Computing and Language Variation

Language matters greatly in almost every aspect of human behaviour and experience. Neurally and culturally humans are powerfully equipped to acquire language and use it for a variety of cognitive and

Prof. William S-Y. Wang, an eminent linguist, has made significant contributions to the field regarding lexical diffusion, experimental phonetic studies, language simulation and modeling, and aging and language. To celebrate his 90th birthday, colleagues and friends worldwide have contributed over 30 articles to a two-volume Festschrift. The English volume includes topics such as Chinese language evolution, the relationship between language and music, and the brain processes involved in language production. This Festschrift is written by and for experienced language researchers and is also suitable for students of Chinese linguistics and those interested in Chinese culture, history, and neurology.

INTRODUCTIONSelf-Access Language Learning (SALL) has played a prominent part in language education in universities. Its role is to foster autonomous learning among students. With the wide-spread imple

Independent learning is not a new concept for language educators but while teachers, curriculum designers and policy makers have embraced it as underpinning modern notions of education, it remains a d

A number of research groups around the world have begun to study how the brain acquires and processes language, but we still know comparatively little about it. Many such groups work on very specific,

Evolution of language has evolved at multiple levels - from changes in the cognitive processes by which language is acquired in the individual, to language change by diffusion of acquired linguistic f

News under Fire: China’s Propaganda against Japan in the English-Language Press, 1928–1941 is the first comprehensive study of China’s efforts to establish an effective international propaganda system

Learning Chinese Language and Culture is an intermediate-level textbook intended to be used throughout the entire school year and designed mainly for students who have completed introductory courses o

ONE OF THE MOST SPOKEN DIALECTS in China, Southeast Asia, and globally, Cantonese was nevertheless deemed a local dialect enjoying little prestige among the intellectuals. Not much was recorded in official documents or gazetteers about the early history of Hong Kong. The Cantonese language and its origin remained much of a mystery until the mid-20th century when scholars started to accord it with increasing attention. Thanks to dedicated efforts of early missionaries, pedagogues, and linguists, we can now trace back the evolution of modern Cantonese since the 19th century— how differences in sounds, words, and grammar distinguish the old from contemporary speech today. In this book, Hung-nin Samuel Cheung, an acclaimed scholar on the study of Cantonese, offers profound insights to various firsthand century-old materials including language manuals, Bible translations, and maps of Hong Kong, with findings that will be useful for ongoing efforts to study the development of

…. to imagine a language means to imagine a form of life.––Ludwig Wittgenstein(Philosophical Investigation, 1953)Whatever specific goal motivated people who study Chinese at first eventually

The Chinese language has no tense but has aspects. It relies on aspectual particles to express how an action or state relates to the flow of time. Among all Chinese aspectual particles, le (了) is the

人工智能(Artificial Intelligence)、區塊鏈(Blockchain)、雲計算(Cloud-computing)，都是影響全球權力版圖的ABC，也改變中美未來。中國在ABC領域的優勢可以加速實現社會公正。特朗普的單邊主義與國際霸凌，也使得各方呼喚另外的ABC：親和力(Affinity)、仁心(Benevolence)、與同情理解(Compassion)改變全球的心靈版圖。

Ulaanbaatar beyond Water and Grass is the first book in the English language that takes the visitors to an in-depth exploration of the capital of Mongolia. In the first section of the book, M. A. Aldr

Questions regarding whether a first or a second/foreign language should be used as a medium of instruction (MOI) in schools, and if yes, for whom, and when, have been enthusiastically debated in recen

The Kung Fu series, a set of learning material on the Chinese language, is the product of collaborative efforts of experts from mainland China, Hong Kong and the U.S. It aims at providing texts and ex

Following the ending of the First Opium War and the signing of the Treaty of Nanjing in 1842, Britain opened five treaty ports on the Chinese mainland in the cities now known as Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Ningbo, Shanghai, and Xiamen. Foreigners were allowed for the first time to live and work normally in these cities under the eyes of their state’s consul. In establishing this presence, consular staff and their families faced numerous challenges, including unsuitable accommodation, illness, hostile local authorities, attacks from militias and pirates, while at the same time adjusting to an unfamiliar language and culture.Henrietta Alcock (1812–1853), the first wife of the British Consul, Rutherford Alcock, was little-known until an album of sketches and watercolours depicting her life in China came to light. Acquired by the Martyn Gregory Gallery, London in the early 1990s, the works in the Alcock Album feature picturesque natural landscapes, traditional Chinese architecture, and scenes of co

The first exhaustive English-language history and analysis of the Chinese opera genre, Kunqu. In Kunqu: A Classical Opera of Twenty-First-Century China, Joseph S. C. Lam offers a holistic and interdisciplinary view of Kunqu, a 600-year-old genre of Chinese opera that has been fashionably performed inside and outside of China. The first comprehensive and scholarly book on Kunqu written in English, this book explains how and why the genre charms and signifies Chinese culture, history, and personhood. Approaching the genre from several perspectives, ranging from those of performers and producers to those of casual audiences, dedicated connoisseurs, and scholarly critics, Lam also employs a judicious blend of Chinese and international theories and methods. Herein, he establishes the significance of Kunqu not only in the sphere of Chinese music but among the cultural heritage and performing arts at a global level as well.

Studies in Colloquial Chinese and Its History: Dialect and Text presents cutting-edge research into issues regarding prestige colloquial languages in China in their spoken forms and as well as their relationship to written forms and the colloquial literary language. These include the standard regional languages and prestige dialects of the past, the influence of historical forms of spoken Chinese on written Chinese, the history of guānhuà and the history of báihuà, proto-dialects and supra-regional common languages (koines), and their relationship to spoken dialects. The various studies in this collection focus on the dialect groups with the most substantial written tradition, including Mandarin, Wu, Min, and Cantonese, in north, central and eastern coastal, and southern China respectively. The contributors explore the histories of these dialects in their written and spoken forms, presenting a variegated view of the history and development of the regional forms, including their evoluti

A Touch of Zen is one of the first Chinese-language films to gain recognition in an international film festival (the Grand Prix at the 1975 Cannes Film Festival), creating the generic mould for the "crossover" success of Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon in 2000. The film has achieved a cult status over the years but little has been written about it. This first book-length study of the classic martial arts film therefore redresses its critical neglect, and explores its multi-leveled dimensions and mysteries. One of the central features of the film is the enigmatic knight-lady (xia nü) whose quest for revenge leads her to cross paths with a poor scholar whose interest in military strategy seals their alliance. Teo discusses the psychological manifestations and implications of this relationship and concludes that the film's continuing relevance lies in its portrait of sexuality and the feminist desires of the heroine. Teo also analyzes the film's form as an action piece and the dir

In A New Documentary History of Hong Kong, 1945–1997, Florence Mok, Fung Chi Keung Charles, and other contributors analyse newly released archival records from the National Archives in London, the Government Records Service in Hong Kong, and other sources across the world. This documentary collection provides an updated and improved understanding of basic aspects of the city such as governance, economy, society, and culture. It also aims at investigating topics that are under-exploited in previous sourcebooks, such as race and diasporas, gender and familial relations, medicine and healthcare, and environment and natural disasters. Overall, this book offers an innovative and comprehensive long-term perspective of Hong Kong’s colonial history.

This book, the first of its kind in Hong Kong, offers insights from experts in healthcare and higher education both locally and further afield. Key learnings and recommendations are presented in three sections: disaster management and reconstruction, including what we can learn from past earthquakes; the importance of healthcare and emergency medicine in disasters and community events; and the way forward, in particular how technology and systems thinking can be used for disaster mitigation.

This book carries decades of academic observations and the author’s personal political experience. It reviews and refects on the past trajectory of governance and administration, identifying strengths and capabilities as well as constraints and vulnerabilities of Hong Kong as a polity and society, while charting its course of ‘exceptionalism’ within a new context and under changing conditions.Hong Kong under British rule was a prime example of exceptionalism in many aspects —economic, political, and even social. It was governed under a colonial structure and yet had enjoyed a large degree of social and economic freedom, as well as fiscal self-sufficiency and autonomy from London. After returning to Chinese rule in 1997, Hong Kong has continued to thrive as a relatively resilient city-state still known for efficiency andeffectiveness despite tensions and scepticism about its political future.This book carries decades of academic observations and the author's personal political experienc

Escaping the End of Times is a book where history meets psychology. It invites readers to explore the intricate relationships between dreams, politics, and the Chinese writing system in early modern China.Thoroughly researched and written in an accessible manner, this book presents a series of historical encounters that reveal how Ming scholars countered instability by compiling and editing dream texts. Readers learn how these scholars translated their dreams into action, used the past to bolster their status, reaffirmed their preferred societal order, merged myth and history, and interpreted their dreams and the dreams of others through creative techniques grounded in scholarly tradition.By combining detailed research with captivating storytelling, this book not only brings the world of late Ming dream analysis to life but also demonstrates the relevance of the past to the stories we tell now about ourselves and our own dreams.

Over a span of 260 years, from 630 to 894, Japanese embassies to Tang China (ken-Tō shi) played a vital role in importing Tang governance and culture to Japan, significantly shaping the political and cultural landscape of an emerging Japanese state with codes of law (ritsuryō). However, the seventeenth embassy during the Jōwa period, fraught with turmoil, marked the final mission to Tang China. Alongside disasters and significant loss of life during the voyage, mysteries persist around Vice-ambassador Ono no Takamura's refusal to board the ship, the government's insistence on the mission, and the objectives behind dispatching this mission to China. In this volume, Professor Saeki Arikiyo traces the journey from departure to return, focusing on the individuals involved and the prevailing trends of the era. Drawing upon a rich tapestry of historical sources, including records from Shoku Nihon kōki and the accompanying monk Ennin's Nit-Tō guhō junrei kōki, Arikiyo delves into the arduous

This book features five theme-based units on cross-disciplinary academic English skills, focusing on the needs of first-year undergraduate students. Each unit covers academic writing, reading, and speaking skills. The units progressively take students through the steps needed to complete three common academic assignments: the essay, report, and tutorial discussion. These steps include searching for quality sources, note-taking, establishing a critical stance, formulating evidence-based arguments, synthesizing information from multiple sources, and structuring academic texts. Each unit also provides opportunities for students to analyse texts, apply their critical thinking skills, practise what they have learnt in productive tasks, and reflect upon their progress.This book is aimed at first-time university students. Many of the readings are related to China and a broader Asian context. As such, it appeals to first-year university students in Hong Kong, Mainland China, and Taiwan.

一杯香滑奶茶！ 一種香港情懷！香港茶餐廳，由冰室演變而成，代表着經典的港式飲食文化。新鮮出爐的蛋撻、菠蘿油、西多士，再配上一杯絲襪奶茶，更是品嚐着一種香港情懷。茶餐廳提供早午晚常餐及下午茶，種類多樣，充滿中西特色風味。這次就帶大家一同走進茶餐廳文化啦！A Cup of Silky Milk Tea A Taste of Hong KongHong Kong cha chaan teng, originated from a type of eatery called "ice houses", represent the traditional Hong Kong food culture. Freshly baked egg tarts, pineapple buns with butter, French toast, together with a cup of (Hong Kong-style) silky milk tea—all bring out a taste of the nostalgic Hong Kong vibe.From all-day menu of breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as afternoon tea, cha chaan teng offer various kind of food, blending together Chinese and Western tastes. Let's take a journey to experience the culture of Hong Kong cha chaan teng!

生老病死很遙遠？癌症面前，年輕不是「本錢」大眾認知嚴重滯後年輕患者隱身於社會視線外如何修復被打亂的人生？癌症成為香港青少年第二大死因30年間，早發性癌症發病率飆升40％當他們尋找生命的答案，社會能否給出更好的回應？「吓？我諗住生仔，冇諗住生cancer 喎！」「冇諗過自己年紀輕輕，會同隔離床嘅婆婆一樣！」「冇理由三十幾歲人就匿喺屋企㗎嘛！」「冇病嘅人，你大概估到自己嘅終點，然後先去計劃人生，但係我唔知。」青少年及青年（Adolescents and Young Adults）癌症患者，這群介於兒童與中老年癌症患者之間的年輕族群，長期以來被社會忽視。他們如何在絕望中尋找希望？如何面對長期的身心挑戰？這些疑問促使四位醫學生萌生傾聽與記錄同齡患者生命故事的念頭。本書集結了十二位香港青少年及青年抗癌人士的真實故事，以及一位美國康復者的跨國對照案例，深度呈現他們從確診、治療到康復的生命歷程。他們的故事不僅是與病魔的搏鬥，更是對抗康復後揮之不去的復發恐懼、社會偏見，以及重塑人生規劃等多重挑戰。本書透過AYA患者的真實經歷，旨在提升大眾對早發性癌症的認知，呼籲關注其獨特醫療與心理需求，並賦權患者在逆境中重生。這些故事讓我們看見年輕癌症患者的困境，進而推動更友善的社會環境。---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For readers interested in China depicted by western travellers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this set focuses on the theme "The Silk Road" and features five books written by explorers from various walks of life, including:Through Hidden Shensiby Francis H. Nichols, 1902In Forbidden China: The D'Ollone Mission 1906–1909;China—Tibet—Mongoliaby Vicomte d'Ollone, 1911Across China on Foot: Life in the Interior andthe Reform Movementby Edwin J. Dingle, 1911Among the Celestials: A Narrative of Travelsin Manchuria, Across the Gobi Desert,Through the Himalayas to Indiaby Francis Younghusband, 1898In the Footsteps of Marco Polo: Being the Accountof a Journey Overland from Simla to Pekinby Clarence Dalrymple Bruce, 1907Each volume of the collection aims to reignite interest and also to allow readers to explore how these books relate to the region today.

In Gentle Voices, Bold Strides, Professor Fanny Cheung shares her inspiring journey as a psychologist, academic leader, and champion of gender equality. Growing up in a traditional Hong Kong family, she recognized early injustices against women and dedicated her life to change.Pioneering gender studies in Asia and leading the Equal Opportunities Commission, she fought discrimination, domestic violence, and gender bias in policy and research. Her leadership reshaped academia and public policy through consensus-building and quiet determination, leaving a legacy of empowerment.By blending personal narratives with social history, this memoir serves as a testament to the power of advocacy and the quiet strength of those who strive to make a difference.

杜甫一生的虛構自傳一個穿越了多個時代、多場戰火、多種語言的杜甫，帶著他的多重身影重返我們的生活現場。— 西川「世界偉大的隨筆家之一 」——《紐約時報》「一位隱蔽的文學領袖」My favorite essayist is Eliot Weinberger.His remarkable breadth of calm concern is impressive.—Gary Snyder (Pulitzer Prize Winner, 1975)­This is a book concerned with mortality, friendship, and regret.­The psyche looking back at its life. As such, The Life of Tu Fu sometimes feels like a poetic biography of my own life, or maybe yours.—Forrest Gander (Pulitzer Prize Winner, 2019)溫伯格巧妙地運用拼貼手法，從杜甫一千多首浩瀚的詩歌中擷取靈感，將其詩句、意象與情感重新編織成五十八首全新的詩篇。這些詩篇猶如一幅幅流動的畫卷，描繪出杜甫顛沛流離的一生，以及他所經歷的戰亂與瘟疫。儘管時空相隔千年，但在後疫情時代，我們或許更能體會杜甫詩歌中那種深刻的孤獨與蒼涼。這部作品不僅是對杜甫一生的致敬，也是對我們自身、對苦難和對人生短暫易逝的反思。Drawing inspirations from a vast oeuvre of more than a thousand poems, Eliot Weinberger has deftly composed a montage of ­fifty-eight poems derived and adapted from the lines, images, and feelings in Tu Fu’s poetry. These poems weave a tapestry of Tu Fu’s turbulent life and times of war and disaster.In the post-pandemic era, we may appreciat

The third edition has undergone significant revisions from the second edition, which was published in 2011. Significant enhancements include coverage of　advancements in electronic commerce and financialtechnology (fintech), particularly the adoption of blockchain-based letters of credit and internet of things. Readers will gain valuable knowledge about trade developments in fintech, blockchain, and important trade promotion institutions in the Greater Bay Area.This book offers comprehensive and well-structured content, making it an excellent resource for training professionals such as bankers, import/export managers, and lawyers.It is particularly beneficial for students enrolled in the Finance of International Trade module of the Professional Diploma for Certified Banker offered by the Hong Kong Institute of Bankers, helping them prepare effectively for their examinations.

Some people say that entrepreneurship is a lonelyroad, but new startups do not need to travel it alone.Hong Kongʼs mature startup ecosystem providesmany lessons to be learned for startup founders inthe city and around the world. As long as they arewell prepared and understand the ecosystem, theycan create a path to success! This book features exclusive interviews withstakeholders involved in various aspects of HongKongʼs startup ecosystem, providing answers toquestions about entrepreneurship. It allows readersto connect with the startup ecosystem, learn aboutthemselves and their competitors, and subsequentlyachieve twice the results with half the effort. A must-read for startups, the book also includes lists of usefulinformation to help entrepreneurs put theirinnovative ideas into practice.

Written in Stone by Polo Bourieau is an extraordinary exploration of how monumental sculpture transforms urban spaces into places of meaning and connection. From the ancient marble quarries of Carrara to the skyscrapers of Hong Kong or the bustling lanes of Chengdu, this richly illustrated book charts Polo’s creative journey, offering profound insights into the dialogue between sculpture, architecture, and community.Structured as an epic narrative inspired by Joseph Campbell’s monomyth theory, Polo’s sculptures become the protagonists of our common narrative of adventure, transformation, and identity. With reflections on the creative process and a conversation with urban planner and design writer Catherine Shaw, the book delves into the challenges and realities of creating public art in the dynamic landscapes of 21st-century China.Written in Stone offers a philosophical meditation on the power of art to shape our cities and ourselves. It invites readers—whether city planners,

Revelations of China’s global influence and intentions, from one of its most respected foreign policy analysts.For Washington, China is a strategic competitor: the only country with both the will to reshape the world order and, increasingly, the means to do so. For Europe, the People’s Republic is a ‘partner for cooperation, an economic competitor and a systemic rival’. For NATO, it is a ‘decisive enabler’ of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Yet Beijing’s image is far more positive in the Global South, of which the PRC considers itself a part.Zhou Bo’s essays unpack China’s own view of its role today. The PRC is operating not only in a world becoming less Western, but—more importantly—a West becoming less Western; and the key to its outlook lies in Africa, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific as much as in Europe and the White House.Are Moscow and Beijing really so closely aligned? Where are Sino-Indian relations headed? Is China a new Cold War foe for the West? Or will economic ties inev

Fascinated by her grandfather’s seafaring life on a freighter and triggered by her own turbulent arrival to Iceland one winter, Crystal Kwan ends up buying a one-way ticket to Paris where her outbound life unfolds. Under the influence of great artists, architects and writers who travelled far both physically and creatively, she is tempted to do the same: to record serendipitous, at times overwhelming moments through writing, sketching and photography. Four themes of “souvenirs”, each a result of a particular type of travel, portray different ways of seeing as she comes face to face with the world. Be it creative or contemplative, memorable or regrettable, the greatest souvenir harnessed throughout all journeys is the transformative power of travel.

HONG KONG LITERATURE SERIESSeries Editor: John MinfordAfter her celebrated The Teddy Bear Chronicles, Xi Xi turns her creative vision towards the world of the primate kingdom. At the age of 73, despite physical challenges, Xi Xi traveled extensively across Asia, from tropical forests to conservation centers, immersing herself in the natural world of apes and monkeys.This book is one of the remarkable outcomes of this journey. Xi Xi documented 51 endearing ape and monkey puppets that she had sewn, weaving them into a series of insightful dialogues with her friend, the Hong Kong writer Ho Fuk Yan. These discussions cover the depiction of apes and monkeys in Chinese and Western literature, painting, drama, and film, as well as the interconnectedness of humans and their primate relatives. Xi Xi’s words, filled with empathy, reveal the heart of her work: ‘If there is a common theme to our conversation, it is to respect life and speak for those lives that have been discriminated against in t

A novel dialogue between Buddhism and Western psychology, grounded in original Pali texts. As mindfulness and meditation become mainstream therapeutic tools, their deep Buddhist roots are often stripped away and limit their effectiveness for clients from Buddhist cultural backgrounds. Early Buddhist Teachings: A Theoretical Foundation for Counseling restores these practices to their original context, offering a culturally congruent counseling model grounded in Pali scriptures and core Buddhist principles. This informative volume explores key Buddhist concepts including dependent co-arising, non-self, and impermanence, and places them in conversation with Western psychological theories. Supplemented with practical assessment tools and intervention techniques, this work provides mental health professionals with a new framework for integrating Buddhist teachings into counseling. For therapists, students, and counselors seeking to expand their approach, Early Buddhist Teachings offers a vi

‘We must have a procedure – if we are going to hang anyone – that is just,’ said Chief Justice Sir Francis Piggott in 1909, on discovering that Chinese accused of murder were being denied interpretation in Hong Kong’s courts. Due process, no matter how costly or inconvenient, was ‘one of the penalties of empire,’ he declared.Penalties of Empire explores how judges, juries, and lawyers strove to deliver justice during the 150 years when the death penalty was in force in Hong Kong. Nine main chapters focus on key capital trials in the first century of British rule. Among the cases are piracies, assassinations, and crimes of passion and desperation. These chapters describe the proceedings in court and the participants involved. They also explore the debates surrounding each case and the exercise or denial of mercy by governors. Two final chapters discuss the decline of the death penalty after World War II, its suspension after 1966, and the controversies leading to its formal abolition in

The widely acclaimed films of Wong Kar-wai are characterized by their sumptuous yet complex visual and sonic style. Bettinson argues that Wong’s films—from Days of Being Wild and Chungking Express to In the Mood for Love and The Grandmaster—are permeated by an aesthetic of sensuousness and “disturbance” achieved through techniques such as narrative disruptions, jarring cuts, the blocking of facial access, and other complex strategies. The effect is to jolt the viewer out of complete aesthetic absorption. This tenth-anniversary edition of The Sensuous Cinema of Wong Kar-wai includes a substantial new afterword bringing the story of Wong’s career up to date (including reflections on the mainland Chinese drama Blossoms Shanghai). Bettinson revisits and extends the arguments of the first edition, surveys the recent key debates on Wong’s filmmaking, and introduces fresh lines of critical investigation.

Revitalization in Asia: Adaptive Reuse in Macao, Mumbai, and Penang offers a clear understanding of the value of sustainable adaptive reuse within an Asian context. Three highly urbanized places (Macao, Mumbai, and Penang) are considered in detail from conservation and planning perspectives (with essays and timelines for each). For each place, five case studies offer a comparative framework for understanding similarities and differences in adaptive reuse projects. Six essays examine adaptive reuse in terms of its connection to the three dimensions of sustainability, with reference to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. This book is envisioned as a continuation of Asian Revitalization: Adaptive Reuse in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Singapore.