CANTONESE LANGUAGE

Cantonese is the most spoken Chinese variety, second only to Mandarin. Cantonese is used in Guangdong province, Hong Kong, Macau and in most Chinese communities in South East Asia, Usa, Canada, and Australia. Cantonese grammar and vocabulary preserve many characteristics of ancient Chinese.
Students will reach a basic knowledge of Cantonese.

At the end of the course students will be able to:
Speaking: take part in short routine conversations about needs and familiar topics of personal relevance. . They will be able to communicate basic needs and personal experience; ask and respond to simple familiar questions; describe a situation; tell a simple story; and describe the process of obtaining essential goods (e.g., purchasing) or services (e.g., medical). Students will be able to use a variety of short sentences; demonstrate control of basic grammar; and demonstrate adequate vocabulary for routine everyday communication.

Listening: Students will be able to follow simple informal conversations and other listening texts, on topics of immediate personal relevance that occur at a slower than normal rate of speech. They will be able follow simple, short, direct questions related to personal experience and general knowledge, understand and carry out many common everyday instructions and directions related to the immediate context. Students will also be able to read and pronounce (Cantonese pronunciation) some simple characters written in traditional Chinese.

This beginner course has no prior requirements, and students from Asian Studies as well as other fields are encouraged to join.

This intensive course is designed for beginning students whose primary goal is to speak
Cantonese. The focus will be on developing oral skills and listening comprehension through:
Conversation practice
Pronunciation exercises
Oral drills
Vocabulary study
Cultural Perspectives
The course will also cover fundamental grammatical principles used in conversation and
encourage group participation through activities such as games and role-playing. Students will
apply their skills in a variety of common situations and practical contexts. Cantonese will be used
as much as possible in the classroom, and the course will include an introduction to Cantonese
culture. Core in-class activities will be based on approximately 300 vocabulary items, as well as a
wide variety of patterns and expressions.
We will explore Cantonese culture in depth, including topics such as Cantonese Food, History of
Hong Kong and Macau, Cantonese pop music, and Hong Kong Film.

Corso di lingua cantonese, Ed Hoepli, Jimmi Kin-wah Lam, Luisa M. Paternicò.
Additional materials provided by the professor.

Being this cantonese class focused on the spoken language, attendance to class is warmly recommended .
Oral Examination

oral

Oral Examination: 20/30 – There is no written exam. The oral exam will assess knowledge of textbook material and Cantonese cultural topics. (The cultural portion will be conducted in English.)

Video or Drama Presentation: 10/30

Cantonese is a spoken language; oral tests will be given frequently in a non-stressful setting. Consequently, regular attendance is essential for mastering these skills effectively.