Hong Kong: An ‘Asia’s World City’ with low English Proficiency
Friend Y asked me, “What did you have for dinner?”
I replied, “I ‘ate’ ten lachrymatory bombs, two rubber bullets and one bean bag round. Their tastes are interesting.”
Friend Y then said, “Oh….I am sorry to hear that.”
I then said, “I just want your people, citizens of the United States, to stand with us.”
Friend Y answered, “Anyway, how to say “光復香港，時代革命” in English?”
The current outrage in Hong Kong has gained the attention of international media. The responses of the Chinese Government and corporations towards Daryl Morey’s tweet and the official statement of the NBA are just the tip of the iceberg.
Despite the fact that the series of responses has pushed the silent majority in the United States to stand up to defend the freedom of speech, which is one of the foundational values of the Western civilian world, we, Hongkongers, should enhance our English abilities to deliver our messages and convince Westerners precisely. It is because the English level of Hongkongers is standstill after the handover of Hong Kong since 1997. If we cannot boost our English level significantly, we will lose our power to deliver our messages effectively.
As an international city, only half (51.9%) of the population aged 5 and above was able to speak English in accordance with the data of Census and Statistic Department [1]. At the same time, we can merely score 6.53 out of 9 at the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) in 2018. Other relatively less developed countries, such as Malaysia (6.88) and Philippines (6.81) [2], performed better than us, the ‘Asia’s World City’. Then, how dare you, Hongkongers, still share the self-complacency? Even worse, only 52.3% of our students achieved level 3 or above in the English Language in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE) according to the 2018 examination report [3].
What is the implication of scoring level 3 in the English Language? In 2012, the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority explained that scoring level 3 in the English Language is equivalent to band 5.48 to 5.68 in IELTS [4], which is also equal to level B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) [5]. While level B2 “demonstrates that candidates have the language skills to live and work independently in an English country or study on courses taught in English at pre-degree level” [6], level C1 in the same scale indicates that “candidates have the high-level English language skills needed to study in English at undergraduate or postgraduate level, and to work and live in an English-speaking environment” [7].
Intriguingly, level 3 in HKDSE English Language is the minimum requirement for a student to admit in a university in Hong Kong. Students with the named result have no chances to pursue an undergraduate study in countries like the United Kingdom directly. So there is an urgent need to improve our English level.
One of the root causes of the situations is that a large proportion of aided secondary schools in Hong Kong are Chinese Medium-to-Instruction Schools (CMI). Apart from English lessons, other subjects, such as liberal studies, history and geography, are delivered in Chinese. Students of CMI schools, therefore, lack the environment to learn and use English.
So, what are the consequences? Referencing to the slogans and posters of the continuing movement in Hong Kong, the choice of words or usage may be not precise enough. At the beginning of the movement, protesters tend to use the slogan, “Reclaim Hong Kong”. But now, “Free Hong Kong” becomes a more frequent slogan. It is a good move since there are two very different meanings of the word, reclaim. The first meaning is “to take back something that was yours” [8]. Indeed, this meaning matches the circumstances. However, it can also be understood in the way of “make land, such as desert or areas covered by water, suitable for farming or building” [9]. With the lexical ambiguity, it seems better to replace the word reclaim. The more precise we can deliver, the more support we can gain.
From another slogan, “Five demands, Not One Less”, it seems a direct translation or, in or words, Chinglish. Especially, the second half, “Not One Less”. To make it easier more Westerners, we can consider to express it in terms of “all five demands are indispensable” and “five demands, no compromise”.
If we do not push our English to a higher level, we will lose our power to voice out for ourselves. Hong Kong will then become just an ordinary city in China. Fight for freedom! Stand with Hong Kong! All five demands are indispensable! 香港人加油!
Notes:
1.Census and Statistics Department (2016), Snapshot of the Hong Kong Population, Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong, available at: https://www.bycensus2016.gov.hk/data/snapshotPDF/Snapshot08.pdf.
2. IELTS (2019), Test Taker Performance 2018, IELTS, United Kingdom, available at: https://www.ielts.org/teaching-and-research/test-taker-performance.
3. Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (2018), 2018 HKDSE Results statistics, Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority, Hong Kong, available at: http://www.hkeaa.edu.hk/DocLibrary/HKDSE/Exam_Report/Examination_Statistics/dseexamstat18_3.pdf.
4. Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (2015), International English Language Testing System (IELTS) (2012), Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority, Hong Kong, available at: http://www.hkeaa.edu.hk/en/recognition/benchmarking/hkdse/ielts/.
5. IELTS (2019), Common European Framework, IELTS, United Kingdom, available at: https://www.ielts.org/ielts-for-organisations/common-european-framework.
6.Cambridge Assessment English (2018), Comparing Scores to IELTS: B2 First and C1 Advanced, Cambridge Assessment English, Cambridge.
7. See 6
8.Cambridge University Press (2019), Cambridge dictionary, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, available at: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english-chinese-traditional/reclaim.
9. See 8
About Hoki.Lucullus:
What does “dish” really mean for you? Yummy food? TV Channels? Or unforgettable stories？
If there is a dish, with Hoki and Lucullus, what chemistry and cooking ideas will be created? How about…if “Hoki” is a law student in the UK while “Lucullus” is a Sociologist and policy researcher from Hong Kong?
This dish fills with food reviews, cultural explosions, commentaries, and other lifestyle information through Hong Kong, Mainland China and the UK. Hoki.Lucullus may be the best dish for dinner.
一條魚，一條菜，是一款佳餚，一些軼事，或者一系列都市傳說？
盤中的世界，產於香港本土，橫跨英國大地，觸及中國大陸。
所食，所見，所聞，所想，源於一個法律學生，一個社會學人，兩顆以香港為依歸的心。
For more information, please visit:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hoki.lucullus/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HLucullus
