The (re)nationalization of Hong Kong: The nexus of language and social identity in 2002 and 2009

This research examined relationships between Hong Kong respondents’ choice of an official language (OL) for Hong Kong and their social identifications as Hong Kongers and as mainland Chinese. Two data sets were collected from Hong Kong university student respondents in 2002 (N = 241) and in 2009 (N = 188). Respondents indicated their OL choice by selecting from Cantonese, Putonghua, or English. ANOVA and logistic regression equations indicated that Hong Kong social identification predicted the Cantonese OL choice and mainland Chinese social identification predicted the Putonghua OL choice. Perceived instrumental value and self-rated language proficiency predicted the English OL choice. In addition, Cantonese OL choice frequencies and mean Hong Kong social identification scores increased between 2002 and 2009 whereas Putonghua OL choice frequencies and mean mainland Chinese social identification scores tended to decrease. We discuss implications of these findings for the Chinese government’s recent attempts to promote Putonghua and attachment to the Chinese mainland in Hong Kong.