Which one first?

[GeneT]

Hello all,

I'd like to learn both Cantonese and Mandarin and was interested in hearing from others that have done this.. Is there an advantage in learning them in a particular order?

Thanks for your time,

Gene

[renzhe]

I'd suggest learning whichever will be more important to you first.

Something to consider is that Cantonese is usually not written, and that the written language used in places where Cantonese is predominant closely follows Mandarin grammar. This (and some other things like the number of tones, spread, abundance of written material, etc) would suggest that Mandarin would be easier to start with.

[yersi]

.

[renzhe]

I think that Cantonese-speaking family or in-laws are the biggest reason why people abroad study Cantonese -- and a very good reason too.

I tend to agree with you in principle, though.

[yersi]

.

[wushijiao]

I think Yersi said it well. In a nutshell, learn Mandarin. That's a huge task, maybe 3-7 years of hard work, all depending on the level you want to reach.

I have a friend who is a Chinese-American from LA who has just got his MBA and has moved back to Hong Kong to be investment banker. He speaks basic Cantonese (from family settings), but is expanding into other areas, with the hope of being able to understand fairly advanced conversations. Clearly, for this type of person with this type of specific goal, you should learn Cantonese. It's a vibrant language, with decent learning materials, a large population that speaks it, and it has a great media base, Hong Kong, of course.

But, otherwise, learn Mandarin first.

Another (rather minor) reason to learn Mandarin first is that a lot of "standard Chinese" (that they would use in written materials in Hong Kong) comes from Mandarin, especially in very formal or academic settings. Clearly, from the point of view of knowing Mandarin in its spoken and written form, bumping into this "standard Chinese" shouldn't be a problem. But if you are a foreigner learning Cantonese first, it could be confusing.