Do you need to communicate with Chinese speakers? Perhaps you are conducting business in a Chinese city or coordinating a multilingual conference with Chinese participants. If this is the case, it’s more than likely that you’ll need to enlist the services of an experienced Chinese language interpreter to help you overcome the various linguistic and cultural differences. The question is, do you need a Mandarin or a Cantonese interpreter – and why does it matter?
Mandarin and Cantonese: Not just dialects
To many outsiders, Chinese might seem like one language with many regional accents. In reality, Mandarin and Cantonese are mutually unintelligible in spoken form. While their written forms may share some similarities, when spoken aloud, each language sounds completely different – not only in terms of pronunciation, but also when it comes to tone and vocabulary.
Why, then, are Mandarin and Cantonese sometimes referred to as Chinese dialects? To answer this, we need to look at the political context. In China, it is common to use the term “dialect” to refer to Mandarin and Cantonese, but this reflects a deeper Chinese ideology of a single Chinese nation with a shared linguistic heritage. In reality, though, Mandarin and Cantonese are as different as Spanish and Italian!
Can a Chinese interpreter cover both Mandarin and Cantonese?
While there are some bilingual Chinese interpreters who are able to work with both of these widely spoken Chinese languages, it is far more common to find Mandarin interpreters or Cantonese specialists. This is partly because of the significant differences between the two, as well as the limited overlap in vocabulary and pronunciation, which makes mastering both to a professional level especially challenging.
Another reason lies in China’s geography. With a land area of approximately 3.7 million square miles, it is the fourth-largest country in the world, and home to well over 1.4 billion people.
How does this affect language?
Well, Mandarin – China’s official national language – is taught in schools and used in government, and it dominates most of northern, central, and western China.
Cantonese, meanwhile, is confined to China’s southeastern corner, specifically Guangdong province, Hong Kong, Macau, and some parts of Guangxi and Hainan. These areas are much smaller geographically. However, they are densely populated, and areas with significant economic sway, which means that Cantonese maintains its importance in trade, business, and cultural influence.
Mandarin vs. Cantonese: What are the main differences?
Although most Chinese languages (including Mandarin and Cantonese, alongside Wu, Min, Hakka, and many others) use Chinese characters, there is considerable variation in how they are used.
For example, in mainland China, where Mandarin dominates, the use of simplified Chinese characters is widespread. Meanwhile, in areas where Cantonese is dominant (such as Hong Kong and Macau), traditional Chinese characters are standard. As a general rule, Cantonese texts are written in traditional characters, and Mandarin texts in simplified. However, as the standard written form of Chinese is based on Mandarin, and since this is the written language used across China and in schools, the vast majority of Chinese speakers learn and understand this written form of language.
The key area where Mandarin and Cantonese diverge is in their spoken form – and that’s why it’s crucial to select a Chinese interpreter who specializes in the language you need!
Both languages are tonal, which means a slight change in pronunciation can completely change the meaning of a word.
Mandarin has four main tones, as well as a neutral tone:
- High-level
- Rising
- Falling-rising
- Falling.
Cantonese, though, is more phonetically complex and has six tones, as well as an additional three “entering tones,” which are sometimes counted as separate.
Why it matters when hiring a Chinese interpreter
When hiring a Chinese interpreter, you can’t assume that a Mandarin speaker will understand Cantonese, or vice versa. While someone literate in one may read written Chinese from the other (especially formal writing), spoken interpretation is an entirely different matter.
Aside from the different tones, interpreting requires a mastery of all the nuances conveyed – and this has to be done in real time. For example, if you’re a simultaneous interpreter working at a high-level summit or complex negotiation, it’s essential that you understand the subtleties of what is being said, without having to think about it, look things up, or interrupt the flow.
How do I know which Chinese interpreter to choose?
If you’re not sure whether to select a Cantonese or a Mandarin interpreter, looking at the geographical background is often the best place to start. If the person or company you want to meet with comes from Beijing, Shanghai, Taiwan, or most parts of Mainland China, they probably speak Mandarin.
However, if they’re from Hong Kong, Macau, or southern Guangdong, they are likely to be more comfortable using Cantonese.
While many people in Hong Kong also understand some Mandarin, but Cantonese remains the language of business and culture. Make sure your chosen interpreter is experienced in the right mode – especially important when dealing with technical or sensitive material.
Cantonese and Mandarin interpreting services from Capital Linguists
At Capital Linguists, we work with some of the most experienced, skilled, and highly qualified Cantonese and Mandarin interpreters. We understand the subtleties inherent in each language, as well as the cultural nuances that need to be mastered. All our linguists have a minimum of five years’ experience working as an interpreter and aiding effective communication.
Our ISO 17100 and ISO 9001 certifications also demonstrate our unwavering commitment to client confidentiality, meticulous quality management systems, and recruitment. So, if you want to discuss your next project involving communication with Chinese speakers, don’t hesitate to get in touch; we’d love to hear from you!
