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Chapter 13. Language policy and planning in Hong Kong

The historical context and current realities
  • Kingsley Bolton
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English in Southeast Asia
This chapter is in the book English in Southeast Asia

Abstract

Until 1974, Chinese had no de jure status as an official language of Hong Kong where the colonial government had often claimed to favour a laissez-faire approach to language planning. In the run-up to the resumption of Chinese sovereignty throughout the 1990s, official policy became more interventionist. From 1995, the stated policy of the government has been to promote a “biliterate” and “trilingual” society, and the use of Chinese as a medium of instruction in schools. Immediately after the change in sovereignty, Putonghua became a compulsory school subject. This chapter examines the issue of language planning and policies both from a historical perspective and through a consideration of current policies and practice across the domains of government, law and education in Hong Kong.

Abstract

Until 1974, Chinese had no de jure status as an official language of Hong Kong where the colonial government had often claimed to favour a laissez-faire approach to language planning. In the run-up to the resumption of Chinese sovereignty throughout the 1990s, official policy became more interventionist. From 1995, the stated policy of the government has been to promote a “biliterate” and “trilingual” society, and the use of Chinese as a medium of instruction in schools. Immediately after the change in sovereignty, Putonghua became a compulsory school subject. This chapter examines the issue of language planning and policies both from a historical perspective and through a consideration of current policies and practice across the domains of government, law and education in Hong Kong.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements ix
  4. Abbreviations xi
  5. Introduction 1
  6. Chapter 1. Theoretical issues 13
  7. Part I. Features
  8. Chapter 2. Singapore English 35
  9. Chapter 3. Malaysian English 55
  10. Chapter 4. Brunei English 75
  11. Chapter 5. Philippine English 91
  12. Chapter 6. Thai English 101
  13. Chapter 7. Hong Kong English 113
  14. Part II. Policy (Historical context & language planning)
  15. Chapter 8. The development of English in Singapore 137
  16. Chapter 9. Pragmatics of maintaining English in Malaysia’s education system 155
  17. Chapter 10. Language planning in its historical context in Brunei Darussalam 175
  18. Chapter 11. Diffusion and directions 189
  19. Chapter 12. The effect of policy on English language teaching at secondary schools in Thailand 207
  20. Chapter 13. Language policy and planning in Hong Kong 221
  21. Part III. Language in use
  22. Chapter 14. English in Southeast Asian law 241
  23. Chapter 15. The view from below 267
  24. Chapter 16. Curriculum and world Englishes 289
  25. Chapter 17. English in Southeast Asian pop culture 307
  26. Chapter 18. Language use in the construction of interpersonal relationships 325
  27. Chapter 19. Transfers of politeness strategies 343
  28. Part IV. Bibliography
  29. Chapter 20. Works on English in Southeast Asia 357
  30. Author index 383
  31. Subject index 389
https://doi.org/10.1075/veaw.g42.18bol

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements ix
  4. Abbreviations xi
  5. Introduction 1
  6. Chapter 1. Theoretical issues 13
  7. Part I. Features
  8. Chapter 2. Singapore English 35
  9. Chapter 3. Malaysian English 55
  10. Chapter 4. Brunei English 75
  11. Chapter 5. Philippine English 91
  12. Chapter 6. Thai English 101
  13. Chapter 7. Hong Kong English 113
  14. Part II. Policy (Historical context & language planning)
  15. Chapter 8. The development of English in Singapore 137
  16. Chapter 9. Pragmatics of maintaining English in Malaysia’s education system 155
  17. Chapter 10. Language planning in its historical context in Brunei Darussalam 175
  18. Chapter 11. Diffusion and directions 189
  19. Chapter 12. The effect of policy on English language teaching at secondary schools in Thailand 207
  20. Chapter 13. Language policy and planning in Hong Kong 221
  21. Part III. Language in use
  22. Chapter 14. English in Southeast Asian law 241
  23. Chapter 15. The view from below 267
  24. Chapter 16. Curriculum and world Englishes 289
  25. Chapter 17. English in Southeast Asian pop culture 307
  26. Chapter 18. Language use in the construction of interpersonal relationships 325
  27. Chapter 19. Transfers of politeness strategies 343
  28. Part IV. Bibliography
  29. Chapter 20. Works on English in Southeast Asia 357
  30. Author index 383
  31. Subject index 389
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