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What is the official language of China? |
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Answer
Mandarin is the official language of China although there are many other dialects common across this vast nation.
Answer
The official written language of China, and the only written language used by the majority Han ethnic group of China, is called Chinese. The central government says that the different spoken forms of Chinese are dialects, not separate languages, although some scholars disagree.
Mandarin was the dialect used by bureaucrats in imperial times, and is close to the dialect of the Beijing area. After the present government came to power, it has mandated the teaching of Mandarin in all schools throughout mainland China as a "common language". While most Chinese residents can speak Mandarin, they continue to use their local dialect for day to day purposes. The central government appears to encourage the retention of those dialects.
Hong Kong and Macao have only recently come under Chinese control, so few residents of these enclaves speak Mandarin. The language or dialect spoken there is called Cantonese, the principal dialect of the neighbouring Guangdong province.
First answer by Ksmail. Last edit by Dick Harfield. Contributor trust: 232 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 17 [recommend question]
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