Racism in Hong Kong?

Edwina Lee · Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 12:55 am Post subject:

Medialies,

By the way, did your professor/lecturer pass any of the essays you have submitted so far?

I expect not.

Over and Out.

Medialies · Joined: 12 Jan 2009 Posts: 57

[moderated for abuse]

Edwina Lee · Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 12:59 am Post subject:

Medialies,

Your understanding of english is just terrible beyond believe.

You need to listen more, and listen carefully, rather than bark out loads of foolish rubbish.

Over and out.

Medialies · Joined: 12 Jan 2009 Posts: 57

[moderated for abuse]

Medialies · Joined: 12 Jan 2009 Posts: 57

for someone who attempting to give an English lesson to me and to be writing "Your understanding of english is just terrible beyond believe." not to mention the spelling mistakes galore is a bit rich no?

Moderator · Site Admin Joined: 03 Feb 2009 Posts: 2

Medialies · Joined: 12 Jan 2009 Posts: 57

[Moderated for abuse]

zombiehellmonkey · Joined: 27 Sep 2008 Posts: 195

Dear Medialies,

you are a good person and I do not want you to be banned by Edwina.

To save her the trouble, I'll quote a post from Moderator Edwina in another thread...

Jeanette · Joined: 16 Feb 2009 Posts: 32 Location: Hong Kong

I would like to state that the Hong Kong government really goes to extremes to protect the rights of our minorities. Our commercial district Central, which is one of the most expensive pieces of property in the world is turned into “Little Manila” on Sundays in order to provide a gathering place for all Philipinos in Hong Kong. Major roads are being blocked for the 200,000 strong migrant workers to use this district exclusively for themselves. Sunday is the only day when you can see people having a street party, hawkers selling everything under the sun, people getting their hair permed and coloured or even sleeping spread eagled right in front of Prada, Gucci and Chanel! Locals refrain from going to Central on Sundays because it is like a war zone, it is hard to take a step without the risk of stepping on someone’s card game! This is the outcome of the combined strength of minorities. They wanted a piece of land and they chose the most convenient place for them, they refuse to budge and eventually they got it. Despite the shops and hotel owners complain this affected their business, the government has no choice but to give in. Read an in depth study on this issue on the link.
http://www.ln.edu.hk/mcsln/8th_issue/pdf/feature_02.pdf

The new racial discrimination law is also enacted from Philipino pressure groups demanding higher status for their workers while the other minority races benefited alongside. There really wasn’t any racial issue arising from other race groups as everybody quickly adapts as soon as they arrive. As the saying goes “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”. I have muslim friends who drink like a fish and eat pork, still go to their mosques, Thai and Hindu friends who play Mahjong, Jewish friends who eats live fish, and the list goes on. They behave like locals and they have equal rights as locals. Our diverse society lives in harmony while everyone still practices their own faith in their own space and time. There is a large number of Islamic people here as well, and they certainly do not stop work and pray to Mecca a couple of times a day. This racial discrimination law exists not because our minorities needed legal protection but because a certain group wants more rights and more benefits than the locals.

Colloquial Cantonese can be a very crude dialect. We the speakers use the terms “Gwailo”, “Bun mui”, “Mo Lo Cha” 摩蘿差(East Indian) “Ah Singh” (Sihks), “Lo Bak Tao” 蘿蔔頭(Radish meaning Japanese people) not on purpose in a demeaning way, these are just slang terms. Unlike in some Chinese History books, foreigners are described as 洋鬼子(foreign devils) signifying hostility. Our dialect is constantly renewing itself and there are new colloquial terms in circulation all the time. Such as Ju Pa 豬扒(Pork chop meaning ugly woman), Yu Daan Mui 魚蛋妹(Fish ball girl meaning girls who allow men to fondle her for money) Ko Sau Ping高瘦萍(tall, thin and flat-chest female) etc. The habit of Mainlanders who work in sales calling every female Leng Lui靚女(Beautiful girl) regardless of their age or appearance can be very awkward indeed, you don’t know if you should turn around when someone is calling “Leng Lui, you forgot your change!” For someone who is self-conscious and unattractive, this complimentary term can be taken as offensive. The truth is this term sounds complimentary in fact it only means “Hey, you there!” For non- Cantonese speakers, “Bun” is only one word taken out of “Fei Lut Bun” (The Philippines) literally, it is not derogatory at all. Why use the middle word instead of the first? Well, “Fei” does have a bad meaning (unruly behaviour), and “Lut” (means law), so therefore “Bun Mui” came about.

So calling a Philipina “Bun Mui” (Philipino girl) is considered unlawful behaviour, even saying someone is a “maid” is demeaning to a sensitive Philipina’s ear. They prefer the professional term “Domestic Helper”. This is just a nit-picking way of getting respect from society. The Philippines national income largely relies on the remittance from their migrant workers and they are trying to establish a stronger work base in host countries. Even their President Gloria Arroyo came last year and was greeted by the “People Power – Hong Kong version”. Our society is so reliant on this significant workforce that we are willing to comply to their every demand, change our laws and even correct our dialect in order not to offend them. By the way, since the enactment of this law, Philipinas are now commonly referred to as “Pang Yau” 朋友 (Friend). And a very popular brand of toothpaste called Darkie is now called “Darlie”.

zombiehellmonkey · Joined: 27 Sep 2008 Posts: 195

Hi Jeanette, thanks for your enlightening post with educational substance - I learnt a lot from it, stuff you can't usually find on the limited internet, particularly on colloquial Cantonese.

Would be nice to have a thread on colloquialisms!
_________________
Coming to Hong Kong? Join my expat group for fun and networking! http://www.meetup.com/expats-HK/

yamchafan · Joined: 18 Jan 2009 Posts: 10

[Moderated as troll of Medialies]

zombiehellmonkey · Joined: 27 Sep 2008 Posts: 195

Yamchafan, I respect your views and opinions too... Why not call a DOMESTIC WORKER by her name instead?
_________________
Coming to Hong Kong? Join my expat group for fun and networking! http://www.meetup.com/expats-HK/

yamchafan · Joined: 18 Jan 2009 Posts: 10

ZHM, i dont know the answer to that question. I dont have a problem calling anyone by their name. If you are strangers then just treat them like you would anyone else ie with respect. That elementary point seems to escape many Chinese people.

My friends, including foreigners and local HK, are often treated with a total lack of courtesy for simply asking any shop keeper for directions etc. These shopkeepers quickly realise you are not a customer and just say "dont know". I often encounter this with female owners.

Medialies · Joined: 12 Jan 2009 Posts: 57

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