The biggest obstacle most Western tourists face when traveling to Asian countries is the dreaded language barrier. However, that is not the case in the Asian city of Hong Kong. In fact, English is one of its official languages and is part of its history after the arrival of the British who claimed it under its rule. Because of Hong Kong’s rich diversity, visitors will hear and see different languages with three major ones–Cantonese, Mandarin and English–and sometimes a mixture of two or three.
Writing
Tourists won’t have much trouble getting around Hong Kong since all street signs and other municipal signs are written in both Chinese and English. Additionally, English can usually be found in many stores, restaurants and other businesses. From packaging to menus, English-speaking visitors will be able to move about with ease. Much to a tourist’s enjoyment, however, some written English can be poorly translated and lead to some confusing, yet humorous signage.
Speech
The average Hong Kong resident won’t be fluent in the English language but they will have working knowledge since it is taught to some extent in all schools. While that may limit having a full conversation with a local, tourists will be able to get and communicate basic information such as directions or food orders. In the major tourist districts and destinations, however, visitors will find plenty of people that speak English well. Because of their dual use, some Hong Kong residents will use sentences comprised of both Chinese and English.
As a major world-class city with English as one of its official language, tourists can be comforted that they won’t get lost in translation.