms of grammatical
functions). The result shows compatibility with the need in the main text suggested
by the journalists. In fact, for the same purpose, not only dialect words are used,
many original words are borrowed for their descriptive abilities. Standard words,
words conventionally describing horse races, or even illegal activities are borrowed.
Their meaning is extended metaphorically and analogically in various senses: in
descriptive news sections like local news (story reporting), sports news (describing
sports events and the agitated feelings of the sports fans) and Supplementary Life
77 Singdao Daily (Hong Kong), “http://singtao.com/”, viewed repeatedly from 15th April, 2006 to 30th May, 2006
82
features (describing the objects found in the popular trends).
4.4.1.4 Using Dialect Words to Appeal to Local Readers
An obvious example of the outstanding proportion of dialect word appearance
in the entertainment news section has always been noticed78. Dialect words are used
in all sorts of mass media as the tool for soliciting customers where there are no
local entertainment pages or local magazines with purely the standard language.
The reason why dialect words are appealing is that they can be checked with
Cantonese use within the general masses, who are the target readers. The bright,
animated and lively expressions in Cantonese words and terminologies are also
sensational and appealing for readers’ involvement. As a kind of soft news serving a
similar function as entertainment to accommodate different interests, the percentage
of dialect words found in the sports news section is uncommonly small.
Although the figure seems to serve as a counter argument to the proposition,
the clownish role played by dialect words is generally needed. The clue can be
figured out by the extraordinary ratio between the dialect words found in the title
and the main text in that the ones in the title are disproportionately outweighed by
the ones found in the main text. The inner secret of this phenomenon is revealed in
an individual interview.
In the executive practice of the newspaper publisher, all the foreign news,
78 陳月紅(1997)《粵方言與香港中文書面語的詞彙》
,見《一九九七與香港中國語文研討會論文集》
。香港:香港中國語
文學會。Page 274‐281
83
including the serious international news, and entertainment news as well as sport
news, the English articles are firstly translated in the translation department,
comprised of a small group of professional translating personnel. The translated news
draft is sent to the section editor for article naming process. (Journalists A and B)
The difference in proportion of dialect words used in the main text and the
titles is explained by the fact that they are written by persons of different disciplines.
All the translated work in the sample sections are written with smooth sentences
with very few interventions of any dialect words. Under the judgment of the sports
news editors, attracting readers is much more important than obtaining good
done by the journalists within the news section, the language used is much livelier
with all sorts of secular words appearing frequently.
4.4.1.5 Using Dialect Words to Create an Icon of Hong Kong’s
Identity
As an interesting phenomenon, articles with whole pieces written in Cantonese
can only be found in a few columns in the section on “Supplementary Life features”.
All are works by local writers specially arranged by the section leading editors.
They are the only groups who are privileged and allowed to write in Cantonese as a
sort of anti‐tradition to the language image of the newspaper. The reason for the
editor to arrange this kind of writer is shown below.
This adds variety to the prose page. (Journalist A)
84
The standpoint of this kind of writer is especially to the point. They are speaking
for the ones who are deeply connected to Hong Kong. (Journalist C)
The cultural identity of this kind of writer is appealing. (Journalist D)
The prose page needs popular writers to survive. These writers have already
obtained a group of regular readers. Readers’ responses to these articles is obviously
more than the others (Journalist E)
All the interviewed journalists regard the Hong Kong identity of the writers
using written Cantonese as the main reason for continuing their contracts. Besides
similar content written from time to time, the use of Yue dialect words in writing is
impressive and sets the trademark for editors and readers.
Languages and words used in quotations are especially grouped together.
Besides the absence of quoted statements in some sections of the sample which have
become invalid, the valid data forms a worthwhile discussion point. Dialect words
are present in the quoted statements of the entertainment section, important and
local news section and education news section while it is absent in the financial
pages, China news and international news pages, Supplementary Life features as
well as sports pages. Besides the special function of the Cantonese statements in the
Entertainment news section (which has been mentioned in the above section), the
only ones are found in local “hard news”. Referring to the contents where the
dialect words are used, they appear in the statements of comments and feedback of
certain social measures.
85
While predicates and function words of Yue dialects are least acceptable79 in
the written language, most of them happen to appear in the quoted statements.
Dialect words are present in quoted statements of the entertainment section,
important and local news section and education news section while it is absent in
the financial pages, China news and international news pages, Supplementary Life
features as well as sports pages. Besides the special function of the Cantonese
statements in the Entertainment news section (which has been mentioned in the
above section), the only ones are found in local “hard news”. Referring to the
contents where the dialect words are used, they appear in the statements of
comments and feedback on certain measures by Hong Kong citizens. Treated and
kept with complete sentences with no slip of the tongue, the effect of these
statements is probably not the actual record of the quoted statement, but gives a
sense of reality and tries to persuade the readers that they are finding the right
person, that is, representing a genuine ʺHong Kongerʺ.
4.4.1.6 Using Dialect Words to Enhance Readers’ Comprehension
Efficiency
It cannot be denied that abstract financial concepts expressed by the dialect
words may create obstacles for some readers, especially those who are not in the
79 康寶文(2000)《香港中小學生作文中的方言成分》
,見《二零零零國際語文教育研討會論文集》
(光碟)
。香港:香港大
學教育學院。
86
business field. However, as the targeted readers, people from the Hong Kong
financial sector can make use of the dialect words to enhance their comprehension
speed greatly. These words are tools for conceptualizing common objects and ideas
in the financial field.
On the axis of the dialect word origin, the dialect words collected from the
sample section of financial news are mostly non‐standardized abbreviated words.
These abbreviated words are grouped into two or more words that are widely used
in Hong Kong society. The components include words from the standard language,
Yue dialect words, as well as newly and locally generated words. Some examples
are 企跳 低水 低吸 宏調 按息 認購 增持. There are different types of negative
comments on this kind of “economical use” of words80. The abbreviations may
hinder the speed of understanding and limit the scope of article circulation. 81
However, as a matter of fact, the most information oriented pages including the
financial news section and the local news section posses the largest proportion of
this kind of abbreviated word. In contrast, in the non‐important pages like
small. The comparison of the proportion of abbreviated words shows the internal
demand for efficient idea transfer, due to the fact that much sophisticated
information is needed to be reported.
80 石定翔(2006)《港式中文兩面睇》
。香港:星島出版有限公司。
81 于君明(1997)《
「港式中文」形式的原因及後果》
,見《一九九七與香港中國語文研討會論文集》
。香港:香港中國語文
學會。Page 169‐174
87
4.4.2 Conscious Application of Local Dialect Words
The use of local dialect words in the local newspapers is checked by three
groups of people: the newspaper publishing companies, the journalists and the
standard‐language‐ believing market.
“There is a strict memo of language usage released by the newspaper company. In
reality, all the news articles are censored by the chief editors who are native Putonghua
speakers. Hong Kong dialect words are only used when there is no word available in the
standard language to serve the same purpose after multiple times of justifications.” 82
The language policies adopted by local newspaper publishing companies of all
the journalists are relatively strict. All the attitudes of the interviewed journalists’
about writing are very conscious and “too conservative” (as the journalists describe
it themselves). The two journalists in the Singdao Daily are very cautious of
avoiding loan words and transliterated words. When they are referring to imported
ideas, they will try to use the words which align with those used in mainland China
instead of using any arbitrary transliterations, while these transliterations take place
in a lot of formal writing in Hong Kong. Besides, the appearance of function words
and predicates (which give the sense of colloquialism and are more possible to find
precise homologous words in the standard language) are found to be very rare.
Facing the dilemma of the authoritative memo and the sophisticated needs of
society, a strange pattern of word use has resulted. A lot of locally generated words
82 Quoted from one of the individual journalist interviews, company name concealed for privacy reason.
88
are found to be “repaired” by the journalists. These words show the highest efforts
are input to give them a sense of “standard language”. Morphemes of words in the
modern written language are borrowed in the generation of new local words. In the
example of 反賭波 另類 良民 布藝, characters underlined are morphemes of
standard words. In extreme cases, morphemes of the Chinese classical language are
incorporated like 頓成為. Though different views are put forward for this kind of
word, they clearly show the aim of the journalists, to use “proper words”. This kind
of example is noticed in all sample sections in quite a similar proportion, even in the
entertainment news section.
Presently, journalists employed are trained in different disciplines in the four
newspaper publishers. Only 7% (on average) of the journalists are journalism major
graduates. Two experienced editors tell the general prerequisites of a reporter in
their newspaper company.
“Analytical thinking skills, the speed of writing and translating, and language
proficiencies are the three basic requirements to be a journalist.” (Journalists D)
“In reality, most of the journalists have a love of language so that they tend to stick
with the language beauty of the standard languages. If there is a choice for them, they
would rather choose to write with the standard ones.” (Journalists C)
Unlike the skeptical views of the public, the journalists are accomplished
enough to write in impressive sentences and precise wording.
There are pages that do not need to use much local dialect words, such as
89
China news and international news or educational news. In these news sections,
high language proficiency is assessed according to the standard of modern written
language. This rough test on language attainment may suggest the disciplinary
culture of the journalists. Moreover, there is a general value among the general
public. They trust the ideas written with the standard language more. In the direct
quoted statements, unlike the sentences quoted in the pages of the local news and
the educational news which are the feedback of Hong Kong citizens written with
more dialect words, the quotations from economists in the financial pages do not
contain any dialect words, and especially no function words are found. The
language tries to build the authority and trustable image of the economists in order
to give readers an image that the news is reported in a professional way.
90
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSION
5.1 THE RESULT OF THE RESEARCH
With reference to the results and findings quantitatively and qualitatively, there
is no correlation between frequency of local dialect words and the seriousness of
news nature. Therefore, the hypothesis is proved to be not true.
The seriousness or importance of news nature is ordered with the news section
letter. The dialect words appear to spread randomly so that no trend of
development can be noted. The descending order of dialect words proportion is
Entertainment news (Section D) (29%), Financial news and Property news (Section B)
(20%), Supplementary Life features (Section E) (16%), Educational news (Section F)
(12%), Important news and Local news (Section A Pile I) (10%), China news and
International news (Section A Pile II) (7%) and Sports news (Section S) (7%).
Journalists are conscious of their language use as it is a part of their
professionalism. They actively minimize any misuse of characters, words and
sentence structures. However, various degrees of local dialect words are needed to
be integrated in news writing to enhance the quality of local newspapers. A
desirable news article should contain some necessary local dialect words.
91
5.2 TOWARDS PRINCIPLE SETTING FOR
LANGUAGE STANDARDIZATION IN HONG KONG
Among all the phenomena in language evolutions, the change of words use is
always the fastest. New words are easily developed while old words are lagging
behind on the way of society development. The newest prevailing local dialect
phrase in Hong Kong is probably the phrase “巴士阿叔” (which literally means “the
middle aged man on the bus”). The phrase comes from a popular film clip in the
internet. It embraces a sophisticated feeling: the obligation to lead a stressful life.
This hit the cockles of many Hong Kong people’s hearts. On 3rd June 2006, the
phrase appeared in the title of the news headline of the Oriental Daily. The phrase
also appears in other important local newspapers in Hong Kong. Sometimes the
phrase is even used as an adjectival phrase, which appears together with the
“modern written language” in newspapers without any quotation marks. Although
there are different degrees of acceptance of this kind of “word use” in formal news
writing, as the readers of local newspapers, Hong Kong people have to accept the
fact of language integration.
Newspapers are one of the main components of the mass media. Words
appearing in newspapers are reaching far and becoming popular quickly. Academic
articles in the literature review already revealed the degree of penetration of local
dialect words in formal writing. Due to the unique social‐cultural environment in
Hong Kong, language researchers, teachers and learners here are facing problems in
word use in modern written Chinese. Various principles are proposed for language
standardization in Hong Kong. The majority of the academic literature tends to
92
tolerate the use of local dialect words when the formality of texts decreases.
However, though being the target of educators’ and linguists’ attack, newspapers
keep using local dialect words frequently. Local dialect words appear in every
section of the local newspaper, and in the title of news headlines.
Internal differences of the local dialect words collected are analyzed and
studied in four dimensions. With the findings in the newspaper study and the
interview results of the experienced journalists, it is found that the dialect words are
not used in an arbitrary manner. The characteristics of dialect words use are
distinctive in every sample section. This research is extended to explore the rationale
of journalists using dialect words.
Journalists are the announcers of important social messages and the
demonstrators of the written language in Hong Kong. They use language
consciously and expressively. A newspaper, as the epitome of the world, assembles
the words needed by different important fields in society. Hong Kong readers have
expressed their demands that dialect words should continue to play vital roles in
higher echelons news reporting. The overall quality of a newspaper is mainly
attained by its context, while the context is enhanced by suitable use of local dialect
words. “Language formality” becomes a negligible factor. Speaking from this aspect,
journalists are professional pioneers in generating and applying local dialect words.
In other words, society demands a language with words that is able to serve
their daily needs. These words should also be standardized and to be understood by
the general public. Dialect words have already integrated into different domains of
Hong Kong society. They are not used in an arbitrary manner. There is a rationale
93
for the usage that dialect words are used in the Hong Kong written Chinese in two
ways: disciplined language attitudes and the practical motives of achieving different
communicative goals. In proposing the principles in Chinese written language
standardization in Hong Kong, the word functions in each specific content
boundary should be taken into consideration.
94
APPENDIX A
THE FULL LIST OF NEWSPAPER STUDY
RESULTS
APPENDIX A.1 THE OVERVIEW OF THE RESULTS
Average no. of
Sample Focus of No. of dialect
dialect words per %
Section the Content words
page
(Pile I) Local News
(Pile II) International News
Property News
Entertainment News
Features
page
95
Figure 1: Pie chart showing the proportion of local dialect words found in each
sample section
APPENDIX A.2 THE FINDINGS FROM EACH SAMPLE
SECTION
SECTION A PILE I IMPORTANT NEWS AND LOCAL NEWS
Brief information of this sample section
Sample size: 10 pages
Number of text columns: 30 columns
Number of Advertisement columns: 10 pieces
96
Sources Page Dialect words found (including standard words %
No. used with localized meaning)
The title/ A1 超豪 一手 致至係 19%
the article A2 公數 自己友 食飯 補水 大花筒 跟足 力數 豪花
lead/ 春茗 超時
column A3 抨
names A4
A5 任滿 大熱 呼聲 落敗
A6 超支 蠱惑 空頭支票
A7 捅 背囊 可卡因
A8 商機
A9
A10 大跌 新招 吸
The main A1 57%
text/ the A2 衡工量值 強政勵治 補薪 合領 無 計 小眾
Captions 擋箭牌 一借無回頭 訂明 外判 利益衝突 定單
問題 私營化 xx 化 使錢 抹黑 縮水
A3 糊塗帳 言論自由 編輯自主 逼使 春茗 掏腰包
貼錢 打工 踢出 快刀斬亂麻 造好 利好 增幅
長債孳息 專門 抨為 僵化
A4
A5 拉來 迭創新高 巨無霸 恒指 宏觀調控 把關 班子
坦言 原先 業界 揭盅 眼下 落實 頓成為 老行尊
行員
A6 入座率 多出開支 造價 轉介 泊車 衝燈 食肆
身歷聲 耳筒 公司化 空調
A7 暗格 開 捅 落斜 尾隨 撞倒 大懵 兜截 變態
怪客
A8 打 golf 暗批 人工 順帶 走寶
A9
A10 回落 攪珠 開彩 投注 投注額 等你 專線
Quoted A1 9%
Statements A2
A3 真係 最緊 係 先 為件事好 唔同 唔係 話 呢
掣肘
A4
A5 不捨得 未見過 講
A6
97
A7
A8
A9
A10
Adverts A1 驚喜優惠 換購 換領 耳筒 無線路由器 推廣期 15%
A2
A3 氹氹轉
A4
A5
A6
A7 現樓 換樓潮 優尚生活 尊尚 開揚 尊逸 交投
收樓 雙重獎賞 貴族式 搶閘
A8 親子 Fun Fun 傢俱
A9
A10 令 退場
150 words are found. 100%
SECTION A PILE II CHINA NEWS AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Brief information of this sample section
Sample size: 6 pages (maximum)
Number of text columns: 38 columns
Number of Advertisement columns: 10 pieces
98
Captions A28
A29 影音組合 人氣產品 頂尖 度身 泊車 激新 激賞
A30 造假 打假 寧缺毋濫 法寶 產業轉移 拍板 反恐
選邊 招商引資 GDP 港資 反恐
A31 雷射 來頭
A32
Quoted A27 0%
Statements A28
A29
A30
A31
A32
Adverts A27 15%
A28 梳化布 全線 演繹
A29
A30
A31
A32 金援 坦承 搭上 地下情 幹部 試煉
59 words are found.. 100%
SECTION B FINANCIAL NEWS AND PROPERTY NEWS
Brief information of this sample section
Sample size: 10 pages
Number of text columns: 66 columns
Number of Advertisement columns: 23 pieces
99
B6 疏爽 助定 靚價 學嘢 老總 力谷 3G XX 版
Fans
B7
B8 強積金 近頂
B9 博 值博率 大巿 巿況 息口 見頂 追得過 落注
心急 未止
B10 過夜 即巿 跑一轉 有賣點 博 回軟 升幅 諗 吼
The main B1 75%
text/ the B2 神勇 證券界 房產股 巿盈率 坐擁 招股價
captions 策略投資 集資額 泊位 策略股東 認購 掛牌 揭盅
業績 上揚 噸 藍籌 發威 國指 令 捱一段時間
造好 恒指 平均綫 大縮水 沉到底部 除息 散戶
經辦人 宏調 熱 融資 細 併購
B3 按揭 息率 轉按 樓按 令 水浸 資產泡沫 見頂
XX 股 私人名義 料 帳面 透明度 聆訊 路演
放緩 對盤 大型 招股 交收 放盤 亮麗 接班
換班 證券 樓面 巿道 信貸 博彩桌 攀升
B4 飆升 鬆綁 跑嬴 大巿 舵手 總裁 上軌道 證券業
撇帳 高檔次 度身訂造 個人化
B5 水泥 勁 產能 持平 派息 借殼 轉型 過熱 落戶
另一邊廂 撒手鐧 閂水喉 出招 避風頭 喘定
B6 疏爽 驟眼 咁大隻蛤蚧隨街跳 呎 泊車位 滯後
回報率 折讓 上巿 搵銀 算係 搵錢 啲 畀
好頭痕 心情靚靚 夠晒 一向用開 催谷 收番 威
用唔到 得個睇字 炒作 無甚睇頭 力撐 捱 靚
炒作 有看頭 炒賣 息口 隻 撈貨 水位 唔 細
偷雞唔到蝕揸米 回軟
B7 激起 貿易額 升值 息口 跌 GSM
B8 打工仔 保本基金 保證 暢旺 波幅 單一 蝕
均衡基金 邊際利潤 豪華 壽險 沽售 一隻 勢頭
走勢 偏軟 利好 回吐 闖關 隔夜
B9 沽空 焦炭 個別發展 開刀 見光死 一早 陪跌
出貨 後巿 利好 寒暑表 增持 到價 短炒 熱炒
紅股 回收機 回收罐 聯營 進軍 幹細胞 急挫
沽出 歸邊 料
B10 低水 嘅 仲係 高水 少少 個 唔淡得去邊 巿
好似 咁 好勁 喺 好走頭 心水 無 個別 故其
誰料 喘定 叫博 龍頭 仲有 水位 叫吼 企得咁硬
100
揸實 值博 洗倉 消化 炒股 博彩業務 掃貨 長綫
低吸 現價 擂台 擂主 短綫 出籠 大舉 逆巿
卓越 重估 純利 虧蝕 窄幅
Quoted B1‐ 0%
Statements B10
Adverts B1 一級 全線 強勁 壯腰 健腎 連鎖店 超筍 高纖 9%
低脂 精製 活化 去水腫 至尊 緊緻 軟骨 順氣
B2
B3
B4 投資王 賣旗 慈善籌款 點蟲蟲 商號 截標 嬴取
B5 承租 聆訊
B6
B7
B8
B9
B10
293 words are found. 100%
SECTION D ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
Brief information of this sample section
Sample size: 10 pages
Number of text columns: 47 columns
Number of Advertisement columns: 7 pieces
101
處男 碌地沙 不文 個唱 真金不怕洪爐火 旺場
家姐
D8 爭索 鬼片 難得 開騷
D9 激 加料 污 wet 衰格 爆 秘聞 狂轟 唔放 賤事
坐監 肉酸 爆料 靚老 豪宅 污糟嘢 嚇親 開鑼
狂踩
D10 閒言 韌帶
The main D1 43%
text/ the D2 首映禮 IFC 碎屍 電鋸 扑死 麻包袋 半帶 DVD
Captions 檔期 拉大隊 依家 不和 是非新聞 翻生 蚊 暗寸
邊個 同 數臭 添 都 睇吓 奇異果 手停口停
無得撈 老闆娘 Service Apartment 貼錢 擺甫士
賣口乖 激光
D3 劃清界線 無名火起 冤住 親熱戲 牀戲 怕醜 踩
烏龍百出 貪玩 得意 男仔 上心 鹹豬手 大膽
外景 CNN 趣致 進軍 私隱 搵食 收視紀錄
收視點
D4 喺 娛樂圈 稍為 行差踏錯 一世 俾 啲 乜嘢 搵
梗係 忟憎 嘅 唔會 洗咗 呢 Box 囉 秘密練兵
搶耳 型格 鐵定 力捧 自由行 大肆 犯太歲 酬金
踢爆 親熱戲
D5 捉手 搭膊 逢女追 激心 嬲 短片 狗仔隊 抽佣
D6 熊抱 繞手 偷食 面黑 力撐 妙樓王 纖幼 啤酒肚
猛片 獨生女 搶女友 鬼妹仔性格 CEO 生招牌
硬照
D7 除衫 碌地沙 下體 手指公 好正好 High 看慣 捧場
拖手 咀嘴 底綫 兼有 底褲 我間房 廳 得著
自行 型男 電燈膽 蜜運
D8 拍拖 紙碎 紅斑狼瘡 鬼上身 攞番 平頂 儀式
獎門人 闔府統請 潮爆 好仔 新抱 非常 鬼馬
第一把交椅 全接觸 諸事喱 勁歌 醒目女 牙擦蘇
敢死隊 唔易
D9 踢爆 沒相干 夠薑 騎呢 開衩 揸住 猛鬼 交足貨
搶盡風頭 捧場 擁躉 麻麻 差唔多 大肚婆 堅
D10 親善大使 義工 難民 雞啄唔斷 細碟 橋段 翻唱
制服誘惑 撐 拐扙 行路 招人話柄 頂硬上 顴骨
收視 即棄隱形形眼鏡 擦鞋 嫁雞隨雞 另類 有用
Quoted D1 15%
102
Statements D2 綁手綁腳 鐵鏈 鬧 加保 夠膽 算唔算 唔開心 喇
而家 咩 佢 過檔 嬲 諗 畀 好有 略略 咗 畀
嘢 嗰期 咩 新寵 顴骨 做 Mask 搵 唔使
D3 唔好 死唔斷氣 講 無厘啦更 勤力 呢啲
飲無線奶大 大樽 坐低 睇
D4 一紙婚書 話唔定 有日 走去 唔定 架 諗 唔會
佢份人 好 唔 貪小便宜 心急 想通 對稿
D5 呢 今次 睇碟 咁 令 介意 賤男 行得正,企得正
平時 乖仔 順氣 屋企 睇波 零食 上樓 先
又屙又嘔 抱病 聲沙 唔會 我哋 私事 按膊 囉
嗰日 便利店 貪方便 係
D6 夾硬 有得 度期 勾義嫂 食飯 連學校都無 撬牆腳
靚仔 狗仔隊 斯文淡定
D7 唔知 都 點解 請 佢啲 去撐 特登 揀 打友情牌
依家 吓 梗係 唔係 啦 上嚟 探 啩
D8 靚仔 咁 喎 無 抓損 咗 游水 生癬 咖埋雞
D9
D10
Adverts D1 調補 精華素 神疲 消脂 成個人 醒哂 瞓得好 27%
fit 過 後生仔 咗 唔知 點解 無緣無故 情緒化
又 病痛 唔止 靚 後生 肝陽 頭暉眼花 頭重腳輕
火熱 臟腑 一級 宏大 急毒 慢毒
D2
D3 嘟 賞 配方 氨基酸 淨腸 全方位
D4 笑足三餐 好似 咗 係 果位 抵死 爆笑
D5 型格 橫掃 活地
D6
D7 set 了一個典範 睇唔過眼 咁嘅 嘢 緊要 係
唔係咁識 同埋 佢 照字面睇 膽識 乜 晒 影射性
搏上位 若非 狂摑 過癮 四大天王 反轉
D8
D9 搭上
D10
414 words are found. 100%
103
SECTION E SUPPLEMENTARY LIFE FEATURES
Brief information of this sample section
Sample size: 10 pages
Number of text columns: 36 columns
Number of Advertisement columns: 9 pieces
104
救護員 CD 堆砌 露底 低腰 總壇 超豪 架勢堂
狀態大勇 強勢 一級 老佛爺 矜貴 貴價 織邊
扭花 細條 造工 鏤刻 喱士 近季 番鬼老 impact
擁躉 副綫 織棉
E8 New Yorker 腕表 廣為人識 瞬即 Power 旗鑑店
全綫 古著 配襯
E9 手慢 主題 醒神 風頭 擔正 搪膠 潮牌 別注帽
殿堂級 賊仔帽 新品 內籠 紳士帽 Graphic 潮人
E10 背板 深喉 追交 球評 爆粗 講價 紙紥 開波
T恤 狗仔隊 偷聽 偷錄 特首針 分分鐘 大聲公
反賭波 維艱 黑箱作業 大潮 謀財害命 奶粉 另類
茶餘飯後 今時今日 做手腳 邊 無所遁形 咁 犀利
真係 □ 盜高一尺、魔高一丈
Quoted E1‐E10 0%
Statements
105
SECTION F EDUCATIONAL NEWS
Brief information of this sample section
Sample size: 8 pages (maximum)
Number of text columns: 27 columns
Number of Advertisement columns: 15 pieces
106
F8 三三四 未見過 不多才出奇 順手 律師行 喂 哎呀
SECTION S SPORTS NEWS
Brief information of this sample section
Sample size: 6 pages (maximum)
Number of text columns: 45 columns
Number of Advertisement columns: 0 pieces
107
Sources Page Dialect words found (including standard words %
No. used with localized meaning)
The title, S1 失機 冠軍相 換血 宴客 49%
the article S2 掛靴 下滑 鬥 型仔 轟
lead/ S3 靚車 派頭 擂台躉 梅花間竹
column S4 扳平 轟 搶鏡 三頭馬車 發威 飲恨 大換血
names S5 食胡 摘星 地頭 曳 博盡 細 交投
S6 「維」剿 睇高一綫 地頭
The main S1 今 仗 十二碼 悶和 射失 坦言 千古罪人 有賴 51%
Text/ the S2 交易籌碼 一箭定江山 收咧
captions S3 緊盯 光顧 搵食 大熱門 坦言 梗頸 玩票
平分秋色 漏 Pin
S4 收復失地 進帳 失威 清洗
S5 仗 力保 今季
S6 殺手 若然 勝望 腳風
Quoted S1 0%
Statements S2
S3
S4
S5
S6
Adverts S1 0%
S2
S3
S4
S5
S6
57 words are found. 100%
108
APPENDIX B
SORTED BY THEIR SOURCES
APPENDIX B.1 THE OVERVIEW OF THE RESULTS
The Source Number of Words %
Figure 2: Pie chart showing the proportion of local dialect words found in
different source of text functions.
109
APPENDIX B.2 THE FINDINGS FROM EACH SOURCE
OF THE DIALECT WORDS
The Title, the lead and the column names
Sample % Dialect words found (including standard No. of
Section words used with localized meaning) Words
Important 13% 一手 力數 大花筒 大跌 大熱 公數 可卡因 29
news and 任滿 自己友 吸 呼聲 抨 空頭支票 春茗 words
Local news 背囊 致至係 食飯 捅 商機 超支 超時
超豪 新招 落敗 補水 跟足 豪花 蠱惑
China news 8% 一站式 五五分帳 加強版 企位 安樂窩 至潮 18
and 即場 官腐 省招牌 背心 梳化 海歸 新招數 words
International 置業 團夥 熱賣 警魔 變態
news
Financial and 21% 3G Fans XX 版 XX 股 XX 業 一手 力谷 49
Property news 力撐 大巿 大幅 升幅 反彈 心急 巿佔率 words
巿況 未止 回軟 有賣點 老總 助定 即巿
吼 折讓 見頂 招股價 泊位 近頂 勁賺
按息 值博率 息口 料 追得過 唱好 強積金
掛牌 疏爽 博 跑一轉 業績 落注 路演
過夜 蝕 認購 銀根 諗 靚價 學嘢
Local and 28% 上心大曝光 不文 不熟 介意 火滾 加料 64
Overseas 污 wet 污糟嘢 肉酸 自爆 坐監 扯火 扮 words
Entertainment 狂踩 狂轟 姊弟戀旺場 爭索 勁 流行榜
news 食鹹魚要抵得渴 個唱 唔好 唔放 家姐
真金不怕洪爐火 秘聞 衰格 骨妹 鬼片
鬼剃頭 宿一宵 處男 通街 都 掟 廁所
提吓 開騷 開鑼 閒言 韌帶睇搶耳 搶風頭
新人王 碌地沙 慘變 豪宅 撐 賤事 靚老
靚位 激 嚇親 擦無線鞋爆 爆料 難得 變臉
攬女 攬著 氹
Supplementary 9% figure Fushion 菜 Slip‐on 上位 吋坐姿 21
Life features 尿片受落 東魅直擊 為食 速食煮食 搶客 words
新丁 劇迷潮裝 熱捧 熱賣 黏底 瀛女
Educational 8% Tip 題 XX 導 向 一舉數得 八達通 大準 19
110
news 未見過 系統評估 拍拖 玩殘 肥雞餐 words
真情對話 國際校 智優 過關 預享 網友
懂性 轉認 驚到震
Sports news 12% 「維」剿 三頭馬車 下滑 大換血失機 交投 28
地頭 曳 扳平 冠軍相 型仔 派頭 食胡 words
宴客 鬥 掛靴 梅花間竹細 博盡 換血 發威
飲恨 睇高一綫 搶鏡 摘星 靚車 擂台躉 轟
100% 228
words
Main text and the caption
Sample % Dialect words found (including standard No. of
Section words used with localized meaning) Words
Important 11% 開 XX 化 一借無回頭 人工 入座率 大懵 85
news and 小眾 公司化 外判 巨無霸 打 golf 打工 words
Local news 合領 回落 多出開支 老行尊 耳筒 行員
利好 利益衝突 宏觀調控 尾隨 快刀斬亂麻
把關 投注 投注額 私營化 言論自由 走寶
身歷聲 使錢 坦言 定單 怪客拉來 抹黑
抨為 泊車 空調長債孳息 春茗 計 訂明
迭創新高 食肆 恒指 原先 班子 捅 兜截
問題 專門 專線 強政勵治 掏腰包 眼下
造好 造價 揭盅 無 等你 貼錢 開彩 順帶
暗批 暗格 業界 落斜 落實 補薪 逼使
頓成為 僵化 增幅 撞倒 糊塗帳 編輯自主
衝燈 踢出 擋箭牌 衡工量值 縮水轉介 攪珠
變態
China news 4% GDP 一條龍 人氣產品 小姐 反恐平躺 打假 32
and 冰毒 坐枱 抓捕 來頭招商引資 拍板 法寶 words
International 泊車 侵權 度身 高仿真版 從小玩到大
news 產業轉移 造假 頂尖 港資 雷射 團夥
寧缺毋濫 製假售假 影音組合 激新 激賞
選邊 寛頻網絡
Financial and 28% 嘅 GSM XX 股 一向用開 一早 一隻 力撐 219
Property news 上巿 上軌道 上揚 大巿 大型 大縮水 大舉 words
升值 少少 心水 心情靚靚 水位 水泥 水浸
巿 巿盈率 巿道 令 出招 出貨 出籠 叫吼
叫博 另一邊廂 平均綫 打工仔 用唔到 交收
111
仲有 仲係 企得咁硬 回吐 回收機 回收罐
回軟 回報率 好似 好走頭 好勁 好頭痕
收番 有看頭 低水 低吸 利好 呎 均衡基金
坐擁 宏調 折讓 沉到底部 私人名義 見光死
見頂 走勢 併購 到價 卓越 房產股 招股
招股價 放盤 放緩 沽出 沽空 沽售 波幅
泊位 泊車位 炒作 炒作 炒股 炒賣 長綫
咁 咁大隻蛤蚧隨街跳 畀 亮麗 信貸
保本基金 保證 勁 威 度身訂造 後巿 急挫
按揭 持平 故其 洗倉 派息 紅股 重估
閂水喉 恒指 值博 借殼 個 個人化 個別
個別發展 唔 唔淡得去邊 息口 息率 料
消化 神勇 窄幅 純利 逆巿 除息 隻 高水
高檔次 偷雞唔到蝕揸米 偏軟 國指 夠晒
帳面 得個睇字 接班 捱 掃貨 掛牌 現價
產能 疏爽 細 聆訊 舵手 造好 透明度
陪跌 博彩桌 博彩業務 喘定 單一 寒暑表
揭盅 換班 散戶 焦炭 無 無甚睇頭 發威
短炒 短綫 策略投資 策略股東 貿易額 跑嬴
跌 進軍 開刀 集資額 催谷 勢頭 幹細胞
業績 經辦人 落戶 資產泡沫 路演 過熱
隔夜 搵銀 搵錢 壽險 對盤 撇帳 暢旺
滯後 算係 蝕 認購 豪華 增持 撈貨
撒手鐧 樓按 樓面 熱 熱炒 誰料 靚 噸
擂主 擂台 激起 融資 龍頭 總裁 聯營
虧蝕 避風頭 歸邊 藍籌 轉型 轉按 闖關
鬆綁 攀升 證券 證券界 證券業 邊際利潤
飆升 驟眼 啲 喺 揸實
Local and 22% Box CEO CNN DVD Service Apartment 176
Overseas IFC 一世 力捧 力撐 乜嘢 下體 上心 大 words
Entertainment 肚婆 大肆 大膽 不和 手指公 手停口停
news 牙擦蘇 半帶 另類 外景 平頂 儀式 扑死
犯太歲 生招牌 交足貨 全接觸 同 好仔
好正好 High 收視 收視紀錄 收視點 有用
老闆娘 自由行 自行 行差踏錯 行路
即棄隱形眼鏡 妙樓王 我間房 沒相干 男仔
私隱 依家 制服誘惑 咀嘴 呢 奇異果 底褲
底綫 怕醜 拉大隊 招人話柄 抽佣 拐扙
112
拍拖 拖手 狗仔隊 非常 勁歌 型男 型格
是非新聞 洗咗 看慣 紅斑狼瘡 面黑 首映禮
俾 兼有 冤住 唔易唔會 娛樂圈 差唔多
捉手 烏龍百出 秘密練兵 紙碎 蚊 除衫
鬼上身 鬼妹仔性格 鬼馬 偷食 啤酒肚 堅
夠薑 得著 得意 捧場 梗係 添 猛片 猛鬼
第一把交椅 細碟 貪玩 逢女追 都 頂硬上
麻包袋麻麻 敢死隊 無名火起 無得撈 短片
硬照 稍為 貼錢 進軍 開衩 睇吓 嫁雞隨雞
搭膊 搶女友 搶耳 搶盡風頭 新抱 暗寸
碎屍 碌地沙 義工 酬金 電燈膽 電鋸 搵
搵食 劃清界線 熊抱 蜜運 撐 數臭 潮爆
獎門人 諸事喱 賣口乖 趣致 踢爆 踩 擁躉
橋段 激心 激光 獨生女 親善大使 親熱戲
醒目女 擦鞋 檔期 嬲 擺甫士 繞手 翻生
翻唱 闔府統請 雞啄唔斷 騎呢 邊個 難民
鹹豬手 鐵定 囉 纖幼 廳 顴骨 啲 喺
忟憎 揸住 攞番 牀戲 嘅
Supplementary 21% □ BB BNO CD CI Fans Graphic ifc 167
Life Features IKEA impact New Yorker Power T恤 words
一級 一袋二袋 口癮 大潮 大聲公 小牛皮
五星級 今時今日 內籠 公主袖 分分鐘
反賭波 尤甚 手慢 主題 令 古著 另類
外套 奶粉 布藝 未食五月稯,寒衣不入籠 全綫
合心水 合法良民 老佛爺 自由行 血拼 低腰
冷面 別注帽 扭花 灼燙 咕 咕 套 拌混
狀態大勇 狗仔隊 花生騷 表冠 表徑 近季
金表 咁 南瓜蓉 架勢堂 炮製 盆骨 矜貴
背板 軍表 風頭 食指 食神 首製 烤焗
特首針 真係 紙紥 茶餘飯後 迷你 追交
酒展 酒澤 配襯 針盤 做手腳 偷錄 偷聽
副綫 啪 啞色 堆砌 密實 強勢 救護員
深喉 猛片 球評 細條 紳士帽 造工 透心
焗爐 備忘紙 喱士 尊貴 插針難入 無所遁形
無腰骨 犀利 番鬼老 盜高一尺、魔高一丈 腕表
貴氣 貴價 超值 超豪 開波 黑箱作業 傳媒
搪膠 新表 新品 新派 椰漿 殿堂級
溶溶爛爛 裝餘 賊仔帽 煲滾 旗鑑店 漆皮
113
綿 維艱 認真 廣為人識 彈牙 潮人 潮牌
熱選 蝦膏 醃料 戰利品 擁躉 擔正 機芯
縛帶 蕃茄醬 謀財害命 貓行 醒胃 醒神
壓摺 檔主 燴焗 瞬即 總壇 薑蓉 講價
黏鑊 織棉 織邊 翻熱 懷表 爆香 爆粗
蟹籽 邊 鏤刻 騷 露底 讀時 蘿蔔蓉
Educational 10% Game Over IQ 題 level mock 卷 sense 79
news task design Tip 中 Topic 一條龍 丁屋 words
三三四 大件事 小班教學 不多才出奇 中中
心儀 令 出 出街 出賽 未見過 仲 名校
名氣 收生 有利 死撐 肚內一條蟲 例牌
官小 拍拖 肥雞餐 哎呀 律師行 英中
面無表情 差 校本評核 做 專題研習 教改
啟智 殺校 盛事 眾所周知 透明度 喂
提提你 虛不受補 象徵式 順手 新增點 照舊
落車 誇區 話 達標 精英制 緊貼 網上情人
網上情緣 網友 寬頻 調適 賭枱 適切 學額
戰績 撻著 操練 辦團 隨口噏 頻道 講錯
點蟲蟲 齣 鐵腕政策 驚到唔識講 驚到震
Sports news 4% 一箭定江山 力保 十二碼 千古罪人 大熱門 29
今 今季 仗 失威 平分秋色 交易籌碼 光顧 words
收咧 收復失地 有賴 坦言 玩票 若然 射失
梗頸 殺手 清洗 勝望 悶和 進帳 腳風
搵食 漏 Pin 緊盯
100% 787
words
Quoted statements
Sample % Dialect words found (including standard No. of
Section words used with localized meaning) Words
Important 10% 不捨得 未見過 先 呢 係 為件事好 唔同 13
news and 唔係 真係 最緊 掣肘 話 講 words
Local news
China news 0% 0 words
and
International
news
Financial and 0% 0 words
114
Property news
Local and 85% 一紙婚書 又屙又嘔 上樓 上嚟 大樽 110
Overseas 今次 介意 勾義嫂 心急 令 加保 去撐 words
Entertainment 平時 打友情牌 生癬 先 好 好有 有日
news 有得 死唔斷氣 而家 行得正,企得正 坐低
夾硬 我哋 抓損 私事 走去 佢 佢份人
佢啲 乖仔 依家 咖埋雞 呢 呢啲 抱病
狗仔隊 咁 畀 便利店 係 咩 屋企 度期
按膊 架 食飯 唔 唔好 唔使 唔定 唔知
唔係 唔開心 唔會 特登 做 Mask 啦 夠膽
探 梗係 略略 貪小便宜 貪方便 連 XX 都無
都 喇 揀 斯文淡定 游水 無 無厘啦更
順氣 飲無線奶大 喎 睇 睇波 睇碟 勤力
想通 新寵 綁手綁腳 話唔定 過檔 零食 搵
對稿 算唔算 撬牆腳 請 賤男 鬧 諗 靚仔
聲沙 講 點解 嬲 鐵鏈 囉 顴骨 吓 咗
咗 嗰日 嗰期 嘢
Supplementary 0% 0 words
Life features
Educational 5% 公司化 系統評估 指數 通識 操練 懂性 6 words
news
Sports news 0% 0 words
100% 190
words
Advertisements
Sample % Dialect words Found (including standard No. of
Section words used with localized meaning) Words
Important 12% Fun 令 交投 收樓 耳筒 退場 推廣期 23
news and 現樓 傢俱 尊尚 尊逸 換領 換樓潮 換購 words
Local news 無線路由器 貴族式 開揚 搶閘 親子
優尚生活 雙重獎賞 驚喜優惠 氹氹轉
China news 5% 全線 地下情 坦承 金援 梳化布 幹部 搭上 9
and 試煉 演繹 words
International
news
Financial and 13% 一級 去水腫 全線 至尊 低脂 壯腰 投資王 25
Property news 承租 活化 高纖 健腎 商號 強勁 聆訊 words
115
軟骨 連鎖店 超筍 順氣 慈善籌款 截標
精製 緊緻 賣旗 嬴取 點蟲蟲
Local and 34% fit set 了一個典範 一級 又 乜 反轉 火熱 64
Overseas 四大天王 全方位 同埋 好似 成個人 宏大 words
Entertainment 狂摑 肝陽 佢 抵死 果位 咁嘅 係 型格
news 後生 後生仔 急毒 活地 若非 唔止 唔知
唔係咁識 晒 氨基酸 消脂 病痛 神疲
笑足三餐 配方 情緒化 淨腸 無緣無故
睇唔過眼 搭上 搏上位 照字面睇 過 過癮
嘟 慢毒 精華素 緊要 影射性 調補 賞 靚
橫掃 醒哂 頭重腳輕 頭暉眼花 膽識 點解
爆笑 臟腑 咗 嘢 瞓得好
Supplementary 20% 口感 天面 冇有怕 包 平 瓦仔 石屎 地台 38
Life features 收口 老字號 伸縮縫 批盪 防蚊網 泥水 words
炒爆 直航 花槽 花籠 門面 約準四星級
紙皮石 航空團 啤 捲布 貼士 間格
煙煙韌韌 團費 摺門 精選團 彈捲 鋁窗
激賞 牆身 糧油雜貨 鬆浮 簷縫 爛
Educational 16% 一條龍 上工 五星級酒店學校 什件 日更 31
news 月入過萬 代聽 包薪 先 佣厚 改名契 夜更 words
底薪 拆佣 直銷 屋苑 校網 特廉 清盤
理賬 通宵更 傢具 傢俬 新班 跟單 豪宅
慳 模具 盤足 積賬 薪佣
Sports news 0% 0
words
100% 129
words
116
APPENDIX C
THE LIST OF LOCAL DIALECT WORDS
SORTED BY THEIR GRAMMATICAL
FUNCTIONS
APPENDIX C.1 THE OVERVIEW OF THE RESULTS
Grammatical Function Number of Dialect Words %
117
Figure 3: Pie chart showing the proportion of local dialect words found in
different grammatical functions.
APPENDIX C.2 THE FINDINGS FROM EACH SAMPLE
SECTION
Important news and Local news
Grammatical % Dialect words found (including standard words No. of
Functions used with localized meaning) Words
Subject/ 38% 人工 入座率 小眾 公數 可卡因 外判 巨無霸 47
agent 任滿 老行尊 耳筒 自己友 行員 利益衝突 words
宏觀調控 投注額 言論自由 呼聲 定單 怪客
空調 空頭支票 長債孳息 春茗 背囊 食飯 食肆
恒指 班子 商機 專線 造價 超支 超時 開彩
新招 暗格 業界 落敗 補水 補薪 增幅 糊塗帳
編輯自主 擋箭牌 衡工量值 攪珠
Predicate 28% 開 XX 化 力數 打 golf 打工 未 回落 吸 35
尾隨 把關 投注 見 走寶 使錢 坦言 拉來 words
118
抹黑 抨 泊車 計 訂明 捅 揭盅 貼錢 暗批
落斜 落實 話 逼使 僵化 撞倒 衝燈 踢出 講
轉介
Adjectival/ 29% 一借無回頭 大花筒 大跌 大熱 大懵 不捨得 同 36
adverbial 合領 多出開 支 好 利好 快刀斬 亂麻 身歷 聲 words
phrase 咁 至係 迭創 新高 原先 捅 兜截 問題 專門
強 政勵 治 掏 腰包 眼下 造好 最緊 掣肘 無
等你 超豪 順帶 跟足 頓成為 豪花 縮水 蠱惑
變態
Functional 5% 一手 呢 先 係 唔 過 15
words words
100% 124
words
China news and International news
Grammatical % Dialect words found (including standard words No. of
Functions used with localized meaning) Words
Subject/ 53% GDP 人氣產品 小姐 五五分帳 反恐 企位 27
agent 冰毒 安樂窩 即場 官腐 法寶 侵權 背心 words
梳化 海歸 高仿真版 產業 造假 港資 新招數
雷射 團夥 製假售假 影音組合 激賞 警魔
寛頻網絡
Predicate 22% 引資 平躺 打假 抓捕 招商 拍板 泊車 度身 11
置業 選邊 轉移 words
Adjectival/ 25% 一站式 一條龍 加強版 至潮 坐枱 來頭 13
adverbial 省招牌 從小玩到大 頂尖 寧缺毋濫 熱賣 激新 words
phrase 變態
Functional 0% 0
words words
100% 51
words
Financial and Property news
Grammatical % Dialect words found (including standard No. of
Functions words used with localized meaning) Words
Subject/ 33% 3G Fans GSM XX 版 XX 股 XX 界 XX 率 82
agent XX 業 XX 價 大巿 升值 升幅 心水 水位 words
119
水泥 巿況 巿道 平均綫 打工仔 回收機
回收罐 回報 老總 低水 均衡基金 宏調
私人名義 走勢 招股 沽出 波幅 泊位 泊車位
長綫 信貸 保本基金 保證 後巿 按息 按揭
恒指 息口 息率 窄幅 純利 高水 國指 帳面
強積金 現價 產能 舵手 透明度 博彩桌
博彩業務 寒暑表 散戶 焦炭 短炒 短綫
策略投資 策略股東 貿易額 勢頭 幹細胞
業績 經辦人 資產泡沫 路演 搵銀 搵錢 壽險
銀根 樓按 樓面 擂主 擂台 融資 虧蝕 藍籌
證券 邊際利潤
Predicate 21% 力谷 力撐 上巿 出招 出貨 出籠 交收 收番 51
吼 坐擁 折讓 併購 放盤 沽售 炒作 炒股 words
炒賣 洗倉 派息 重估 閂水喉 借殼 料 消化
除息 唱好 接班 捱 掃貨 掛牌 聆訊 博
揭盅 換班 發威 進軍 開刀 催谷 落注 對盤
撇帳 認購 撈貨 諗 激起 龍頭 總裁 避風頭
轉按 闖關 鬆綁
Adjectival/ 41% 一向 上軌道 上揚 大型 大幅 大縮水 大舉 102
adverbial 反彈 心急 心情靚靚 水浸 叫吼 叫博 未止 words
phrase 用唔到 用開 仲有 仲係 企 回吐 回軟 少少
好似 好走頭 好勁 好頭痕 有看頭 有賣點
低吸 利好 助定 即巿 沉底 見光死 見頂
到價 卓越 放緩 沽空 泊位 近頂 咁
咁大隻蛤蚧隨街跳 畀 亮麗 勁 勁賺 威
度身訂造 急挫 持平 故其 值博 個人化 個別
個別發展 唔淡得去邊 神勇 逆巿 追得過
高檔次 偷雞唔到蝕揸米 偏軟 夠晒 得個睇字
疏爽 細 造好 陪跌 喘定 單一 無 無甚 硬
跑嬴 跌 睇頭 落戶 過夜 過熱 隔夜 暢旺
滯後 算係 蝕 豪華 增持 撒手鐧 熱 熱炒
誰料 靚 靚 靚價 學嘢 聯營 歸邊 轉型
攀升 飆升 驟眼 揸實
Functional 5% 一手 一轉 一隻 一呎 嘅 噸 令 啲 喺 個 13
words 另一邊廂 唔 得 words
100% 248
words
120
Local and Overseas Entertainment news
Grammatical % Dialect words found (including standard No. of
Functions words used with localized meaning) Words
Subject/ 26% Box CEO CNN DVD IFC Service Apartment 86
agent 下體 大肚婆 手指公 牙擦蘇 外景 生招牌 words
收視 收視紀錄 收視點 污糟嘢 老闆娘 自由行
即棄隱形眼鏡 妙樓王 男仔 私隱 咖埋雞
奇異果 姊弟戀 底褲 底綫 拐扙 拍拖 拖手
狗仔隊 便利店 勁歌 型男 是非新聞 流行榜
紅斑狼瘡 首映禮 個唱 娛樂圈 家姐 秘聞
骨妹 鬼片 啤酒肚 得著 猛片 第一把交椅
細碟 處男 麻包袋 敢死隊 短片 硬照 開衩
閒言 韌帶 新人王 新抱 碌地沙 義工 酬金
電燈膽 電鋸 蜜運 豪宅 儀式 撬牆腳 獎門人
諸事喱 賤男 靚仔 靚老 靚位 擁躉 橋段
親善大使 親熱戲 醒目女 擦鞋 檔期 難民
鹹豬手 廳 顴骨 牀戲
Predicate 16% 力捧 力撐 上樓 加料 扑死 生癬 污 wet 54
自爆 行路 坐低 坐監 扮 抓損 狂踩 狂轟 words
制服誘惑 咀嘴 拉大隊 抽佣 爭索 按膊
秘密練兵 做 Mask 宿一宵 探 捧場 掟 游水
貼錢 進軍 開騷 開鑼 間房 睇 搭膊 暗寸
過檔 搵食 熊抱 撐 數臭 請 踢爆 擺甫士
繞手 翻生 翻唱 爆 爆料 攬女 攬著 揸住
攞番 氹
Adjectival/ 54% 一世 一紙婚書 又屙又嘔 上心 上嚟 大肆 180
adverbial 大樽 大膽 大曝光 不文 不和 不熟 今次 介 words
phrase 意 勾義嫂 心急 手停口停 火滾 加保 半帶
去撐 另類 平時 平頂 打友情牌 犯太歲
交足貨 先 全接觸 同 好 好 好仔
好正好 High 好有 有日 有用 有得 死唔斷氣
而家 肉酸 自行 行差踏錯 行得正,企得正 夾硬
我哋 扯火 沒相干 私事 走去 佢 佢份人
佢啲 乖仔 依家 呢 呢啲 怕醜 招人話柄
抱病 旺場 狗仔隊 非常 咁 畀 係 勁 咩
型格 屋企 度期 架 看慣 面黑 食飯
食鹹魚要抵得渴 冤枉 唔 唔好 唔使 唔定 唔
放 唔易 唔知 唔係 唔開心 唔會 差唔多
121
捉手 烏龍百出 特登 真金不怕洪爐火 紙碎
衰格 除衫 鬼上身 鬼妹仔性格 鬼剃頭 鬼馬
偷食 啦 堅 夠膽 夠薑 得意 梗係 猛鬼
略略 貪小便宜 貪方便 貪玩 通街 連 XX 都無
逢女追 都 頂硬上 麻麻 喇 揀 提吓
斯文淡定 無 無名火起 無厘啦更 無得撈 稍為
順氣 飲無線奶大 喎 睇 睇波 睇碟 睇吓
勤力 嫁雞隨雞 想通 搶女友 搶耳 搶耳
搶風頭 搶盡風頭 新寵 碎屍 碌地沙 綁手綁腳
話唔定 零食 搵 劃清界線 對稿 慘變 算唔算
潮爆 賤事 賣口乖 趣致 踩 鬧 諗 激 激心
嚇親 擦無線鞋 聲沙 講 嬲 闔府統請
雞啄唔斷 騎呢 難得 鐵定 鐵鏈 囉 纖幼
變臉 吓 嗰日 嗰期 嘢 忟憎
Functional 4% 蚊 添 嘅 乜嘢 呢 咗 俾 兼有 邊個 啲 15
words 喺 令 咗 點解 都 words
100% 335
words
Supplementary Life features
Grammatical % Dialect words found (including standard No. of
Functions words used with localized meaning) Words
Subject/ 53% BB BNO CD CI Fans figure Fushion 菜 99
agent Graphic ifc IKEA impact New Yorker Slip‐on words
T恤 口癮 大聲公 小牛皮 內籠 公主袖
反賭波 主題 外套 奶粉 布藝 全綫 合法良民
老佛爺 自由行 低腰 冷面 別注帽 坐姿 尿片
扭花 灼燙 受落 咕 咕 套 東魅 狗仔隊
花生騷 表冠 表徑 金表 南瓜蓉 架勢堂 盆骨
軍表 風頭 食指 烤焗 特首針 酒展 酒澤
針盤 副綫 救護員 猛片 球評 紳士帽 造工
焗爐 備忘紙 喱士 煮食 番鬼老 腕表 貴氣
黑箱作業 傳媒 搪膠 新表 新品 椰漿 裝餘
賊仔帽 旗鑑店 漆皮 劇迷 潮人 蝦膏 醃料
戰利品 擁躉 機芯 蕃茄醬 貓行 檔主 燴焗
總壇 薑蓉 織棉 織邊 懷表 瀛女 蟹籽 鏤刻
騷 蘿蔔蓉
Predicate 10% 拌混 直擊 背板 追交 配襯 做手腳 偷錄 18
122
偷聽 堆砌 透心 開波 搶客 煲滾 壓摺 講價 words
翻熱 爆香 爆粗
Adjectival/ 36% □ Power 一級 一袋二袋 上位 大潮 五星級 67
adverbial 今時今日 分分鐘 尤甚 手慢 古著 另類 words
phrase 未食五月稯,寒衣不入籠 合心水 血拼 狀態大勇
近季 為食 炮製 矜貴 食神 首製 真係 紙紥
茶餘飯後 迷你 啪 啞色 密實 強勢 深喉
細條 速食 尊貴 插針難入 無所遁形 無腰骨
犀利 盜高一尺、魔高一丈 貴價 超值 超豪 新丁
新派 殿堂級 溶溶爛爛 綿 維艱 認真
廣為人識 彈牙 潮牌 潮裝 熱捧 熱賣 熱選
擔正 縛帶 謀財害命 醒胃 醒神 瞬即 黏底
黏鑊 露底 讀時
Functional 2% 吋 咁 邊 令 4
words words
100% 188
words
Educational news
Grammatical % Dialect words found (including standard No. of
Functions words used with localized meaning) Words
Subject/ 44% IQ 題 level mock 卷 sense task design Topic 42
agent 丁屋 八達通 三三四 小班教學 中中 公司化 words
名校 名氣 系統評估 官小 肥雞餐 律師行
指數 英中 校本評核 真情對話 國際校
專題研習 教改 盛事 通識 透明度 新增點
精英制 網上情人 網上情緣 網友 寬頻 賭枱
學額 戰績 操練 辦團 頻道 點蟲蟲 鐵腕政策
Predicate 9% Tip 題 出 拍拖 做 殺校 落車 話 預享 撻著 9
words
Adjectival/ 45% Game Over Tip 中 XX 導向 一條龍 一舉數得 43
adverbial 大件事 大準 不多才出奇 心儀 出街 出賽 words
phrase 未見過 仲收生 有利 死撐 肚內一條蟲 例牌
玩殘 哎呀 面無表情 差 啟智 眾所周知 喂
提提你 智優 虛不受補 象徵式 順手 照舊
誇區 達標 過關 緊貼 調適 適切 隨口噏
懂性 講錯 轉認 齣 驚到唔識講 驚到震
123
Functional 1% 令 1
words word
100% 95
words
Sports news
Grammatical % Dialect words found (including standard No. of
Functions words used with localized meaning) Words
Subject/ 21% 三頭馬車 地頭 冠軍相 型仔 派頭 食胡 靚車 12
agent 擂台躉 十二碼 千古罪人 腳風 殺手 words
Predicate 18% 「維」剿 交投 轟 力保 搵食 緊盯 清洗 光顧 10
坦言 射失 words
Adjectival/ 61% 下滑 大換血 失機 曳 扳平 宴客 鬥 掛靴 35.
adverbial 梅花間竹 細 博盡 換血 發威 飲恨 睇高一綫 words
phrase 搶鏡 摘星 一箭定江山 大熱門 今 今季 仗
失威 平分秋色 交易籌碼 收咧 收復失地 有賴
玩票 若然 梗頸 勝望 悶和 進帳 漏 Pin
Functional 0% 0
words words
100% 57
words
Advertisements
Grammatical % Dialect words found (including standard No. of
Functions words used with localized meaning) Words
Subject/ 41% 耳筒 推廣期 現樓 傢俱 換樓潮 無線路由器 77
agent 親子 全線 地下情 氹氹轉 金援 梳化布 幹部 words
試煉 投資王 慈善籌款 軟骨 連鎖店 商號
四大天王 點蟲蟲 賣旗 後生仔 急毒 活地
氨基酸 淨腸 精華素 影射性 瓦仔 石屎 地台
老字號 伸縮縫 防蚊網 泥水 花槽 花籠 門面
紙皮石 航空團 五星級酒店學校 什件 日更
改名契 夜更 底薪 直銷 屋苑 校網 清盤
通宵更 傢具 傢俬 豪宅 模具 薪佣 簷縫
糧油雜貨 鋁窗 精選團 間格 膽識口感 天面
嘢 配方 牆身 炒爆 捲布 賞 團費 摺門
124
拆佣 直航 臟腑 消脂 病痛
Predicate 8% 交投 收樓 退場 換領 換購 演繹 去水腫 15
聆訊 嬴取 截標 狂摑 上工 嘟 收口 批盪 words
Adjectival/ 46% Fun Fun fit set 了一個典範 一級 一條龍 反轉 86
adverbial 月入過萬 火熱 冇有怕 代聽 包 包薪 平 words
phrase 全方位 全線 好似 成個人 至尊 佣厚 低脂
壯腰 宏大 肝陽 坦承 承租 抵死 果位 咁嘅
型格 後生 活化 約準四星級 若非 唔止 唔知
唔係咁識 晒 特廉 神疲 笑足三餐 高纖 健腎
啤 強勁 情緒化 理賬 尊尚 尊逸 無緣無故
貼士 貴族式 超筍 開揚 順氣 睇唔過眼 搭上
搏上位 搶閘 新班 煙煙韌韌 照字面睇 跟單
過 過癮 慢毒 精製 緊要 緊緻 慳 彈捲
盤足 調補 靚 橫掃 激賞 積賬 醒哂
頭重腳輕 頭暉眼花 優尚生活 雙重獎賞 鬆浮
爆笑 爛 驚喜優惠 瞓得好
Functional 5% 又 乜 令 先 同埋 佢 係 點解 咗 9
words words
100% 187
words
125
APPENDIX D
SORTED BY THE WORD ORIGINS83
APPENDIX D.1 THE OVERVIEW OF THE RESULTS
Name of the Sub‐Category No. of Words %
words86)
analogical meaning88
83 鍾嶺崇(2000)《香港中文教師對香港詞彙進入書面語的觀感與態度研究》香港:香港大學博士論文。
84 As defined in 田小琳(1997)《由社區詞談現代漢語詞匯的規範》
,見《香港中文教學和普通話教學論集》。北京:人
民教育出版社。
85 As defined in 湯志祥(1997)《香港中文語法的靈活性──香港中文語法變異》
,見《一九九七與香港中國語文研討會
論文集》
。香港:香港中國語文學會。Page 142‐146
86 As defined in 邵敬敏(2001)《香港方言外來詞比較研究》
,見《語言文字應用》2000:3, Page 3‐12
87 Words can be found in 曾子凡(2002)《廣州話‧普通話語詞對比研究》光碟版。香港:三聯書店。
88 The meaning is checked in 中國社會科學院語言研究所詞典編輯室編(2005)
《現代漢語辭典》
(第五版)
。北京:北
京商務印書館。
126
Figure 4: Pie chart showing the proportion of local dialect words found in
different origins.
APPENDIX D.2 THE FINDINGS FROM EACH SAMPLE
SECTION
Important news and Local news
Name of the % Dialect words found (including standard No. of
Sub‐Category words used with localized meaning) words
Locally 25% 入座率 外判 自己友 投注額 言論自由 呼聲 31
generated 定單 空頭支票 長債孳息 春茗 食肆 恒指 words
words 造價 開彩 暗格 落敗 補薪 編輯自主
衡工量值 攪珠 XX 化 回落 投注 揭盅 撞倒
合領 迭創新高 問題 兜截 強政勵治 順帶
Locally 19% 公數 任滿 行員 商機 專線 超支 超時 業界 23
generated 增幅 力數 吸 坦言 訂明 落斜 貼錢 衝燈 words
non‐standard 轉介 多出開支 利好 超豪 頓成為 豪花 企跳
abbreviations
127
Loan words 10% 小眾 可卡因 耳筒 利益衝突 空調 班子 12
打 golf 暗批 落實 身歷聲 造好 一手 words
Traditional 33% 人工 開 一借無回頭 大花筒 大跌 大熱 40
Yue dialect 大懵 不捨得 打工 未 先 同 好 老行尊 words
words 快刀斬亂麻 見 使錢 呢 拉來 招 泊車
咁至係 係 背囊 計 食飯 原先 唔 捅 眼下
最緊 無 等你 補水 話 跟足 逼使 過
糊塗帳 講
Standard 14% 巨無霸 宏觀調控 怪客 擋箭牌 尾隨 把關 17
words with 走寶 抹黑 抨 僵化 踢出 專門 掏腰包 掣肘 words
locally 變態 縮水 蠱惑
extended
meaning
100% 123
words
China news and International news
Name of the % Dialect words found (including standard No. of
Sub‐Category words used with localized meaning) words
Locally 33% 一站式 一條龍 五五分帳 加強版 平躺 打假 17
generated 企位 即場 抓捕 海歸 高仿真版 置業 words
words 寧缺毋濫 製假售假 影音組合 轉移 警魔
Locally 21% 反恐 引資 至潮 官腐 招商 侵權 產業 造假 11
generated 港資 團夥 選邊 words
non‐standard
abbreviations
Loan words 21% GDP XX 版 人氣產品 冰毒 梳化 頂尖 雷射 11
熱賣 激新 激賞 寛頻網絡 words
Traditional 15% 安樂窩 來頭 泊車 度身 省招牌 背心 8
Yue dialect 從小玩到大 新招數 words
words
Standard 10% 小姐 坐枱 拍板 法寶 變態 5
words with
locally
extended
meaning
100% 52
words
128
Financial and Property news
Name of the % Dialect words found (including standard No. of
Sub‐Category words used with localized meaning) words
Locally 30% XX 版 XX 股 XX 界 XX 率 XX 業 XX 價 57
generated XX 額 上巿 上揚 大巿 大幅 升值 升幅 words
words 巿況 巿道 叫吼 叫博 回吐 回軟 回報
好走頭 有看頭 有賣點 即巿 均衡基金 坐擁
折讓 卓越 放盤 放緩 沽出 沽售 炒作 亮麗
信貸 保本基金 保證 後巿 持平 恒指 逆巿
高檔次 偏軟 強積金 掃貨 疏爽 聆訊 造好
透明度 博彩桌 博彩業務 喘定 單一 揭盅
換班 散戶 策略投資 策略股東 貿易額 催谷
業績 落戶 資產泡沫 對盤 撇帳 暢旺 豪華
銀根 樓面 聯營 歸邊 藍籌 轉型 攀升 飆升
Locally 17% 出貨 交收 回收機 回收罐 低水 低吸 利好 42
generated 助定 宏調 併購 招股 沽空 波幅 炒股 近頂 words
non‐standard 急挫 按息 洗倉 派息 重估 值博 息率 料
abbreviations 窄幅 除息 高水 唱好 國指 現價 產能 短炒
經辦人 壽險 滯後 認購 增持 樓按 熱 熱炒
融資 轉按 鬆綁
Loan words 9% 3G Fans GSM 一手 一呎 一噸 平均綫 22
私人名義 長綫 按揭 個人化 個別 個別發展 words
純利 接班 焦炭 短綫 勢頭 幹細胞 過熱
證券 邊際利潤 借殼
Traditional 37% 嘅 一向 一隻 一轉 力谷 力撐 大縮水 反彈 91
Yue dialect 少少 心水 心急 心情靚靚 水泥 水浸 令 words
words 出招 出籠 另一邊廂 打工仔 未止 用唔到
用開 仲有 仲係 企 好似 好勁 收番 吼
沉底 見光死 見頂 到價 泊位 泊位 泊車位
炒賣 咁 咁大隻蛤蚧隨街跳 畀 勁 勁賺 威
度身訂造 故其 閂水喉 個 唔 唔淡得去邊
息口 追得過 偷雞唔到蝕揸米 夠晒 帳面 得
得個睇字 捱 掛牌 細 陪跌 博 無 無甚
發威 硬 跑嬴 跌 睇頭 落注 過夜 隔夜
搵銀 搵錢 算係 蝕 撈貨 撒手鐧 諗 靚
靚價 學嘢 擂主 擂台 龍頭 虧蝕 避風頭
驟眼 啲 喺 揸實
129
Standard 7% 上軌道 大型 大舉 水位 好頭痕 老總 走勢 17
words with 消化 神勇 舵手 寒暑表 進軍 開刀 路演 words
locally 激起 總裁 闖關
extended
meaning
100% 247
words
Local and Overseas Entertainment news
Name of the % Dialect words found (including standard No. of
Sub‐Category words used with localized meaning) words
Locally 19% 一紙婚書 下體 不和 不熟 手停口停 半帶 63
generated 另類 外景 全接觸 收視 收視紀錄 收視點 words
words 自由行 自行 即棄隱形眼鏡 妙樓王 抓損
沒相干 私事 私隱 制服誘惑 奇異果 姊弟戀
招人話柄 抱病 爭索 便利店 勁歌 是非新聞
流行榜 看慣 紅斑狼瘡 面黑 首映禮 娛樂圈
捉手 秘密練兵 鬼上身 鬼妹仔性格 得著 捧場
處男 貪小便宜 貪玩 斯文淡定 稍為 閒言
勤力 想通 搶耳 酬金 電鋸 熊抱 儀式 趣致
激心 親善大使 檔期 聲沙 難民 鐵鏈 顴骨
牀戲
Locally 10% IFC 不文 加保 有日 有用 自爆 抽佣 旺場 34
generated 度期 按膊 個唱 秘聞 衰格 骨妹 猛片 猛鬼 words
non‐standard 逢女追 短片 貼錢 搭膊 搶女友 新寵 暗寸
abbreviations 碎屍 義工 對稿 慘變 豪宅 數臭 賤事 翻唱
爆料 纖幼 攬女
Loan words 6% Box CEO CNN DVD Service Apartment 21
大曝光 污 wet 底綫 狗仔隊 狗仔隊 型男 words
做 Mask 第一把交椅 細碟 硬照 新人王 潮爆
獎門人 擺甫士 騎呢
Traditional 59% 嘅 一世 力捧 力撐 又屙又嘔 乜嘢 上心 上 199
Yue dialect 樓 上嚟 大肚婆 大肆 大樽 大膽 今次 介意 words
words 勾義嫂 心急 手指公 火滾 令 加料 去撐
平時 平頂 打友情牌 扑死 犯太歲 生招牌 生
癬 交足貨 先 同 好 好仔 好 正 好 High
好有 有得 死唔斷氣 污糟嘢 而家 肉酸
行差踏錯 行得正,企得正 行路 坐低 坐監 夾
130
硬 我哋 扯火 扮 狂踩 狂轟 男仔 走去 佢
佢份人 佢啲 乖仔 依家 咀嘴 呢 呢啲 底褲
怕醜 拉大隊 拐扙 拍拖 拖手 咁 畀 係 勁
咩 屋企 架 食飯 食鹹魚要抵得渴 俾 兼有
唔 唔好 唔使 唔定 唔放 唔易 唔知 唔係
唔開心 唔會 家姐 差唔多 烏龍百出 特登 真
金不怕洪爐火 紙碎 蚊 除衫 鬼片 鬼剃頭
鬼馬 啦 啤酒肚 堅 夠膽 夠薑 得意 探
梗係 添 略略 通街 連學校都無 都 頂硬上
麻包袋 麻麻 掟 喇 揀 提吓 敢死隊 游水
無 無名火起 無厘啦更 無得撈 開衩 開騷
間房 韌帶 順氣 飲無線奶大 喎 睇 睇波
睇碟 睇吓 嫁雞隨雞 搶風頭 搶盡風頭 新抱
碌地沙 話唔定 過檔 電燈膽 零食 搵 搵食
算唔算 蜜運 撐 撬牆腳 請 諸事喱 賤男
賣口乖 踢爆 踩 鬧 諗 靚仔 靚老 靚位
擁躉 激 親熱戲 醒目女 嚇親 擦無線鞋 擦鞋
講 點解 嬲 繞手 翻生 雞啄唔斷 爆 邊個
鹹豬手 囉 攬著 廳 吓 咗 啲 喺 嗰日
嗰期 嘢 忟憎 揸住 攞番 氹
Standard 5% 牙擦蘇 老闆娘 咖埋雞 非常 型格 冤枉 偷食 18
words with 宿一宵 貪 進軍 開鑼 綁手綁腳 劃清界線 words
locally 橋段 闔府統請 難得 鐵定 變臉
extended
meaning
100% 335
words
Supplementary Life Features
Name of the % Dialect words found (including standard No. of
Sub‐Category words used with localized meaning) words
Locally 28% 一級 上位 公主袖 反賭波 另類 布藝 53
generated 合法良民 自由行 低腰 冷面 別注帽 扭花 words
words 灼燙 受落 拌混 盆骨 背板 烤焗 紙紥 針盤
啞色 強勢 救護員 紳士帽 造工 焗爐 備忘紙
煮食 貴氣 貴價 搪膠 新丁 新派 椰漿
殿堂級 賊仔帽 旗鑑店 漆皮 維艱 劇迷
廣為人識 擔正 縛帶 醒胃 醒神 壓摺 燴焗
131
總壇 黏底 黏鑊 懷表 蟹籽 露底
Locally 19% 口癮 坐姿 東魅 表冠 表徑 近季 金表 35
generated 南瓜蓉 軍表 食指 首製 追交 酒展 酒澤 words
non‐standard 配襯 猛片 球評 腕表 超值 超豪 搶客 新表
abbreviations 新品 裝餘 潮人 潮牌 潮裝 熱捧 熱賣 熱選
薑蓉 織棉 織邊 爆香 蘿蔔蓉
Loan words 16% BB BNO CD CI Fans figure Fusion 菜 30
Graphic ifc IKEA impact New Yorker Power words
Slip‐on T恤 古著 全綫 血拼 咕 咕 套
狗仔隊 直擊 花生騷 迷你 副綫 喱士
黑箱作業 貓行 瀛女 騷
Traditional 28% □ 一袋二袋 大聲公 小牛皮 今時今日 內籠 52
Yue dialect 分分鐘 尤甚 手慢 令 外套 奶粉 words
words 未食五月稯,寒衣不入籠 吋 合心水 尿片 咁
架勢堂 為食 矜貴 真係 茶餘飯後 做手腳
偷錄 偷聽 啪 密實 深喉 細條 插針難入 無
腰骨 犀利 番鬼佬 盜高一尺、魔高一丈 開波
溶溶爛爛 煲滾 綿 彈牙 蝦膏 醃料 擁躉
機芯 蕃茄醬 謀財害命 檔主 講價 翻熱 爆粗
邊
Standard 9% 大潮 五星級 主題 老佛爺 狀態大勇 風頭 16
words with 食神 堆砌 速食 透心 尊貴 無所遁形 傳媒 words
locally 認真 戰利品 鏤刻
extended
meaning
100% 186
words
Educational news
Name of the % Dialect words found (including standard No. of
Sub‐Category words used with localized meaning) words
Locally 37% XX 導 向 一條龍 一舉數得 丁屋 八達通 35
generated 三三四 小班教學 中中 公司化 心儀 出賽 words
words 名氣 系統評估 官小 肥雞餐 律師行 指數
英中 校本評核 真情對話 國際校 專題研習
教改 通識 透明度 象徵式 誇區 精英制
網上情人 網上情緣 學額 操練 頻道 懂性
鐵腕政策
132
Locally 13% 大準 殺校 智優 新增點 達標 預享 緊貼 12
generated 網友 調適 適切 辦團 轉認 words
non‐standard
abbreviations
Loan words 8% Game Over IQ 題 level mock 卷 sense 8 words
task design Topic 寬頻
Traditional 36% Tip 中 Tip 題 大件事 不多才出奇 令 出 未 34
Yue dialect 見過 仲收生 名校 有利 死撐 肚內一條蟲 words
words 例牌 拍拖 玩殘 哎呀 面無表情 差 做
眾所周知 喂 提提你 順手 照舊 落車 話
賭枱 撻著 隨口噏 講錯 點蟲蟲 齣
驚到唔識講 驚到震
Standard 6% 出街 啟智 盛事 虛不受補 過關 戰績 6 words
words with
locally
extended
meaning
100% 95
words
Sports news
Name of the % Dialect words found (including standard No. of
Sub‐Category words used with localized meaning) words
Locally 22% 一箭定江山 十二碼 三頭馬車 大換血 大熱門 12
generated 交易籌碼 扳平 玩票 冠軍相 搶鏡 腳風 words
words 漏 Pin
Locally 16% 力保 失機 交投 坦言 射失 勝望 博盡 9 words
generated 悶和 緊盯
non
standardized
abbreviations
Loan words 2% 型仔 1 words
Traditional 42% 下滑 今 今季 仗 失威 平分秋色 地頭 23
Yue dialect 收咧 曳 有賴 派頭 若然 食胡 鬥 梗頸 words
words 梅花間竹 細 發威 飲恨 睇高一綫 搵食
靚車 擂台躉
133
Standard 18% 千古罪人 光顧 收復失地 宴客 掛靴 殺手 10
words with 清洗 換血 進帳 轟 words
locally
developed
meaning
100% 55
words
Advertisements
Name of the % Dialect words found (including standard No. of
Sub‐Category words used with localized meaning) words
Locally 32% 一級 一條龍 日更 全方位 地下情 至尊 59
generated 伸縮縫 批盪 投資王 改名契 防蚊網 夜更 words
words 底薪 拆佣 炒爆 型格 屋苑 活化
約準四星級 校網 梳化布 氨基酸 消脂
笑足三餐 航空團 配方 商號 情緒化 推廣期
清盤 理賬 軟骨 通宵更 連鎖店 傢俱 尊尚
尊逸 換樓潮 貴族式 開揚 慈善籌款 新班
跟單 慢毒 摺門 精華素 精製 精選團 緊緻
影射性 賣旗 鋁窗 橫掃 親子 優尚生活
雙重獎賞 鬆浮 臟腑 驚喜優惠
Locally 20% 口感 代聽 包薪 去水腫 交投 收樓 佣厚 37
generated 低脂 壯腰 宏大 肝陽 坦承 承租 直航 words
non‐standard 金援 急毒 特廉 退場 高纖 健腎 捲布
abbreviations 淨腸 現樓 換領 換購 超筍 團費 截標
豪宅 彈捲 模具 盤足 調補 積賬 膽識
薪佣 爆笑
Loan words 8% fit Fun set 了 一 個 典 範 全線 全線 直銷 14
活地 啤 聆訊 無線路由器 貼士 演繹 賞 words
激賞
Traditional 39% 又 乜 上工 什件 反轉 天面 月入過萬 71
Yue dialect 冇有怕 令 包 四大天王 平 瓦仔 石屎 先 words
words 同埋 地台 好似 成個人 收口 老字號 耳筒
狂摑 佢 抵死 果位 泥水 花槽 花籠 門面
咁嘅 係 後生 後生仔 若非 唔止 唔知
唔係 咁 識 晒 病痛 紙皮石 強勁 傢俬
無緣無故 間格 順氣 睇唔過眼 搭上 搏上位
煙煙韌韌 照字面睇 過 過癮 嘟 緊要 慳
134
靚 嬴取 醒哂 頭重腳輕 頭暉眼花 牆身
點解 點蟲蟲 糧油雜貨 簷縫 爛 咗 嘢
氹氹轉 瞓得好
Standard 2% 火熱 神疲 搶閘 3 words
words with
locally
extended
meaning
100% 184
words
135
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139
RESEARCH MATERIAL
THE SAMPLE PAGES STUDIED IN THE
NEWSPAPER STUDY
140