Give up Chinese Communist Language: What alternatives are there to Hongkonger colloquialisms like "xiǎosān"(小三）and "fù'èrdài"(富二代)? Journalist admits to not remembering the expression "ji6 sai3 zou2"（二世祖）
BeWater(17 May) So, the nouveau riche are "tǔháo"(土豪) ? And their kids are "fù'èrdài"(富二代) [lit. rich second generation]? The tall and stylish "fù'èrdài" are "gāofùshuài"(高富帥) [lit. tall rich handsome]? But if the "gāofùshuài" are young, they're "xiǎoxiānròu" (小鮮肉) [lit. small fresh meat]? If they are particularly gluttonous, then they're called "chīhuò" (吃貨)[foodie]? When describing different people in our daily lives, we are slowly appropriating expressions from Mainland China. Are Hong Kong's colloquiallisms being banished?
"Dai6 saam1 ze2"(第三者) becomes "xiǎosān"(小三）
George Wan is one of the founders of the cultural organisation, Hide and Seek Tour, and has been studying Cantonese cultural linguistics for many years. He stated that many trendy Mainland expressions can be directly translated directly into Cantonese. For instance, a person who is involved in someone else's relationship is called "xiǎosān"(小三)[lit. little three] in the Mainland and, at present, many Hongkongers also use this term. "Hong Kong actually did not have this wording in the past. We would use 'dai6 saam1 ze2'(第三者) [lit. third party], 'ji6 naai1'(二奶) [second wife] or, more commonly, 'wu4 lei4 zing1'(狐狸精)[vixen]."
The Mainland describes those who rely on their parents' wealth as "fù'èrdài"(富二代) and Hong Kong traditionally called these people "ji6 sai3 zou2"(二世祖) [prodigal child]. People who like eating in the Mainland are "chīhuò"(吃貨) while in Hong Kong, they're typically called "sik6 gaa1"(食家) [lit. food-ist]. Close female friends in the Mainland are "guīmì" (閨蜜)[lit. boudoir close], meaning "close friends in the boudoir", but Hong Kong calls them "sei2 dong2"(死黨) [diehard buddies].
Language cannot be cleanly divided. Some usage of "Chinese communist language" depends on circumstances
At the same time, language is not dead. It evolves with time and space, making it difficult to be cleanly divided. George Wan uses "tǔháo"(土豪) as an example. In the Ciyuan, the Chinese dictionary, "tǔháo"(土豪) means a "local plutocrat" who bullies the locals in their area. Today, "tǔháo"(土豪) has changed into a derogatory term for "lǎotǔ"(老土) [old fashioned] "fùháo"(富豪) [lit. rich powerful] in the Mainland, however. "Fùháo"(富豪) is used to describe a rich person "but 'tǔháo'(土豪) more accurately portrays a rich person without cultural upbringing".
Additionally, George Wan believes that the usage of "dàmā"(大媽) [lit. big mom] depends on circumstances. "'Dàmā'(大媽) can be translated to 'si1 naai1'(師奶) [married woman] in Hong Kong." While classical literature typically used "dàmā"(大媽) as an honorific for older women, the Mainland's current usage of the term is in a mocking tone, as in "dàmāwǔ"(大媽舞) [lit. big mom dance]. "'Dàmā'(大媽) may be the closest approximation to describing an older lady in the Mainland but I advise putting it in quotes."
As for the trendy descriptors like "gāofùshuài"(高富帥), "báifùměi"(白富美) [lit. fair rich beauty], "xiǎoxiānròu"(小鮮肉), etc. used in the Mainland, their equivalents are non-existent in Hong Kong. This has to do with the differences in culture between the two places. George Wan believes that although "zeon3 naam4 mei5 neoi5"(俊男美女) [lit. handsome boy beautiful girl] can act as a replacement, the meaning is not completely the same. "In this situation, I feel that we can deliberate over their usage. Their non-existence in Cantonese is proof that we don't need those words. Doesn't this mean we can use them as little as possible?"
Defending the bottom line of the Cantonese dialect
George Wen asserts that because of the Mainland's close ties with media, Hongkongers are increasingly borrowing its phraseology. "Pop culture from the Mainland spreads rapidly, mainly via the web or television dramas. When these webpages and dramas infiltrates the eyes and ears of Hongkongers, they become influenced. On top of that, the media uses Mainland colloquialisms to meet the market demands, which allows Mainland culture to creep into Hong Kong. Since Hong Kong is a bastion of the Cantonese dialect, we must defend its bottom line. Keep using Cantonese and minimise Mainland's colloquiallisms."
Source: Apple Daily
https://hk.appledaily.com/lifestyle/20200517/QAAOUWFFY6OA77BSBFFYAKDQS4/?utm_campaign=hkad_social_AS.AppleDaily&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_content=link_post