In broader sense, the “Chinese language” refers only to the modern standard Han’s Language – the modern vernacular based on the Beijing dialect and the Mandarin-based grammar, in other sense it refers to the written language of modern vernacular.
In Greater China, Hong Kong as well as Macau, “Learning Chinese” at school are mostly referring to teaching Chinese characters, grammar, literature, etc. However, the language used to conduct lessons in these places varies. In China, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia, lessons are taught in Mandarin while in Hong Kong and Macau are in Cantonese.
In terms of writing, Simplified Chinese are used in the Greater China as the Government tried to simplified the complex writing system of Chinese character in order to relieve the pressure of high illiteracy rate in the country, while Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau still preserved to use Traditional Chinese as their official writing medium.
Though these places shared the similar vernacular, tones, terminologies, usage and grammars are quite different among them, due to different cultural backgrounds and habits. The grammar structure of Mandarin used in Malaysia and China are basically the same, but somehow Malaysian Chinese has been mixed with some Bahasa. Hong Kong and Taiwan though shared the same writing system, Taiwan Traditional Chinese is a Taiwan-Mandarin based language while Hong Kong has developed a different writing system that have been westernised a bit. Due to different legal system and cultural factors terminologies and grammar structures used in these places have developed into separate systems but mix and blend together over time.
Chinese is one of the six official written and spoken languages in the world defined by the United Nations, if you want to know more about the Translation Services Spear can provide to you, contact us now.