Answering in English a waste of time: Carrie Lam

edith208

http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1404913-20180703.htm
The Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Tuesday that she was sick of "wasting time" speaking to reporters in English when she has often already said what she wanted to say in Cantonese.

Lam was responding to a question from an RTHK reporter on land supply as she met the media ahead of the weekly Executive Council meeting.

"Well, I think in future we'd better arrange simultaneous interpretation for this media standup because I kept on repeating the answers at each standup. I have answered exactly the same question in Cantonese, so I'm going to repeat what I said," the CE replied.

"But in future, the Director of Information Services may consider a better arrangement so that we don't need to waste time," she added.

RTHK's question was the only one put to Lam in English at the media standup, with three others asked in Cantonese.

In response to media enquires, a spokeswoman for the public broadcaster said the station's journalist had asked a proper question and the CE had responded to it.

English is an official language in Hong Kong and is usually used alongside Chinese for all major communication by the government.

In May, Lam told lawmakers that she would be willing to speak in English in the Legislative Council if they thought this would be a good way to improve English standards in the city.

edith208

What's the pointing of learning English in HK? Let Shanghai and Shenzhen surpass our kids receiving less and less English exposure

ilyrd

I think her meaning is that : "if I have answered in one language, no need to waste time to repeat the answer in other language."If it is the case, then I agree with her. She will answer in English, Cantonese or even Mandarin that depending on the language of question. It is also respect to the reporters.

edith208

ilyrd 發表於 18-7-4 09:25
I think her meaning is that : "if I have answered in one language, no need to waste time to repeat t ...

She was asked another question.
Anyway, she set a very bad example.

Cheeselover

What a stupid response to the press. Even though the question was repeated in same language, she should have said the unnecessary of answering again; it’s a proper way to deal with the media. Now, she is involved in language discrimination. This incident will be her Achilles’ heel in language policy of the government in future.

esmetam67

回覆 ilyrd 的帖子

splash

She was referring to answering the same question in English again.  Reporters did that because they want to have the voice record of the answer in English for English Channel.

73662710

splash 發表於 18-7-6 13:52
She was referring to answering the same question in English again.  Reporters did that because they  ...

Time is precious.
Its really a waste of time if she has to give the same answer in another language.
If everybody has to repeat the same point in 2 or 3 languages, What is the point of mastering well both Chinese and English on which we always emphasize.

shadeslayer

73662710 發表於 18-7-7 11:39
Time is precious.
Its really a waste of time if she has to give the same answer in another language. ...

Yes, but the optic was terrible.

JustAParent

splash 發表於 18-7-6 13:52
She was referring to answering the same question in English again.  Reporters did that because they  ...

哈哈，行內人叫呢Ｄ做 "sound bite"，低能既官先會提議安排即時傳譯代替。

做咗幾廿年官，做埋特首，好好打喎，真係笑死人。許Sir都知要"Recap in English"啦。

cornelius

edith208 發表於 18-7-3 15:23
http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1404913-20180703.htm
The Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on ...

Lam has her point and reason.... but she couldn't think of the consequence of having made her comment.