The Beginning Of My Linguistics Journey
- jimmyaaepc
- 2025年10月28日
- 讀畢需時 2 分鐘
Growing Up as a Hong Konger
I was born in Hong Kong and raised by a traditional, authentic Chinese family. Growing up in Kwun Tong, I was surrounded by Cantonese, Mandarin, English, and the mixing of both. I wasn't a fan of English at first glance. Being told by my parents, there were approximately 1.4 billion people (Including Hong Kong) in China. It's quite meaningless to study English at that point when the living area was filled with Chinese.
Hence, during my primary years, I couldn't care less about English. Well, I did manage to attain a decent grade, but I wasn't really motivated to master it. However, my perception had altered due to a transformative event in my life. (You can check the story from the link below.*) Long story short, I embarrassed myself by failing to bargain with one of the locals in Singapore as my English oral skills were "not good enough". Consequently, that traumatic event had become my motivation for English enhancement.
Discovering the Power of Language
In my first year at UOWCHK**, I was introduced to concepts like phonology, morphology, syntax, etc. These terms once felt intimidating for me, as it was quite challenging to memorize the logic. But now it feels like the keys to unlocking human expression. I learned how sounds are created, how words are constructed, and how sentences are structured. It was like seeing language with many possibilities and imagination.
One lecture that stuck with me explored animal communication — the way animals shift between signals and their type of communications, such as auditory-vocal, visual, tactile, etc. Depending on context. It reminded me of my own conversations with friends, where we’d jump from Cantonese to English, sometimes sign language, without any hesitation. Suddenly, my everyday experiences became academic insights, and they reflected on how to apply these skills in real life.
Beyond the Classroom: My Next Chapter
As I continue my journey at UOW College Hong Kong, as a year 2 student, my goal is pretty straightforward — to achieve strong grades and earn a place in a Bachelor of Arts in English programme. I know it won’t be easy, but I’m dedicated to putting in the work, staying hungry and foolish, and growing as both a student and an explorer.
Apart from academics, I’ve started thinking seriously about my future career. I’m drawn to two very different but equally meaningful paths. One is to become a tutor, leading others to discover the power of English and bilingual communication just as I have. The other is to dive into the world of criminology, with the aspiration of joining the ICAC as an investigator — using communication, analysis, and moral standards to fight corruption and serve the public.
Whether I end up in a classroom or on a case, I know that acquiring English and digital communication's practical skills will be my greatest asset. This is just the beginning of my own journey, and I’m excited to see where language will take me next.
(The story of how that transformative event happened)
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