ABSTRACT
This examines whether British English (BrE), the variety of English most entrenched in Hong Kong due to colonial rule, is still held in prestige in this territory particularly among the first generation of postcolonial Hong Kongers who may not have any affinity or identification with the United Kingdom (UK), and consequently, BrE. An in-depth examination of attitudes towards HKE was also conducted in 2017 to determine whether school status and nationality impacts language attitudes. Participants were also asked which variety(s) of English they spoke, and why. The participants could choose from a list of different varieties of English and could select multiple options. The reasons why participants felt they spoke a given variety of English was also explored; as there were no significant differences by year, gender, identity, age or school status, these differences are presented in aggregate form.
