English and its role in Hong Kong cultural identity

Hong Kong is a city with a unique blend of Eastern and Western influences. This chapter illustrates the role English language plays within the mixed back drop of a metropolitancapitalism and Confucius-derived setting of Hong Kong. The cultural diversity found in Hong Kong is rather unique with its status as the gateway of international trade and traffic. One hundred years of British ruling has cemented the importance of English in Hong Kong as a functional lingua franca – judging that English is paramount for international trade and business, and central to Hong Kong’s economical and social well being. However, recent educational reforms in relation to language of instruction have raised the curtain on the undercurrents of cultural identity and its place in Hong Kong people’s effort in being seen as an integral part of the Chinese mainland. The importance of this chapter lies in our attempt to draw the connection between Hong Kong English and its role in Hong Kong cultural identity. Copyright © 2011 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.