Code-Mixing in Hong Kong
Code-mixing is distinctive trend in communities of high heterogeneity like Hong Kong. This practice is correlated to the phenomenon that many people nowadays are bilingual, trilingual or even multilingual.
Transportation and communication advancement in the modern world boosts local diversity and global connectedness. Dealing with linguistic and cultural diversities is inevitable to us. To social and communicate with the world, code-mixing has already become unavoidable. It does not only help us to develop relationship, but also enable us to adapt to the environment we live in. Hong Kong, as a British colony before, is a perfect ground for studying the code-mixing phenomenon
(Leung, 2010)
Transportation and communication advancement in the modern world boosts local diversity and global connectedness. Dealing with linguistic and cultural diversities is inevitable to us. To social and communicate with the world, code-mixing has already become unavoidable. It does not only help us to develop relationship, but also enable us to adapt to the environment we live in. Hong Kong, as a British colony before, is a perfect ground for studying the code-mixing phenomenon
(Leung, 2010)
Code-Mixing in Hong Kong Advertising
Undoubtedly, mixing English is the norm in Hong Kong advertising.
However, this locally widespread practice is not limited to English. Japanese Kanji, and vernacular Cantonese are also often mixed with Chinese written communication in Hong Kong. Examining the code-mixing in information-loaded and outcome-driven commercial advertisements can help us understand the social conditions and the motivations behind.
The code-mixing practices in advertisement mark the importance of the mixed languages in our society. We rely on other codes to complement our domestic language to get across the message. Recalling that Advertising Language is context-specific, mixing “alien” codes into dominant language serves a very specific goal - selling.
It is observed that the mixing of English, Japanese, and vernacular Cantonese in advertising tends to be limited to a few words. Most people treat it as part of the localized culture so it is not a strange practice to them.
(Leung, 2010)
However, this locally widespread practice is not limited to English. Japanese Kanji, and vernacular Cantonese are also often mixed with Chinese written communication in Hong Kong. Examining the code-mixing in information-loaded and outcome-driven commercial advertisements can help us understand the social conditions and the motivations behind.
The code-mixing practices in advertisement mark the importance of the mixed languages in our society. We rely on other codes to complement our domestic language to get across the message. Recalling that Advertising Language is context-specific, mixing “alien” codes into dominant language serves a very specific goal - selling.
It is observed that the mixing of English, Japanese, and vernacular Cantonese in advertising tends to be limited to a few words. Most people treat it as part of the localized culture so it is not a strange practice to them.
(Leung, 2010)