Unravelling Kongish : endonormativity and language ideologies among insiders

Abstract

Kongish, characterized by its distinct Cantonese flair and political undertones, primarily uses the Latin alphabet and harnesses the visual and symbolic assets of social media platforms. As it gains traction as a playful and subversive language practice in online spaces (Li et al., 2020), pressing queries arise. How do users across demographics perceive Kongish? How does its recognition measure up against more established language varieties like Hong Kong English and Singlish? Crucially, can Kongish transition from a digital community practice to a broader local norm?

Prior research primarily analyses the screen data on the Kongish Daily Facebook page for the linguistic innovation and sociolinguistic status of Kongish. In contrast, this study addresses the overlooked aspect of the subscribers’ perspective, examining their perceptions of the form, function, and recognition of Kongish guided by Mollin’s (2006) framework. Perceptions are compared across three demographic variables: age, gender, and educational level, followed by a comparison of the perceived recognition of Kongish, Hong Kong English, and Singlish. Given the evolving socio-political contexts and technological trends in Hong Kong, the study also provides a diachronic perspective on Kongish within the local context. It concludes with an evaluation of Kongish’ endonormativity and developmental trajectory within the local community.

This study employs a qualitative approach to explore participants’ language experiences. The approach initiates with an analysis of post comments, engagement data, and subscriber demographics on Kongish Daily. Through keyword analysis of the post comments, interview questions are formulated. Subsequently, purposive sampling is used to select participants. The research has a longitudinal dimension, with six focus-group interviews conducted in both May 2016 and November 2020 to analyse shifts in language perspectives. Finally, a blended approach of Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA) and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) is adopted to interpret the interview data.

Our results show that most participants perceive Kongish as inherently spontaneous and organic, reflecting their individuality during social communication. They also note the rising prominence of Kongish in public spheres, from pop culture to marketing and branding. Culturally, Kongish is seen as a channel for locals to echo Hong Kong’s core values, fortify their solidarity, and uphold the integrity of Cantonese. However, this recognition comes with challenges, as there exists tension when Kongish is juxtaposed against Standard English norms. Mature participants are hesitant to use Kongish but increasingly accept it when interacting with the youth. The study therefore suggests a cautious optimism while evaluating its communality as a norm in Hong Kong – while Kongish is gaining traction, its acceptance and integration into the society remain works in progress.

By exploring the experiences and perceptions of Kongish users, this study unveils Kongish’s broader implications for local identity, solidarity, and the role of Cantonese amidst social and political tensions in Hong Kong. It addresses a gap in assessing the communality of a bottom-up language practice initiated by an online community, and offers insights into the broader interplay of language, identity, and power in the rapidly changing urban context.