Are Mandarin & Cantonese the same?

[Scarlet]

I'm assuming they have the same meaning? They are pronounced differently though?

[david1978]

Chinese Language

[JimmySeal]

Nope, completely different, m8. Probably more different than Spanish and French.

[ChineseSpeaker]

Cantonese is a dialect of Chinese

Mandarin is originally a dialect of Chinese, North China dialect. However, in China's language law, mandarin is the standard pronunciation of Chinese.

Cantonese and Mandarin share a same written form.

[skylee]

I agree with ChineseSpeaker.

Cantonese pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar are different from those of Mandarin. However, in writing Cantonese speakers, like me, write in standard Chinese, i.e. Mandarin. This is how Chinese people who speak different dialects can communicate (besides speaking the standard language, that is). But some people might choose to write in such a way to reflect how Cantonese is actually spoken.

[Luobot]

But some people might choose to write in such a way to reflect how Cantonese is actually spoken.

Interesting subject in and of itself. How about an example sentence that means the same thing but is written in different ways to reflect the natural speaking style of Cantonese versus Mandarin … does anything come to mind?

[skylee]

Like -

Cantonese - 我頭先買咗飛，用咗40蚊。聽朝去睇戲。

Mandarin - 我剛剛買了票，用了40塊。明早去看電影。

btw, the film is "2 Days in Paris".

[Luobot]

Wow, you really flew to see this movie! It doesn’t open in NY for another week. You’re lucky to be in HK! The reviews seem to be positive…

[wannabeafreak]

Cantonese - 我頭先買咗飛，用咗40蚊。聽朝去睇戲。

Mandarin - 我剛剛買了票，用了40快。明早去看電影。

you sure it isn't 花了40塊？

[skylee]

If the film is good then it is just 用了, if it is bad, then perhaps I would consider it 花了. (I think 花了 can convey a negative connotation, though not necessarily.)

[Quest]

Interesting subject in and of itself. How about an example sentence that means the same thing but is written in different ways to reflect the natural speaking style of Cantonese versus Mandarin … does anything come to mind?

这个话题以前已经讨论过，一般来说，广州话和普通话是相同多于不同。

呢个话题以前已经讨论过，一般嚟讲，广州话同普通话係相同多过唔同。