The Chinese Language (Cantonese) as a Second Language Minor Programme aims to provide systematic Cantonese language trainings to students in the perspective of contemporary theories of language study. In addition to nurturing students’ language proficiency with substantive knowledge about the lexicon and grammar of Cantonese, the curriculum design of the Programme also features applications of current theories of linguistics in language acquisition, cognitive science as well as culture and society, enhancing their understanding of language as a window into the human mind, their bilingual and multilingual awareness and sharpening their sensitivity towards the complexity of languages used in the Greater Bay Area of China with Hong Kong being a pivotal area.
The Chinese Language (Cantonese) as a Second Language Minor Programme is also responding to the call from society to preserve Cantonese as one major modern language spoken in the Greater Bay Area of China. The exposure of students to Cantonese as a Second language strengthens their concepts of language diversity and socio-linguistic variation, enabling them to better understand their status as bilinguals/multilinguals and increasing their awareness of the rich and cultural heritages of the pertinent communities.
The Minor Programme caters for students of any discipline in the preparation for their job capacity and career development, especially those students from the disciplines of medicine, social work, education, law, business, informational technology, cultural management, tourism and hospitality, etc. As the third most widely spoken Chinese language with an estimated speakers of 60 million worldwide, the number of people learning Cantonese as a Second language has been mounting in recent years. Proficiency in Cantonese with sharpened awareness and appreciation of the language and culture will certainly benefit students’ career development.
The Chinese Language (Cantonese) as a Second Language Minor Programme is offered by the Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages, jointly with the Yale-China Chinese Language Academy, parallel to the existing Minor Programmes in French, German, Spanish, Korean and Hong Kong Sign Language.
The minor programme is a pioneering programme targeting non-native speakers of Cantonese/Putonghua. It represents a cross-departmental effort of the Faculty of Arts of CUHK in offering the teaching and learning of Chinese language from academic perspectives. The Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages and CLA complement each other in offering the programme. Aligning with other Modern Languages programmes offered by the Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages, Arab Studies Programme offered by the Department of Cultural and Religious Studies, Japanese Language Programme and Japanese Studies Programme offered by the Department of Japanese Studies, the inclusion of a Minor Programme in Cantonese as a Second Language will strengthen the pivotal role of the Faculty of Arts in offering Modern Languages programme to all CUHK students and it also expands the choices of CUHK students for the study of Modern Languages. Furthermore, the inclusion not only echoes and deepens CUHK’s role and mission to promote Chinese language and culture, but also enhances the competitive edge and attractiveness of the Faculty of Arts as well as CUHK to international students.
Finally, the minor programme strengthens the role of our major programme in Linguistics by reinforcing the study of language through application of linguistic theories to a target language. The presence of international students in our major programme courses will also enrich and enhance the diversity of our student mix, bringing in global perspectives to our local students.
Remarks:
For enquiries related to the selection of CLCC courses and placement test, please contact the University Programme Section of Yale-China Chinese Language Academy for details:
Tel: 3943-8224
Email: cla_upd@cuhk.edu.hk
For enquiries related to the application for declaration of the minor programme, please contact the Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages.
Students are required to complete a minimum of 21 units of courses, with at least 6 units at 3000 or above level, as follows:
| Units | ||
| (1) | Required courses: LING1000, CLCC2213, 2223, 2243 and 3313 | 15 |
| (2) | Elective courses: a) 1 course from the following: LING2301, 3202, 3204 or 3206 |
|
Total: | 21 |
Explanatory Notes:
| 1. | This Minor Programme is not for students whose native language is Cantonese/Putonghua. Students planning to minor in this Programme should take the Cantonese placement tests offered by the Yale-China Chinese Language Academy. Declaration of this Minor Programme is subject to the approval of the Department. |
| 2. | Depending on their proficiency in Cantonese, students may be asked to take advanced level courses to substitute for the courses at the 2000 level to fulfill the Minor Programme requirement. They should seek advice from the Yale-China Chinese Language Academy for the substitute courses for them to take. |
| 3. | All CLCC courses taken to fulfill this Minor programme requirement cannot be counted towards the fulfillment of the University Core requirements. |
| 4. | No more than 10 units of courses taken to fulfill the requirements of the students’ Major Programme(s) and other Minor Programme(s) respectively can be used to fulfill the requirement of this Minor Programme. |
Remarks:
For enquiries related to the selection of CLCC courses and placement test, please contact the University Programme Section of Yale-China Chinese Language Academy for details:
Tel: 3943-8224
Email: cla_upd@cuhk.edu.hk
For enquiries related to the application for declaration of the minor programme, please contact the Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages.
| Code | Course Title | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Linguistics Courses | ||
| LING1000 | Invitation to Linguistics | 3 |
| LING2301 | Sociolinguistics | 3 |
| LING3202 | Psycholinguistics | 3 |
| LING3204 | Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
| LING3206 | Bilingualism | 3 |
| Cantonese Courses * | ||
| CLCC2213 | Application of Vocabulary and Grammar II | 3 |
| CLCC2223 | Oral Skills Practice II | 3 |
| CLCC2243 | Listening Comprehension and Communication Skills II | 3 |
| CLCC3313 | Application of Vocabulary and Grammar III | 3 |
| CLCC3323 | Oral Skills Practice III | 3 |
| CLCC3343 | Listening Comprehension and Communication Skills III | 3 |
| CLCC4413 | Communication in Professional Settings | 3 |
| CLCC4423 | Colloquial Cantonese and Local Culture | 3 |
| CLCC4513 | Topics in the Hong Kong Special Administration Region | 3 |
*Please also refer to the website of Yale-China Chinese Language Academy for details: https://www.yccla.cuhk.edu.hk/minor-prog
For enquiries related to the selection of CLCC courses and placement test, please contact the University Programme Section of Yale-China Chinese Language Academy:
Tel: 3943-8224
Email: cla_upd@cuhk.edu.hk
Linguistics Courses
Please refer to the Course Descriptions of Major Programme in Linguistics.
Cantonese Courses
Please refer to the website of Yale-China Chinese Language Academy for details:
https://www.yccla.cuhk.edu.hk/minor-prog
For enquiries related to the selection of CLCC courses and placement test, please contact the University Programme Section of Yale-China Chinese Language Academy:
Tel: 3943-8224
Email: cla_upd@cuhk.edu.hk