Ahmad
Born in Pakistan, Ahmad came to Hong Kong with his family in around ten. He is now in his forties, and owes a security company in Hong Kong. Being fluent in Urdu (the official language in Pakistan), and Sindhi (a regional language in Pakistan), he came to Hong Kong and further expanded his language repertoires.
Born in Pakistan, Ahmad came to Hong Kong with his family in around ten. He is now in his forties, and owes a security company in Hong Kong. Being fluent in Urdu (the official language in Pakistan), and Sindhi (a regional language in Pakistan), he came to Hong Kong and further expanded his language repertoires.
"I could understand Cantonese and do speak a little...but English is the language that I use at anytime, anywhere, with everyone."
Ahmad studied at a local school in Hong Kong and acquired up to lower secondary education. It was a time when most of his English and Cantonese knowledge came from. When asked about what language he uses most frequently, English is his only answer. "You have to know how to speak English. It is a universal language around the world and also the official language in Hong Kong." But how about his native languages? Ahmad admitted that he only uses Urdu and Sindhi with his parents and sometimes with his Pakistani friends and co-workers. He sees Urdu and Sindhi as not very important in Hong Kong. Even within the Pakistani community, people communicate not solely in these two languages but in a mixture with English. "Though I'm not using it very frequently now, I'm glad that i could use them back in Pakistan."
"As i'm settling in Hong Kong, I don't see there is an urge for my children to learn Urdu or Sindhi."
Ahmad is married with a Pakistani wife and has two children under ten. Children are currently studying full-time at a local school in Hong Kong, and speak fluent English and Cantonese. Will Ahmad wish his children to learn Urdu or Sindhi? He replied with certainty that he would pass on the mother tongue languages, but not as a compulsory language requirement for his children. Ahmad thinks that children will have better development and growth in Hong Kong than in Pakistan, and foresees that the family will be settling in Hong Kong for generations. "I don't need my children to be very fluent in Urdu and Sindhi. As long as they can communicate well at home (could understand their grandparents) and within the Pakistani community, I think it's well enough." He said.