Does anyone know how one might go about studying Cantonese while still in Taiwan? Do any of the major universities have programs for cantonese?
Edit: I’ve just seen that NTNU has some sort of cantonese sub section. Can’t seem to get any details on it though. Anyone seen or heard anything about this?
There’s lots of HK people in Taiwan - where are you based? I bet you could get a 1:1 tutor for buttons and make a new friend to boot.
Unfortunately Cantonese is not as useful as Mandarin in general, although as a traveling language its brilliant. Its sort of like the Spanish of Asia because there are pockets of Canonese communities all over the place even though its really only spoken officially in HK (and Guangdong)
Up here in cold, cold Taipei. I suppose that would help my odds of tracking someone down if nothing else.
As for reasons - I’ve been on top of the mandarin thing for a good few years now, and will of course stay on top of it, but the more Cantonese I hear, the more I feel it’s just a superior language. Flows very beautifully, and oh so pleasant to hear.
I have some Cantonese study materials if you’re interested. Just drop me a PM.
[quote=“StitchInTime”]Up here in cold, cold Taipei. I suppose that would help my odds of tracking someone down if nothing else.
As for reasons - I’ve been on top of the Mandarin thing for a good few years now, and will of course stay on top of it, but the more Cantonese I hear, the more I feel it’s just a superior language. Flows very beautifully, and oh so pleasant to hear.[/quote]
Come on its a filthy language made up almost exclusively of interchangeable slang, continually morphing so that unless you are living on the street you can never keep up. Mandarin is far more beautiful to the untrained ear IMHO.
Are we talking about the same Cantonese here?
I’m just checking my irony gland is working correctly. IMO it has to be the most godawful sound, especially when you have two middle aged harpies screeching at each other.
Oh! Two middle-aged harpies screaming at each other in Cantonese! I love Asia.
OK. You’re officially a freak. Welcome!
Cantonese may be a good travel language, but I’ve found that knowing a few phrases in Taiwanese (Hokkien) can be quite useful when traveling in Southeast Asia, especially Malaysia.
Ha! I’m surprised that no body seems to agree with me about it sounding pretty. Maybe I just haven’t been around enough harpy types to see it’s ugly side yet. Really though, from what I’ve heard, it seems to really flow nicely. So much more character than Mandarin! Especially Beijing Mandarin with that strong “shir” (是）and “nar” (那兒) sound. Downright barbaric, I say!
Now Hokkien (taiwanese), that’s a different story. Seeing angry old ladies yelling at others in Hokkien is enough to make you piss your own pants in fear, lest they come after you next! 
My wife is from Hong Kong and teaches Cantonese. PM me if you’re interested. We’re in Sanchong, close to Taipei main station.
[quote=“StitchInTime”]
Now Hokkien (taiwanese), that’s a different story. Seeing angry old ladies yelling at others in Hokkien is enough to make you piss your own pants in fear, lest they come after you next! [/quote]
Hokkien is the filthiest of all the Chinese dialects you can use curse words in Hokkien that have no direct translation to any other language as the concepts behind them are so twisted and peverse as to put them beyond the grasp of any other culture. A nice Cantonese curse uses the words for " like a man without a penis" to describe a useless person which I find amusing - we won’t go into the Hokkien,
[quote=“StitchInTime”]Does anyone know how one might go about studying Cantonese while still in Taiwan? Do any of the major universities have programs for cantonese?
Edit: I’ve just seen that NTNU has some sort of cantonese sub section. Can’t seem to get any details on it though. Anyone seen or heard anything about this?[/quote]
The China Youth Corps offers Cantonese lessons in several schedules, different levels, very cheap.
There should be several buxibans, too, around Taipei Main Station.
That is a good news! I’m really afraid to lose all the cantonese I’ve learnt when I was living in there, 2h a week would be very nice to me 
I don’t know for you but until the 00’s, I thought that Cantonese was the “Chinese”, I’ve never heard mandarin before (thx to the 1000s HK movies I’ve watched during the 90’s)
Don’t forget Hakka, huge number of speakers in Indonesia.