bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Pauline Yeung

One characteristic of small, open, advanced economies like Switzerland and Singapore is a recognition of the importance of a multilingual workforce for economic competitiveness.
Switzerland has four official languages – German, French, Italian and Romansh – while Singapore also has four official languages – English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil. Hong Kong’s official languages are Chinese and English, which are arguably among the most important languages for the 21st century.
The case for promoting the learning of languages is not new. Mastery of Chinese and English enables young people to pursue career goals and achieve upward social mobility.
What is new in 2021 is how much technology has changed the game, levelling the playing field and allowing motivated students from all backgrounds to acquire language skills efficiently, effectively and at a reasonable cost.
Today, websites give students access to native-speaking teachers at a fraction of the price charged by traditional language institutes. Programmes such as Pimsleur and Rosetta Stone provide mobile app-based language courses.
Writing assistants like Grammarly offer suggestions for improving spelling, grammar and punctuation. And the popularity of Netflix and YouTube means there are informal ways to learn languages.
Technology also opens up a world of possibilities with regard to advanced levels of language learning, given that the ability to make compelling presentations is essential for career development these days. In Hong Kong, the start-up Moodie.ai uses artificial intelligence to analyse videos uploaded by users and makes recommendations on how to improve communication skills.
A total of 70 indicators are covered, encompassing everything from facial expression, tone of voice and speech content to body posture and hand gesture. Upload a video of three to five minutes, and a full analysis is available after 10 minutes. Universities in Hong Kong are already deploying such a tool and the company is in talks about roll-outs at other institutions.


While technology has made language learning easier and more accessible, some fear that machines and AI will overtake humans in language skills altogether. Currently, Google Translate supports translation in 108 languages, and smartphone apps can readily translate restaurant menus written in foreign languages.
But machines, tools and AI are as yet unable to fully capture humour, irony, wordplay, idioms, slang, accents and cultural nuances. While machine translation can be improved in the long run, a machine today still can’t quite grasp the meaning behind a Chinese aphorism like rén zài jiāng hú, shēn bù yóu jǐ, which refers to how people living together in “rivers and lakes”, a Chinese metaphor for society, need to compromise and are not free to do as they wish.
Consider the Korean phrase nun-i-nop-a, which literally translates as “eyes are high”, although it, in essence, describes people who have extremely high standards and expectations.
Cantonese or Mandarin: how Hong Kong failed where Singapore succeeded
For Japanese, a machine translation of the saying nō aru taka wa tsume o kakusu yields “a capable hawk hides its claws”. However, such a rendering still misses the Japanese cultural context for this expression.
Indeed, communication, negotiation and deal-making in the local language are essential ingredients in commercial success, whether in the boardroom or over dinner – or Mao-tai or sake, as often happens in Asia. It is still through language that entrepreneurs demonstrate their passion for their work and executives evaluate the collaborative potential of a business partnership.
While Chinese and English remain the most important languages for business in Hong Kong, other languages are also useful. According to an annual survey conducted by the Hong Kong government, Japanese firms now top the list of non-local companies that have set up regional offices in Hong Kong.


Companies from Japan have set up 423 regional offices, followed by those from the United States (410), mainland China (377), Britain (208), Germany (147), France (115), Taiwan (101), and Singapore (100).
Of the regional offices surveyed, 68.2 per cent have geographical responsibility for mainland China, underscoring the importance of Mandarin. But next on the list are Singapore, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea. In line with market needs, there are headhunting firms that specialise in recruitment of Japanese and Korean speakers.
According to statistics from the Society of Japanese Language Education Hong Kong, more than 7,000 people in Hong Kong and Macau signed up for each of the two sittings of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test in 2019.
Interest in the Korean language has also surged in recent years, as evidenced by the increasing number of candidates taking the Test of Proficiency in Korean. While there were only 395 applicants in 2010, by 2018, the figure had risen to 3,217.
According to the web page of the Korean Studies Programme at the University of Hong Kong, students who excelled in the language have landed dream jobs at Korean banks, Korean cosmetics firms and the Korean Cultural Center run by the South Korean government. This suggests there is more to learning the Korean language than watching K-pop videos and K-dramas.
In a business hub like Hong Kong, where languages are critical for deal-making and partnerships, a strong case can be made for leveraging technology to promote language learning. After all, multilingual skills are a differentiating factor that could set a world city like Hong Kong apart from the others.
Pauline Yeung is programme director at the Asia Business Council


Hong Kong’s language advantage is good for business. Tech can make it better

Traditional seals engraved with Chinese renderings of English names are displayed in a souvenir shop in Tsim Sha Tsui. Mastery of Chinese and English enables young people to pursue career goals and achieve upward social mobility. Photo: Nora Tam 

Opinion

Comment


Technology has changed the game, making it easier to acquire and improve language and communication skills
An international business hub like Hong Kong, where languages are critical for deal-making, must leverage technology to promote learning



Technology has changed the game, making it easier to acquire and improve language and communication skills. An international business hub like Hong Kong, where languages are critical for deal-making, must leverage technology to promote learning.


The View

Artificial intelligence

Hong Kong economy

Education

Chinese language

5050

Expresses the views, ideas and conclusions of the author. (Eg. Enough of Crazy Rich Asians, think of crazy poor Hongkongers.)


Column

The View | Hong Kong’s language advantage is good for business. Tech can make it better

Technology has changed the game, making it easier to acquire and improve language and communication skills An international business hub like Hong Kong, where languages are critical for deal-making, must leverage technology to promote learning

Technology has changed the game, making it easier to acquire and improve language and communication skills

An international business hub like Hong Kong, where languages are critical for deal-making, must leverage technology to promote learning