TY - JOUR
T1 - Being a 'purist' in Hong Kong
T2 - To use or not to use mixed code
AU - Sung, Chit Cheung Matthew
PY - 2010/12
Y1 - 2010/12
N2 - This paper reports on my first-hand experiences of being a 'purist' in Hong Kong, during which time I was not allowed to use mixed code, a common discursive practice among Hongkongers in Hong Kong. I shall discuss the difficulties in using 'pure' English and 'pure' Chinese in my daily life, as well as exploring the problems I encountered when I used 'pure' English in teaching English to a small group of ESL students at a primary school in Hong Kong. I argue that mixed code is very much characteristic of everyday language use by most Hongkongers and represents an important marker of their ethno-linguistic identity. In relation to language teaching, I suggest that mixed code may be usefully adopted in teaching English in Hong Kong, rather than being shunned at all costs. © 2010 The editors of Changing English.
AB - This paper reports on my first-hand experiences of being a 'purist' in Hong Kong, during which time I was not allowed to use mixed code, a common discursive practice among Hongkongers in Hong Kong. I shall discuss the difficulties in using 'pure' English and 'pure' Chinese in my daily life, as well as exploring the problems I encountered when I used 'pure' English in teaching English to a small group of ESL students at a primary school in Hong Kong. I argue that mixed code is very much characteristic of everyday language use by most Hongkongers and represents an important marker of their ethno-linguistic identity. In relation to language teaching, I suggest that mixed code may be usefully adopted in teaching English in Hong Kong, rather than being shunned at all costs. © 2010 The editors of Changing English.
KW - Code-switching
KW - English teaching
KW - Ethno-linguistics
KW - Hong kong
KW - Mixed code
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79960153950&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/pubmetrics.uri?eid=2-s2.0-79960153950&origin=recordpage
U2 - 10.1080/1358684X.2010.528875
DO - 10.1080/1358684X.2010.528875
M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal
SN - 1358-684X
VL - 17
SP - 411
EP - 419
JO - Changing English: Studies in Culture and Education
JF - Changing English: Studies in Culture and Education
IS - 4
ER -