English fan takes XXX approach to teaching ABCs

David Tung Tak-wai really does have proper manners - although people who read his book might not know that.

In The Art of The English Quarrel, he introduces English insults, nasty names and swear words, along with spoken Cantonese translations. He gives examples of how to initiate a fight and how to use your wits to avoid a fight. 'Being only able to say 'It's none of your business' just won't do,' said Tung, who was born and brought up in Hong Kong. 'Not in a world in which people say, 'Get outta my face'.'

A piano tutor with two master's degrees, including one in music, Tung has a passion for English, and it pains him that many teenagers turn off to the language. Rather than shove grammar and tenses at the kids, he hopes to inspire them with lingo from life. 'I didn't write the book to encourage people to swear and squabble, I just hope to raise people's interest in learning English,' said Tung, who studied in London for three years of college.

His target readers, he said, are mainly secondary school dropouts.

'I didn't focus on foul language, but it's what you'll hear in the streets. You should at least know it when you're being insulted,' said Tung.

Phrases like 'I might as well save my breath' may come naturally to a native English speaker. But many Hongkongers who learn their English in classrooms often struggle to find the right word. Tung says he used to be one of these people himself.

'From kindergarten to secondary school, we had learned many polite English phrases like 'What's your opinion?' which we always use in English oral exams. They're not wrong, but they're really boring and insufficient for daily use,' he said. 'We should know how to respond to people's unreasonable demands. Like you can say, 'Go above my head if you want', meaning, 'Complain to my boss if you like'.'