Mandarin is the other major dialect or language spoken in China, and Cantonese is different from it in several interesting ways. Mandarin and Cantonese do not sound very similar because they use a different set of syllables, the rules for syllable formation are different, and they use a different set of tones. Cantonese is actually more conservative than Mandarin in the sense that it is closer to ancient Chinese.

Cantonese Language Programs

Written Cantonese appeared around the 19th century, but it is primarily an oral language. Even in Hong Kong, where Cantonese is the primary spoken language, most people still use standard Chinese (which is basically Mandarin) when they read and write. There is a colloquial version of written Cantonese, which is difficult for Mandarin speakers to comprehend.

Countries in Which Cantonese is spoken:
Cantonese is spoken by approximately 66 million people residing mainly in Southeast China, especially Hong Kong, Macau, Guangdong, Guangxi, the Pearl River Delta, and Hainan.
Cantonese speakers also reside in Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and a number of other countries with an overseas Chinese population.

Career Opportunities:
There are numerous career opportunities for those possessing a mastery of Cantonese, including many with government agencies. These include the FBI, the U.N., and offices in Washington, D.C. Other careers include: foreign service officers and translators, the Peace Corps, the armed forces, nursing, social services, international relations and marketing for private business, and teaching and research opportunities at colleges and universities. Multi-national companies, particularly those such as advertising agencies with business abroad, like to hire multi-lingual employees. Cantonese is a particularly useful language as it is the lingua franca of many of the overseas Chinese people, who largely originated from Hong Kong.