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Hakka becoming more popular

Learning to speak Hakka and gaining a better understanding of Hakka culture have become increasingly popular in Taiwan in recent years, the nation's top official in charge of Hakka affairs said yesterday.

Council for Hakka Affairs Chairman Lee Yung-teh (李永得) said that both Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) had passed a beginner's Hakka proficiency test in the past two years, demonstrating the increasing enthusiasm in Taiwan about learning the language.

Lee made his remarks yesterday at the National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences, where he oversaw this year's nationwide Hakka proficiency test.

The one-day test was held simultaneously in major cities across the nation.

The optional test has been held once a year since 2005.

The test is divided into oral and written sections.

Test takers may choose to be tested in any of the four Hakka dialects in both sections, printed announcements posted at a Taipei test center said.

Those who pass the test are awarded a Hakka language proficiency certificate by the council.

Although the test is not mandatory, there is an increasing number of people interested in taking it.

"This year, 8,266 people around the nation signed up to take the test, increasing the number of test takers by 2,648 as compared to last year," council spokesman Yang Yu-kun (楊鈺崑) said during a telephone interview.

Yang said that people under the age of 40 and students were among the fastest-growing groups taking the test.

"Sixty percent of people who signed up for the test this year were under 40, while last year, this age group made up only 40 percent of all test takers," Yang said.

"There was also an 11 percent increase in the number of test takers who are still attending school," he said.

Chen Chin-lu (陳欽祿), 29, took the test just to prove his Hakka proficiency.

"I took the test just to get the certificate, [though] the certificate won't do me any good," he said.

Chen Jui-yu (陳瑞玉), a mother, encouraged her 10-year-old child to take the test so that he wouldn't forget his roots, she said.

Liu Shih-chien (劉詩茜) and Liu Shih-peng (劉詩芃) are two sisters who took the test together.

Although the sisters are half Hakka, they said that they normally don't speak Hakka at home.

"But we did speak Hakka a lot at home before taking the test," Liu Shih-chien said.
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