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A Cantonese Fan

from London

Polyglot Grace Njoku learns Cantonese by herself and
shares her learning experience on YouTube.

By Winkie Ng

ike many Hongkongers, Grace so proud because I actually under- late. I just really hated that,” she re-
Njoku falls in love with celebrity stood it. (It was the) first drama I have calls.
LAnson Lo, member of a Can- watched without English subtitles,” “I like learning languages, so I was
tonese boy band Mirror after watch- the high school student says. like—Why not just try learning Can-
ing Hong Kong drama Ossan’s Love. Njoku’s passion for Cantonese was tonese? I just thought it will be fun
The 17-year-old Irish girl living in first ignited when she heard her Chi- and I will be able to understand,” the
London has been learning Cantonese nese friend’s mother speaking Can- Irish girl adds.
for four years. She can understand tonese in 2016. Njoku, who is now 17-year-old,
many slangs and jokes in the popular “I used to feel a bit left out. I never can speak six languages: English, Jap-
drama about gay love. really understood what was going on. anese, Mandarin, Cantonese, French
“I actually watched Ossan’s Love If her mum spoke to me, my friend and Igbo.
without any English subtitles. I was had to be the middle person to trans- “It (Cantonese) is always very ex-