​From memes to puns: Hong Kong protesters turn to humour

Newstrotteur (France), 11 Feb

There are many variations of memes about “mothers” – a nod to a common Cantonese insult – after Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, in an emotional interview, called herself mother of Hong Kong, forced to discipline one’s child. “Hong Kong's culture has always been to react to power with satire ... that is why many of Stephen Chow's films are based on this,” said Asst Prof Liew Kai Khiun, who studies popular culture at NTU. “The kind of pun you see in Cantonese, you don't see in Mandarin. It's a very irreverent and vernacular street language.”