Steve N (China)
It must be pointed out that demanding TV and radio programs to use putonghua is not a step toward oppression of dialects, but it is a move to curb strange and irresponsible use of language, whether it is Mandarin or other dialects. In this way, the decision is also a form of protection for dialects. Hearing standard Mandarin on TV and radio programs is also a basic right of audiences around the country.
Two women greet each other on the streets of Chinatown in San Francisco on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2003. A gradual shift from Cantonese, a dialect spoken in Southern China, to China's official language of Mandarin, has been taking place in America's Chinese communities. These days, Mandarin's growing influence can be heard even in the streets of Chinatown, long a bastion of Cantonese speakers. [Photo/IC] |