A language between two empires

With the predominance of the Portuguese language in Macau, in legal and administrative systems, and the importance of Mandarin, as China’s national language, the position of Cantonese  is indefinite. While it may be the language most widely spoken by Macau people, it’s unclear if it will ever be considered an official language.
Until 2049, Portuguese and Chinese will remain Macau’s official languages. But for many, it’s unclear what “Chinese” means here, and what lies behind it. Does it refer to the group of related varieties of Chinese spoken across the country, Cantonese included, or does it refer to Mandarin?
The matter is rather controversial, particularly in Hong Kong, and has been the subject of intense political debate. Although the official web-
page of the HKSAR government now states that Cantonese, Mandarin and English are the official languages, an article published last year on the Education Bureau website read: “Although the Basic Law stipulates that Chinese and English are the two official languages in Hong Kong, nearly 97 percent of the local population learn Cantonese (a Chinese dialect that is not an official language) as their commonly used daily language.” The statement sparked controversy, leading the bureau to promptly take down the article.
In Macau, the Office of the Chief Executive clarified that the word “Chinese” in Macau’s Basic Law refers only to its written form, and does not refer to a specific spoken dialect. “There’s no interpretation. Both Mandarin and Cantonese are largely used by the government and Macau’s population.”
Scholar Rui Rocha, an expert in Chinese history, language and culture, believes that Cantonese is not considered an official language due to “political matters.”
Brian Chan, a linguist from the University of Macau, thinks that the Macau government – without saying it openly – discusses that question in Cantonese. “I don’t know why they don’t want to take a firm position, but in every cabinet they speak Cantonese. I think it’s fair to say it is the de facto official language.”
Rocha recalled that the language’s current status has historical roots: although widely spoken by Macau’s population, the language has always lived between the two “empires” that have ruled the territory.
“Two ‘linguistic imperialists’ were brought together here: Portugal and China,” he recalled, adding that the motto of China’s language reform stated, “one nation, one people, one language,” which “shows that the country does not welcome other languages.”
Mandarin became an official language in 1913, although the majority of China’s population did not speak it. Professor Rui Rocha recalled that Sun Yat-sen, the first Chinese president, even campaigned for Cantonese, as he believed that Mandarin was “a simplistic language” and that its choice would not be prestigious for China.
On the other hand, Macau also had to deal with the Portuguese language. The scholar lamented this fact, saying, “Macau was a colonial project; people would come here and speak the administration’s language. Portugal always regarded Cantonese as a language without prestige.”  MDT/Lusa