The analysis on the previous page demonstrates different levels of language shift across three generations. All share a commonality that the first generation, coming from Shanghai to Hong Kong since the 1950s, have their roots gradually developed here and learn Cantonese meanwhile. Their next generation perceives Cantonese as a mainstream identity, recognizing its wide usage and even spirit of Hong Kong. Eventually, the third generation, born-and-raised in Hong Kong, sees Cantonese as their native language. The pattern illustrates how the language shift occurs across different generations, with the second case (i.e. medium gradual shift) as the most commonplace phenomenon in Hong Kong.

The first two analysis showcase another commonality - factors of language shift. Instrumental values, in particular socio-economic values, largely demotivate the third generation to pursue learning Shanghainese. Karina as cited in the first analysis (i.e. complete shift) comments that she would rather prefer other foreign language if she would like to learn a new one. In case two (i.e. medium and gradual shift), it is even marked that the first generation chooses to accommodate the youngest third generation by using Cantonese, which is believed to be a mainstream family language across all three generations. What makes case one having no inheritance of Shanghainese is further augmented that the informant, Karina, is less familiar with mother's side who speaks Shanghainese often. They also live far away from each other, demonstrating the effect of geographical proximity on language shift.

Nonetheless, the latter case showcases some instrumental advantages of learning Shanghainese and maintaining the language. Second-generation Lily encourages third-generation Dominik to learn Shanghainese for future business opportunities in China. Dan's (the informant) nephew in the third case (i.e. minor shift), Eric, is motivated to learn Shanghainese so that he can make friends with Shanghainese expatriates in Canada. As for integrative values, despite not a definite strength, they add on the motivations for the new generation to learn about their homeland. Karina shares her thought that learning Shanghainese connects her memory to Shanghai, even if she does not even understand Shanghainese. As Dan also adds, using Shanghainese for family communication equals higher intimacy.

Turnaround

Acknowledging the influences of a number of factors, such as physical dislocation and migration, socio-economic forces, family familiarity and geographical proximity, etc., we hope to have a turnaround in the language shift or at least motivate some changes in perceptions toward Shanghainese. This is correlated to the objectives of our project to promote language revitalization. Despite numerous obstacles that are ahead for raising awareness to speak Shanghainese, we would like to suggest a few steps in the hope of enriching the multilingual city, Hong Kong.

Family is always the root for socialization, where we believe that it shall also be the origin of spreading Shanghainese. Dominik, in the family which has medium and gradual shift from Shanghainese, has started to recognize the heritage behind Shanghainese and even link its significance to Shanghainese cuisine. It is admitted that children of Shanghainese families in Hong Kong may not have been surrounded by an environment that enables them to learn the home language. The first and foremost step that we suggest is therefore instilling the integrative values to children. Family shall somehow explain to children that the family origin is Shanghai and grasp good opportunities to visit their hometown during children's vacations. As they grow with increased recognition for Shanghainese, it is recommended that family can also instill instrumental benefits of learning Shanghainese. For instance, Dominik has been told by her mother, Lily, that learning Shanghainese can benefit him in the future for seeking business opportunities. Integrative and instrumental values foster language learning after all.

Government and institutional support to learning minority languages can have far-reaching implications. The Singaporean government, for example, allows the Chinese dialects to thrive with local campaigns. As Baker (1992) suggested, "through the status given to a language and through the teaching of a language, attitudes to a language may change". It is recommended that with more emphasis on multilingualism, the Hong Kong local government can cooperate with different Shanghainese clan associations in order to help maintain Shanghainese in terms of ethnolinguistic vitality. While students can have opportunities to appreciate foreign cultures such as French and Japanese, they should also be introduced with their own ancestral Chinese languages (or dialects) and cultures.

Limitations 

Albeit it is significant for our group to figure out three different degrees of shift from Shanghainese to Cantonese, we totally recognize our demerits of the research project and it has to be acknowledged that our micro-sociolinguistic data were collected from merely six interviewees. Due to the time constraint and other factors during this research project, the sample size might be too small to give a comprehensive analysis on the phenomenon. It would be better if more members of the Shanghainese community are involved and interviewed, so as to provide a more general conclusion. Still, as we believe that case two (i.e. the medium and gradual shift) being the most commonplace situation for most migrated Shanghainese families in Hong Kong, along with the presentations of more extreme and rare cases (i.e. complete and minor shifts), we hope to approach the issue of language shift from a more objective angle.