Mandarin and Cantonese - How far apart?

CHINESE   Mon Apr 10, 2006 4:04 am GMT
ZHANG

Other than your ridiculous prejudice aimed at Mandarin, on the contrary I even consider your viewpoint to be understandable to some extent, mainly because you must be from Hongkong or Guangdong Province.
But, Mr Zhang, could you please tell me what the superiorities of Cantonese holds in every aspects throughout China? I can tell you the reason, Hongkong, certainly, is an highly developed region in China. But whether Cantonese is more useful or beautiful than Mandarin or not, doesn't absolutely depend on economic situation and prosperity. And I don't think that Cantonese is easier than Mandarin, becuase Cantonese has much more complicated tones and self-made word for foreign learners. If somebody says it again, he must be from Hongkong or Guangdong province, because everyone loves his native language.
I like Zhuang language fr   Mon Apr 10, 2006 2:49 pm GMT
I think it should be introduced as compulsory throughout China.
Tan   Wed Apr 12, 2006 3:12 pm GMT
I am not Cantonese, but I agree with Zhang.

Anyway, to that ridiculous suggestion that the differences between Cantonese and Mandarin are less significant than the two dominant strains of Portuguese, we can invite Chinese to eavesdrop on a Cantonese conversation.

I assure you that he'd understand zilch. Nada. Zero.