I intended to write this post about the Shanghainese being used in Google advertisements of its (somewhat) new G.cn domain on Shanghai subways. However, after seeing them plastered all over the subway for months, in the last few days that I’ve been taking my DSLR with me to get some photos of them, I’ve yet to find one. Frustrating.
If I see one again I’ll snap a picture of it with whatever device I have with me, but for now, from memory, the Google ads went something like, “哪能找到最格算的饭店，G.cn老灵.” 哪能 is the equivalent of 怎么 in Mandarin (MandMX.com have a short little podcast that talks a bit about 哪能). I don’t know 格算, but from the context I assume it means 合算 or 划算. 老 is used in Shanghainese like 很 is used in Mandarin or 好 is used in Cantonese before adjectives. Finally, I think 灵 here just means “good,” though in Mandarin it also means “intelligent, quick-witted,” so it works that way, too.
Another example (this time, with pictures!) from an advertisement for the Shanghaining BBS:
侬白相啥 is Shanghaining’s tag line. 侬 is 你, and 白相 means, according to this Baidu Zhidao post, 玩 or 玩耍. I’m not sure of the exact connotation, but I get the feeling it means something like “hey, what are you doing?”
I’m curious if in other major Chinese cities the use of the local dialect in print advertising is prevalent. It’s not exactly common in Shanghai, but you see it frequently enough. A recently article in the South China Morning Post (mirrored here, as I couldn’t find a working link to even a page where you could buy a copy of the original) about the revival of Cantonese in Shenzhen made some buzz a couple of months ago when it came out, making one think that, despite the 请讲文明，请讲普通话 campaigns, local dialects aren’t going away, but might even be getting stronger as they become prestige languages in China’s new financial and development centers.
Below, some photos from the Hong Kong MTR of Cantonese in print advertisements:
Also, though I’m pretty sure I’ve linked to this before, if you’re in a place where you can access Youku, here is a 10-part course in Shanghainese (for Mandarin speakers).
Related posts:
- Cantoneasy
- AJATT for Chinese
- Heisig, SRS, and my experience with learning Chinese characters
- New year, same great flavor; also, directions
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Not surprising in HK since they pretty much do what they want.
Shanghai, for the most part, tends to do the same, so long as no one’s looking.
I’ve seen a bit of this myself here in SH, much to my enjoyment.
Wow… I will forever be in awe of people who learn Chinese. All those characters look so complicated!
Chinese characters never cease to amaze me. Very good post about Shanghainese versus Mandarin in Shanghai! I used it as an example here: http://blog.understandchinesecharacters.org/?p=103