The same written language?

[HKB]

yeah,
just like american english, Hongkong youngsters have developed a habit of invented new slangs once in a while.

[Michael Thigpen]

Actually, Cantonese and Mandarin are grammatically very very similar. There are very few differences between them in that respect. There are large differences in the usage of many words and also in vocabulary. The Cantonese dialectal characters are there to fill the gaps where there is a Cantonese word that does not exist in the modern set of Chinese characters.

But for the most part, Cantonese speakers will write in standard written Chinese and use the Common Standard Chinese grammar, vocabulary, and usage where there are differences.

Dialectal characters are normally used in pop magazines and publications and in personal communication. For anything official, standard written Chinese will be used.

[%sig%]

[pillare]

The diction of the two are different in the written word. However, in certain places like some entertainment magazines, etc. writers have got in the habit of writing cantonese down as the way it is spoken. Since spoken cantonese possess sounds and expressions that standard chinese lacks, people have made up new characters to represent these additional expressions and a Mandarin person might not be able to understand it.

[pk007]

Actually, Cantonese and Mandarin are grammatically very very similar. There are very few differences between them in that respect. There are large differences in the usage of many words and also in vocabulary. The Cantonese dialectal characters are there to fill the gaps where there is a Cantonese word that does not exist in the modern set of Chinese characters.

But for the most part, Cantonese speakers will write in standard written Chinese and use the Common Standard Chinese grammar, vocabulary, and usage where there are differences.

Dialectal characters are normally used in pop magazines and publications and in personal communication. For anything official, standard written Chinese will be used.

[%sig%]

Stop spreading propaganda.
If Cantonese and Mandarin had similar grammar, Mainlander wouldn't complain at Cantonese writing advertisements in Hong Kong.

[pk007]

There is a saying in Cantonese "約定成俗", i.e. when everyone make the same mistake, it becomes a rule. This happens a lot in Cantonese language, especially in Hong Kong. The younger generation has a lot of lazy tones and maluse of grammar. Sometimes, I don't understand what they say, but they can still communicate within their groups. I guess language here (Honh Kong) evolve everyday; hence, it's getting more and more complicated.

Even in Qing Dynasty, there were already many Cantonese people messing up N/L.
The phenomenon was even recorded down by foreign missionaries in Guangdong during Qing Dynasty.

[pk007]

Too much propaganda in here.
Cantonese people can't write in their own language.
When they write officially, they have to write in Standard Chinese that bases on Mandarin.

It is sin for a Cantonese write in Cantonese language.

[pk007]

For writing, Mandarin verses Cantonese is like British English verses American English. When an American call someone "sick", it may mean that the person is weird. A British may use "ill" instead. However, it is not hard for an American to communicate with a British.

ORLY?

哦，唔好講大話啦
廣東話同普通話係兩種唔同嘅語言囉，唔該

[pk007]

Actually many HK Cantonese words aren't made up. Many Cantonese vocabularies and words are from the old literatures.
It's the Chinese government try to make Cantonese an inferior language and claimed Cantonese is a language that can only speak but can't write.
So that it is easier for the Chinese government to cleanse Cantonese.'

[xng]

哦，唔好講大話啦
廣東話同普通話係兩種唔同嘅語言囉，唔該

The original character should be 毋 instead of 唔

[xng]

Actually many HK Cantonese words aren't made up. Many Cantonese vocabularies and words are from the old literatures.

All chinese languages can be written via classical chinese (therefore, chinese characters) except for some non sinitic words.