People and Languages
Macau's population consists of mostly Han Chinese (95%) and Portuguese (2%), with a minority of other ethnicities. Although both Chinese (Cantonese) and Portuguese are the official languages of the region, most of the residents speak Cantonese. Currently there is only one school in Macau where Portuguese is the medium of instruction.
The Macanese language, generally known as Patuá, is a distinctive Creole that is still spoken by several dozen Macanese, an ethnic group of mixed Asian and Portuguese ancestry that accounts for a small percentage of Macau's population.
Signs in Macau are displayed in both Traditional Chinese and Portuguese. In contrast to mainland China, Macau, along with Hong Kong and Taiwan, generally does not use Simplified Chinese Characters.
Read more about this topic: Culture Of Macau
Famous quotes containing the words people and/or languages:
“Do not be deceived! The busiest people harbor the greatest weariness, their restlessness is weakness—they no longer have the capacity for waiting and idleness.”
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“The trouble with foreign languages is, you have to think before your speak.”
—Swedish proverb, trans. by Verne Moberg.