Language Matters: Dr Lisa Lim Discusses the Many Meanings that the Word ‘Shroff’ Carries and Their Origins

17 March 2017 (Friday) – online

Dr Lisa Lim, Associate Professor in the School of English, explores how the word ‘shroff’ has narrowed its scope of meaning with a rich history spanning several centuries in her fortnightly Post Magazine column: Language Matters.

“Money changer, silver expert, customs officer, court money collector, cashier’s office – a word originally borrowed by English from India, which coined it from Arabic, has meant different things down the years.”

Please click on the following link for the complete article:
http://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/2079497/where-word-shroff-came-and-its-many-meanings

Source: SCMP

Language Matters: Dr Lisa Lim Makes the Case for Renaming a Hong Kong Street

3 March 2017 (Friday) – online

Dr Lisa Lim, Associate Professor in the School of English, makes the case for renaming Upper Lascar Row, in her fortnightly Post Magazine column: Language Matters.

“Historical circumstances aside, mindful consideration of nomenclature is important in terms of respect and inclusivity. Consider the Lands Department’s 2010 ruling against the request by South Asians for a street name change on the grounds of mō lō ’s derogatory meaning, as well as TVB’s use of mo lo cha to refer to an Indian character in a 2015 series.

The cost of, say, renaming streets – places such as South Africa, Namibia and Berlin have changed colonial place names deemed politically incorrect or offensive – is incomparable with the price of a community’s dignity.”

Please click on the following link for the complete article:
http://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/2075502/where-word-lascar-and-cantonese-mo-lo-come-and

Source: SCMP Picture: Ren Publishing