In 2018, news of the Oxford English Dictionary's latest addition to their lexicon rippled throughout Hong Kong. Despite being the most well-known and well-regarded dictionary in the world, very rarely does it ever generate news that garners notable attention. However, the addition of "Add oil", the newest term in the most official dictionary in the world, did just that.
The addition of the phrase is a culmination of a growing conversational trend in Hong Kong, code switching. Code switching is defined to be the mixing of two or more languages while speaking. A frequent occurrence in culturally diverse communities such as Hong Kong. In Hong Kong, code switching is used most prevalently with two languages, Cantonese and English. Although used most prominently in casual conversations, the phenomenon has spread to the music, news, movies and other forms of mass media, becoming a crucial aspect of Hong Kong culture and identity.
What does Code Switching in Hong Kong look like?
In the case of Cantonese and English, code switching usually involves Cantonese as the "matrix language" and English as the "embedded language". Conversations will most likely use Cantonese as the dominant language and embed certain English words as a force of habit or due to lack of translation. For example, 幫我(Bāng wǒ) check, meaning help me check, or 去canteen食飯 (Qù canteen shí fàn), meaning go to the canteen for lunch. Of course, the opposite can also be true, words such as ga yao (Add oil） or má fan (expressing something troublesome) are often interjected into English conversations. Regardless of the matrix or embedded language, code-switched languages are usually only one or two words in length and are able to be seamlessly intertwined within the entire conversation.
Reasons why code switching is so common
Code switching's initial propagation and continued existence is not perverse. From difficulty in translation to complex wordplay, each medium has different elements that make code switching more likely.
Of course, the most prominent reason is the high level of bilingualism in Hong Kong. Cantonese is Hong Kong’s local language, while English became an official language since Hong Kong became a crown colony of the British Empire. Even after the 1997 handover, English is still often used in business and in day-to-day life and is taught in all levels of education. Regardless of age, most citizens are able to speakboth languages at a basic level, thus enabling the prevalent use of code switching.
Bilingualism alone doesn't explain the prevalence of code switching. Another factor is the difficulty in translating certain words from Chinese to English. "Add oil" is just one of many Cantonese expressions to have been added into the dictionary, all of which were added due to its common usage in both colloquial language and literature. This prevalence stems from the difficulty of translating such words to English, necessitating the use of code switching and interjection of direct translations or the cantonese phrase itself. "Add oil" is a direct translation from "ga yao'' in Cantonese or "jiayou" in Mandarin, referring to the expression of encouragement and support towards another. However, existing phrases such as "Keep it up" or "Good Luck" are unable to properly convey the nuances and usage of the word, leading to the phrase "add oil" being integrated into the colloquial language of Hong Kong and eventually the dictionary.
Specifically in the media industry, code switching has been used in order to create bilingual puns and wordplay. Songs and comedies for example use Chinese and English homophones to add humour or meaning to their work.
Ultimately, Code switching is a reflection of Hong Kong's unique past and duality. It is imperative for GenZ’s to embrace the usage of code switching and its idiosyncrasy. The Oxford dictionary's inclusion of "add oil" further adds to its legitimacy as an expression. However, as Wee Lian-hee, a professor of language studies in Baptist University says, “The authority and legitimacy of language comes from its users.” Hong Kong, and especially GenZ’s who pave the way for the future, should continue to promote Hong Kong English as a way of communicating not only to other Hongkongers, but also to the whole world.
Sources:
Writing: Eric Wang
Editing: Angela Chan
Graphics: Summer Guo
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