Cantonese / Mandarin names and translation
In one of my stories, I have a community that primarily speaks English and Cantonese, but has a large minority of Mandarin speakers. It's completely made-up, so I can't tell you where it is.
Scenario:
A girl who only speaks Mandarin leaves a note on her dresser and then goes missing. When the police are called in, a Cantonese-speaking officer finds the note.
Questions:
- Will the officer be able to do a quick, on-the-spot translation of her note? I'm assuming that he can, since she can write it in traditional characters. If he can't, I'll have to throw someone else into the scene.
- Are there any common girl's names that exist in Mandarin, but not Cantonese? Or are common in Mandarin but really unusual in Cantonese? I'd like her to have one, since someone else entirely finds just her name written downin blood somewhere, and I want them to guess that she speaks Mandarin.
Scenario:
A girl who only speaks Mandarin leaves a note on her dresser and then goes missing. When the police are called in, a Cantonese-speaking officer finds the note.
Questions:
- Will the officer be able to do a quick, on-the-spot translation of her note? I'm assuming that he can, since she can write it in traditional characters. If he can't, I'll have to throw someone else into the scene.
- Are there any common girl's names that exist in Mandarin, but not Cantonese? Or are common in Mandarin but really unusual in Cantonese? I'd like her to have one, since someone else entirely finds just her name written down