I decided to have a go at writing a transcript of a video clip I found on Youtube. I thought there were lots of useful vocabulary and structure that I should remember for next year.

Video: 3:28min

 

Read Transcript

Download - 1:01min

Produced by: 馬太太
Transcribed by: 鄺慧明

好多喺辦公室返工嘅人都會有頭痛.
hou2 do1 hai2 baan6 gung1 sat1 faan1 gung1 ge3 jan4 dou1 wui5 jau5 tau4 tung3.
Many people who work in offices will (suffer) headaches.

腰酸背痛嘅問題出現, 其實原因都好明顯, 好似話頭痛噉呀.
jiu1 syun1 bui3 tung3 ge3 man6 tai4 ceot1 jin6, kei4 sat6 jyun4 jan1 dou1 hou2 ming4 hin2, hou2 ci3 waa6 tau4 tung3 gam2 aa3.
(Regarding the) emergence of the problem of having sore backs and aching waists, actually the causes are very obvious, like when talking about headaches.

辦公室四周圍都係影印機, 傳真機, 電話, 電腦等等.
baan6 gung1 sat1 sei3 zau1 wai6 dou1 hai6 jing2 jan3 gei1, cyun4 zan1 gei1, din6 waa6*2, din6 nou5 dang2 dang2.
All around the office there are photocopiers, faxes, telephones, computers etc.

坐喺辦公室入便, 成日都聽到呢啲嘈雜嘅聲音, 當然會頭痛啦.
co2 hai2 baan6 gung1 sat1 jap6 bin6, seng4 jat6 dou1 teng1 dou3*2 ni1 di1 cou4 zaap6 ge3 seng1 jam1, dong1 jin4 wui5 tau4 tung3 laa1.
Sitting inside an office, hearing those noisy sounds all day, of course (one) will have a headache.

而且, 每一日都面對堆積如山嘅工作, 而老細又會畀壓力你, 催你快啲交, 喺長期積壓嘅情況下, 頭痛係無可避免嘅.
ji4 ce2, mui5 jat1 jat6 dou1 min6 deoi3 deoi1 zik1 jyu4 saan1 ge3 gung1 zok3, ji4 lou5 saai3 jau6 wui5 bei2 ngaat3 lik6 nei5, ceoi1 nei5 faai3 di1 gaau1, hai2 coeng4 kei4 zik1 ngaat3 ge3 cing4 fong3 haa6, tau4 tung3 hai6 mou4 ho2 bei6 min5 ge3.
Also, having to face a mounting pile of work everyday, with the boss giving you pressure, urging you to hurry up and get the work handed in, in a situation with the stress building up over a long period of time, headaches are unavoidable.

另外, 喺辦公室做嘢, 成日都坐喺度, 想去茶水間休息嗰陣間或者飲杯咖啡, 又會驚畀老細鬧話我偷懶, 所以腰酸背痛又係一個好多打工仔面對嘅健康問題.
ling6 ngoi6, hai2 baan6 gung1 sat1 zou6 je5, seng4 jat6 dou1 co5 hai2 dou6, soeng2 heoi3 caa4 seoi2 gaan1 waak6 ze2 jam2 bui1 gaa3 fe1, jau6 wui5 geng1 bei2 lou5 sai3 naau6 waa6 ngo5 tau1 laan5, so2 ji5 jiu1 syun1 bui3 tung3 jau6 hai6 jat1 go3 hou2 do1 daa2 gung1 zai2 min6 deoi3 ge3 gin6 hong1 man6 tai4.
In addition, doing things in the office, sitting there all day, when you want to go to the tea room for a break or have a cup of coffee, (but) also scared that the boss will scold you for slacking off, therefore having a sore back and aching waist is also another health problem that many workers face.

而且有冇得準時收工亦都係視情況而定.
ji4 ce2 jau5 mou5 dak1 zeon2 si4 sau1 gung1 jik6 dou1 hai6 si6 cing4 fong3 ji4 ding6.
Also, whether or not (one) can leave work on time also depends on the circumstances.

For months now I have been in Hong Kong teaching English at the same time「騎牛搵馬 ke4 ngau4 wan2 maa5」. After being constantly rejected due to non-perfect Cantonese in dozens of interviews (including American MNC); I successfully secured a position with a MNC where English is valued more than Cantonese and the job duties match my existing experience and university qualifications. Unexpectantly, the money is the same as an expat’s salary.

This interview still required me to speak about myself in Cantonese for a short-period to demonstrate my skill level. Though I don’t think this would have been a problem if I wasn’t able to speak it. Perhaps they wanted to see if I could fit in the team.

In the office, everyone speaks English to me 100% of the time and Cantonese to everyone else. I decided that if I use Cantonese and make a mistake, then its my problem. If I use English and they don’t understand, then its their problem. Even they know I can speak [so-so] Cantonese; one girl would take the opportunity to be my personal English translator even on basic Cantonese. I guess one day I will shock them when they realise how much I understood of their discussions.

Professionally speaking, I’m OK with it. I guess people are respecting me, and so I’m now finally happy.

Download - 1:12min

Produced by: 馬太太
Transcribed by: 鄺慧明

今日我同我細佬一齊去咗髮型屋.
Gam1 jat6 ngo5 tung4 ngo5 sai3 lou2 jat1 cai4 heoi3 zo2 faat3 jing4 uk1.
Today I went to a hairdressing salon with my younger brother.

我原本係直頭髮, 但係想改變髮型.
Ngo5 jyun4 bun2 hai6 zik6 tau4 faat3, daan6 hai6 soeng2 goi2 bin3 faat3 jing4.
I originally had straight(ened) hair, but I wanted to change my hairstyle.

所以今日試吓電孿髮.
So2 ji5 gam1 jat6 si3 haa5 din6 nyun1 faat3.
So today I tried a perm.

電完髮之後我重焗埋油, 等到啲頭髮冇咁乾旱.
Din6 jyun4 faat3 zi1 hau6 ngo5 zung6 guk6 maai4 jau4, dang2 dou3 di1 tau4 faat3 mou5 gam3 gon1 hon5.
After the perm, I also had a hot oil treatment, until my hair was not so dry.

而我細佬想要剪嘅髮型就比較複雜.
Ji4 ngo5 sai3 lou2 soeng2 jiu3 zin2 ge3 faat3 jing4 zau6 bei2 gaau3 fuk1 zaap6.
And the hairstyle (haircut) my younger brother wanted was more complicated.

佢想剪到好似某個男歌星噉樣.
Keoi5 soeng2 zin2 dou3 hou2 ci3 mau5 go3 naam4 go1 sing1 gam2 joeng2.
He wanted it to be cut so it was like a certain male pop-star’s.

佢叫髮型師幫佢剪層次, 一層一層噉樣.
Keoi5 giu3 faat3 jing4 si1 bong1 keoi5 zin2 cang4 ci3, jat1 cang4 jat1 cang4 gam2 joeng2.
He asked the hairstylist to layer (his hair) for him, (so there were) layer upon layer.

另外佢啲頭髮本生好厚, 所以佢叫髮型師幫佢偷薄啲頭髮.
Ling6 ngoi6 keoi5 di1 tau4 faat3 bun2 sang1 hou2 hau5, so2 ji5 keoi5 giu3 faat3 jing4 si1 bong1 keoi5 tau1 bok6 di1 tau4 faat3.
In addition, his hair is very thick, so he asked the hairstylist to thin his hair out a bit.

而且修咗少少滴水.
Ji4 ce2 sau1 zo2 siu2 siu2 dik1 seoi2.
And also to trim his sideburns a bit.

同埋佢亦做咗顏色染髮.
Tung4 maai4 keoi5 jik6 zou6 zo2 ngaan4 sik1 jim5 faat3.
And he also had his hair coloured.

挑染嗰一種, 即係唔係全個頭髮都染, 淨係染幾條.
Tiu1 jim5 go2 jat1 zung2, zik1 hai6 m4 hai6 cyun4 go3 tau4 faat3 dou1 jim5, zing6 hai6 jim5 gei2 tiu4.
Highlights, that is not dying all the hair, just a few strands.

出嚟嘅)效果都非常之好.
Ceot1 lei4 ge3 haau6 gwo2 dou1 fei1 soeng4 zi1 hou2.
The effect turned out really well.

我哋喺髮型屋入便足足兩個鐘頭.
Ngo5 dei6 hai2 faat3 jing4 uk1 jap6 bin6 zuk1 zuk1 loeng5 go3 zung1 tau4.
We were in the hair salon for a full two hours.

今次係我同我細佬第一次嚟呢間髮型屋.
Gam1 ci3 hai6 ngo5 tung4 ngo5 sai3 lou2 dai6 jat1 ci3 lei4 ni1 gaan1 faat3 jing4 uk1.
This was the first time that I and my younger brother had been to this hair salon.

價錢非常之貴, 但係效果就非常之好, 所以一分錢一分貨, 我哋都覺得抵.
Gaa3 cin4 fei1 soeng4 zi1 gwai3, daan6 hai6 haau6 gwo2 zau6 fei1 soeng4 zi1 hou2, so2 ji5 jat1 fan1 cin4*2 jat1 fan1 fo3, ngo5 dei6 dou1 gok3 dak1 dai2.
The price was extremely expensive, but the results were extremely good, so you get what you pay for, we both thought it was worth it.

Download - 0:37min

Produced by: 馬太太
Transcribed by: 鄺慧明

最近好多百貨公司都進行盤點大清貨.
Zeoi3 gan6 hou2 do1 baak3 fo3 gung1 si1 dou1 zoen3 hang4 pun4 dim2 daai6 cing1 fo3.
Recently, many department stores have been undertaking stocktake clearance sales.

上個星期六, 我都去睇吓有乜平嘅可以買.
Soeng6 go3 sing1 kei4 luk6, ngo5 dou1 heoi3 tai2 haa5 jau5 mat1 peng4 ge3 ho2 ji5 maai5.
Last Saturday, I also went to have a look to see if there was anything cheap I could buy.

我去咗其中一間百貨公司行吓.
Ngo5 heoi3 zo2 kei4 zung1 jat1 gaan1 baak3 fo3 gung1 si1 haang4 haa5.
I went to one of the department stores to walk around a bit.

啲嘢真係好平.
Di1 je5 zan1 hai6 hou2 peng4.
There were some things which were really cheap.

大量貨品都係低至一折: 電器, 家庭用品, 旅行同埋運動用品都額外再減廿五per cent.
Daai6 loeng6 fo3 ban2 dou1 hai6 dai1 zi3 jat1 zit3: din6 hei3, gaa1 ting4 jung6 ban2, leoi5 hang4 tung4 maai4 wan6 dung6 ban2 dou1 ngaak6 ngoi6 zoi3 gaam2 jaa6 ng5 per cent.
A large quantity of goods were discounted as low as 90% (of the original price): electrical goods, household goods, travel and sporting goods were reduced an additional 25%.

而且購物滿五百蚊, 重會即刻送五百蚊嘅購物券.
Ji4 ce2 kau3 mat6 mun5 ng5 baak3 man1, zung6 wui5 zik1 hak1 sung3 ng5 baak3 man1 ge3 kau3 mat6 hyun3.
Also, if one spent (at least) $500, one would immediately be given a $500 voucher.

而我嗰日冇買好多嘢.
Ji4 ngo5 go2 jat6 mou5 maai5 hou2 do1 je5.
Also, I didn’t buy much that day.

只係買咗一張雙人嘅羽絨被.
Zi2 hai6 maai5 zo2 jat1 zoeng1 soeng1 jan4 ge3 jyu5 jung4 pei5.
I only bought a double bed-sized feather-down quilt.

Found a video from RTHK featuring several non-Chinese speaking Cantonese. I think my Cantonese is getting much better now, I can listen and understand 80% of the entire program. The program talks about immigrants and discrimination in Hong Kong.

PART 1: 10:23min	PART 2: 10:55min

Yesterday someone told me that I was obsessed with Cantonese, and consequently I took this comment as being quite negative and discouraging. The person thought that I would only be living in Hong Kong for a short period of time. He told me Cantonese shouldn’t be as important in comparison to English in Hong Kong. He simply couldn’t understand why I’m serious about this language. You should not take it seriously, have fun learning Cantonese. Just like the day I was told by one of my students - Hong Kong people take English seriously, Cantonese is just for fun.

Why can’t anyone understand me?

I spent 5 years at the Australian National University. I have a Bachelor of Information Technology, Bachelor of Commerce, and Master of Commerce. I’ve worked in the IT industry for 6 years being a Test Analyst and Business Analyst for which I studied and worked both full-time.

Lets talk about my situation today in Hong Kong. I have zero experience in commercial banking, financial consulting or the derivatives market, but locals keep telling me to apply because I can speak fluent English. My wife and I would like to start a family soon and purchase a shoe-box. God will not provide and I must financially support them. Going back to a graduate or junior position in a totally new industry isn’t viable. There is no way I can support a family on the income a graduate earns. I didn’t study 5 years in University to be an English teacher either. Some give their words of wisdom and suggest to go back to Australia. This kind of makes me upset, as people fail to realise that my wife is a local Hong Kong person and university graduate. She is currently working and I think its ridiculous to ask her to quit her job so that I can find a job in Australia. Especially when we’ve decided to settle down in Hong Kong for a very long time.

Every position in Hong Kong that is suitable for my experience and knowledge requires either Cantonese only, English/Cantonese or English/Cantonese/Mandarin. So many people tell me, there are so many white guys 鬼佬 gwai2 lou2 in Hong Kong, how come they get jobs and I can’t? One of the main reasons I can think of is because they are expatriates who directly get employed by their home country’s office. In addition, I don’t feel its appropriate to group a whole group as “foreigners”, and ignoring factors like individual experience, aptitude or education.

So why do I study Cantonese for endless hours per day?

No pain, no gain. Right? I applied for a position that made no mention of language requirements. I was asked at the interview if I could speak Cantonese. The interviewer told me that this is Hong Kong, the local market is Cantonese, and not all the employees can communicate strongly in English. Especially when multi-millions of dollars are spent on projects, accuracy is quite important and one can not rely on dictionaries and guesses.

I have met people who have lived in Hong Kong much longer than me but still can’t have a 30 second conversation with me. They speak English at home, speak English on the streets, watch Pearl and surround themselves with English speaking friends. Then they wonder why I can manage to communicate with people in Cantonese.

I have a basic rule: It’s Cantonese or nothing. I don’t care if its convenient to use English because you studied for 20+ years. I’m not going to end up like those lazy expats who speak English everyday for 5-6 years in Hong Kong and suddenly wake up by learning some Chinese. They then choose Mandarin because its China’s official language.

I might appear to be rude, selfish or inconsiderate. However, I am doing whatever it takes to achieve advanced Cantonese fluency.

My wife does not speak English to me, even though she speaks English extremely fluently. If I’m going to wear the pants in the family, I’m going to have to master Cantonese.

Download - 09:38min

Read Transcript