by Itinerant_Phenomenologist » Mon Mar 15, 2010 8:39 pm
Then your Cantonese is on par with my Mandarin. Before heading to China, I always have to run down with some people basic statements like "Help" and "where is the restroom" etc. If I speak my Cantonese slowly though, the Mandarin speakers can sometimes pick up the gist of my statements so that saves me much awkwardness. But in all seriousness, your Cantonese is better than passable. I know a low of ABCs that don't speak as fluently as you do. Their pronunciation of the limited words they know may sound more Chinese, but their conversational skills are severely lacking.
If you can't hit hard, hit them where they're soft.
Be charitable when listening to people, but always ask questions.