Is Teochew hard?

Although they are still Han Chinese, the Teochew consider themselves a distinct subgroup within Chinese, with their unique culture and language. The Teochew are especially proud of their language, which they consider to be extremely hard for outsiders to learn.

What is the difference between Cantonese and Hokkien?

Cantonese and Hokkien are different spoken languages. They are compared to French and Romanian for example. Even though Cantonese live beside Fujian, the two are not mutually intelligible. Cantonese is close to the ancient Middle Chinese while Hokkien is a more indigenous southern chinese dialect.

Is Teochew a dying language?

Teochew is considered a dying language – it’s difficult for younger generations overseas to practice the language outside of the family since it’s not nearly as popular as Mandarin or Cantonese.

How rare is Teochew?

Research done by the China Science and Technology Group in 1994 revealed that the late-1800s diaspora of the Teochew means that today their descendants can be found throughout Southeast Asia, including five million in Thailand, 800,000 in Malaysia and Indonesia, 500,000 in Singapore, 300,000 in Vietnam and 200,000 in …

Are Teochew and Hokkien similar?

Teochew separated from Hokkien after some administrative changes back then, so while the languages have a common root and share some common words, they evolved differently and can hardly be called dialects of each other. In Singapore only, they borrow from each other extensively because of inter-marriage.

Is Hokkien still spoken in Malaysia?

IN PRESENT DAY MALAYSIA: The Hokkien dialect is still the most spoken dialect among the Chinese community, although it is no longer in its pure form. Hokkien spoken today contains loanwords from the Malay language (especially Penang Hokkien) and may differ according to region.

What is the difference between Hokkien and Hainanese?

Hainanese notably has a series of implosive consonants, which it acquired through contact with surrounding languages, probably Hlai . The phonological system of Hainanese corresponds well with that of Hokkien, but it has had some restructuring.

What is the origin of the Hainanese language?

Hainanese is a Chinese dialect group originated from Hainan province in southern China. The origin of Hainanese in Singapore: Hainanese arrived from the Hainan province in southern China, from cities such as Wenchang and Haikou, much later than the other dialect groups in Singapore.

Why is Hokkien the lingua franca of trade in China?

Most Chinese traders and merchants in the import-export industry as well as wholesale dealers and grocers are of Hokkien descent, hence why the dialect also became the lingua franca of trade in the states they settled in. Early Chinese hawkers in Malaya in the 19th century. Most Chinese traders and merchants are of Hokkien descent.