Ethnicity and Equity: The Development of Linguistic Capital for a Subgroup of South Asian Individuals in Hong Kong

Abstract

The importance of Chinese language learning has received much policy attention in Hong Kong, with the transition into particular forms of employment requiring specific levels of Chinese language acquisition and competence. Acquirement of linguistic capital therefore becomes an essential component in processes of social mobility where those who do not have access to the appropriate resources (economic, cultural and social) become disadvantaged. This chapter explores the experiences of Chinese language learning for six individuals who describe themselves as part of a South Asian ethnic minority group. Through semi-structured interviews, participants recounted the limited access to Chinese they had in the family home and the ways in which this contributed to their experiences of structural inequalities.