<p>Random question but title says it all. I'm basically fluent in cantonese, so would I mark this as another language I'm proficient in? Or would I just categorized Cantonese as Chinese (since it is a dialect)? Thanks!</p>
<p>Is there a box for it? What does it say? I didn’t think there is a Chinese language, there is Mandarin.</p>
<p>Chinese is the language, Mandarin and Cantonese are both dialects although the former is the current official one.</p>
<p>The Common App uses a drop-down box for the language section. The option is Chinese; there is no separate option for Mandarin vs. Cantonese.</p>
<p>One can argue whether this is right or wrong, since the CA gives different options for Dutch vs. Vlaams (Flemish) which in my mind are the same language.</p>
<p>Not if you’re Dutch…</p>
<p>I am also fluent in both Mandarin and Cantonese. The difference between the two is a kind of like between German and Swiss German, or Spanish in Europe and South America. </p>
<p>So…do you guys think I should list that I am proficient in Chinese? Since I’m not very in Mandarin. Does this section actually impact admissions at all?</p>
<p>You should be proficient at least in reading and writing. Even if you don’t speak or understand Mandarin perfectly, you should still be considered proficient in Chinese.</p>
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<p>lol, I do believe Chinese is a language where it’s easier to learn to speak it, than to read & write it…</p>
<p>@GMTplus7 That is true for non Chinese speaker, but OP already knows Chinese (Cantonese) but just not fluent in Mandarin.</p>
<p>Cantonese and Mandarin uses the same writing. Basically just a dialect.</p>
<p>^ Yeah. It seems GMTplus7 just doesn’t know what Cantonese is.</p>