QUOTE(pgkia8 @ Jul 3 2014, 12:13 AM)
Current generation of Chinese, especially those oversea Chinese have forgotten the struggle their ancestor went thru. You can see such ungrateful and ignorant fools in Singapore especially.
In my opinion, if those modern Chinese still practise or have emotional attachment to Chinese culture (as simple as CNY and noble values like filial piety), then they shouldn't be regarded as "forgotting their ancestors' root".
In the case of language, I don't think that matters that much, but if you are referring to the issue of Mandarin and Chinese dialects (since you said Singapore, so I presume that
). I commented on this before.
QUOTE(leetan33 @ Jun 30 2014, 01:16 AM)
No matter which Chinese dialect/language you are speaking, you will still be reading the same script. Even when Hong Kongers speak Cantonese, they will still have to write formally in its Mandarin form during the exams. Yes, they have colloquial written Cantonese (我唔知你做緊咩), but it's not acceptable in formal occasions. Hong Kongers can still read Chinese and understand what their Mainlanders counterparts are writing despite the (possible) language barrier.
Nevertheless, as an Chinese-educated man, I recognised the importance of our actual mother tongue (Hokkien, Hakka, Cantonese, Teochew etc). I feel that this is something we should preserve, at least at the speaking level. I don't see a problem of learning Mandarin formally and "actual mother tongue" informally as both complement each other.
To sum it up,
As a Malaysian, I have the responsibility to master Malay because I'm holding a Malaysian citizenship.
As an ethnic Chinese (Overseas), I have the responsibility to learn how to write Chinese properly (through Mandarin, since HK is also using this method even though they speak Cantonese and written Chinese is highly standardised irrespective of dialects) and acquire my communicative sub-ethnic "actual mother tongue".
As a global citizen, I have the responsibility to master English to survive in this competitive world.
This post has been edited by leetan33: Jul 3 2014, 01:29 AM