Cantonese and English
Cantonese and English are both official languages of Hong Kong under the Hong Kong Basic Law (article 9) and the Official Languages Ordinance (chapter 5 of the Laws of Hong Kong).
Historically, English was the sole official language of Hong Kong from 1883 to 1974. Only after numerous demonstrations and petitions from Hong Kongers demanding for the equal official status of Cantonese as that of English, Chinese became another official language in Hong Kong from 1974 onwards. In March 1987, the Official Languages Ordinance was amended to require all new legislation to be enacted bilingually in both English and Chinese. In 1990, the Hong Kong Basic Law declared English's co-official language status with Chinese after the 1997 handover.
Read more about this topic: Languages Of Hong Kong
Famous quotes containing the word english:
“English audiences of working people are like an instrument that responds to the player. Thought ripples up and down them, and if in some heart the speaker strikes a dissonance there is a swift answer. Always the voice speaks from gallery or pit, the terrible voice which detaches itself in every English crowd, full of caustic wit, full of irony or, maybe, approval.”
—Mary Heaton Vorse (1874–1966)