Hong Kong newspapers are written in what dialect?

[yonglan]

My first question! I guess this topic fits better here than in the reading and writing section?

Are newspapers and other stuff in Hong Kong written (or until recently written) in Cantonese? I've learned only a miniscule amount of Cantonese. How much does Cantonese differ from Mandarin?

I ask for two reasons. One is because a number of my Taiwanese friends have commented that when they read newspapers written in Hong Kong that while it mostly seems like Mandarin (where as written Taiwanese -- almost a theoretical concept, really -- is very different) they encounter words and phrases and grammar that make them scratch their head. They think it's weird. (sorry)

The second reason I ask is that I sometimes encounter Hong Kongers' writing on the web and it can be a little hard to follow. As noted above, they use words which, once I think about them I can usually figure out, but that I've never seen in books or newspapers from Taiwan and aren't in _any_ of my Chinese only or Chinese English dictionaries.

Anyone have some thoughts? Thanks.

[Claw]

Cantonese has a complicated relation with written Chinese. Every character in standard written Chinese (which is based on Mandarin) has a corresponding Cantonese prounciation, however, if you read a piece written in standard written Chinese using Cantonese prounciation, it wouldn't necessarily be Cantonese.

With respect to vocabulary, it's estimated that Mandarin and Cantonese share roughly 75-80%. So there may be some words that would be written in standard written Chinese that would not normally be spoken in Cantonese. The reverse is also true. There are also subtle grammatical differences. (Note that there's also a difference between spoken Mandarin and standard written Chinese, but the difference is much smaller.)

Most of the respected newspapers in Hong Kong, such as 明報, basically write in standard written Chinese. Less repected papers and tabloids, like the Apple Daily, are more lax with the language, allowing Cantonese words or grammar to creep in, which is probably why your Taiwanese friends sometimes find them a bit weird.

Writing on the web is even more colloquial, and is close to what is normally spoken. Take a look at this page for some details in how Mandarin and Cantonese differ:

http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/dept/chinese/aspect/dialectgrammar.html

All Cantonese speakers are trained in standard written Chinese while they're in school anyway so they have no trouble reading and writing Mandarin publications.

[Claw]

I just remembered there was a thread about this already:

http://www.chinese-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=2341

[pazu]

I think you may be interested to have a look of the TVB Cantonese News here:

http://news.tvb.com/630pm/2004/0919/asx/all_200k.asx

The spoken Cantonese in the TVB news is almost the same as Mandarin, they're very normal to Hong Kongers' ears too, but if you talk to your friends in a way like this, people will find it strange.

[Guest kungfu]

Most of the respected newspapers in Hong Kong, such as 明報, basically write in standard written Chinese. Less repected papers and tabloids, like the Apple Daily, are more lax with the language, allowing Cantonese words or grammar to creep in, which is probably why your Taiwanese friends sometimes find them a bit weird.

It's just too dull to write in standard putonghua. In fact, putonghua can't avoid being a dull language, as it has to be universally used among 13b population and local figurative expressions are discouraged.

However, you may find it strange, I think Appledaily and Oriental Daily, a tabloid-style but most profitable, enjoyed the highest proficiency in Chinese. In the eye of reporters in Hong Kong, Appledaily's written chinese is touching but without the overflow of emotions. Oriental Daily is precise and skilful in writing most news (not all if you know what i mean).

[yonglan]

Many thanks everyone