[BITList] HONG KONG

[HUGH]

The debate on Scottish independence continues.  But, what has this to do with Hong Kong? I hear you ask.  In today's Herald, in a discussion on some aspects of the above, there's a letter from a man who spent a good many years as a Career Officer of the British Council in Africa, and the Middle and Far East. He resigned in Hong Kong after become disillusioned, and among the memorabilia he retained is a copy of a memo sent back to London HQ (where else) by the BC education advisor, reporting on a visit to HK by Scottish academics. I gather the visit had to do with making HK aware of opportunities for study at Scottish universities.  The memo says, inter alia :

4.3  Scotland is actually difficult to sell in Hong Kong .... The problems are: four-year degree courses, cold weather, long way from London and a funny and difficult accent.

4.4   In Cantonese, the word for "Britain" is actually "England", ie, they are the same word. To talk about Scotland, or Wales, you need to use an entirely different word. When Chinese people think of Britain, they think and say "England".

What utter shite. I have this odd vision of Chinese people going around saying "England", presumably while also thinking it.  And when Chinese ladies lie back and think of England, do they say "Britain".  It's all far too complicated for the likes of me.

Hugh.
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