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Hate it when idiots try to bully people into learning Mandarin instead. If you don't want to go to mainland China or Taiwan, then there is no reason to learn it. And the idea that mandarin is automatically easier to learn is bullshit. The language that is easier to learn is the one you use daily. And if OP and his family are speaking cantonese all the time, and they want to go to hong kong, it makes no sense whatsoever to try to learn mandarin on her own, and then try to pick up cantonese using that....
Besides, if you ever do want to, my understanding is that going from Cantonese to Mandarin is a lot easier than the other way around.
As for learning, the best way is to speak it as much as possible. This is something I have failed at since I don't talk much in the first place, English or otherwise. If you can speak and she can't, you should do what my wife and I DON'T do - talk to her in canto as much as you can. Also if she fucks up and sounds ridiculous, don't try to embarrass her or laugh at her, that is really annoying and discouraging. Keep it to yourself, and just correct her.
When I get back I am determined to start learning more. I'll probably get a lesson book or tapes or something, and have my wife help me with the pronunciation. Once I get enough grammar to converse, I will take it much more seriously. Putting off learning cantonese is something I am actually quite ashamed of.
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