The Hong Kong Government loves the versatile Latin word “cum”.
In case you haven’t figured it out yet, “cum” means “and” or “with”, and when the local authorities can’t figure out a good way to describe something that has multiple functions, they will simply use the word “cum”.
For example the city’s ubiquitous rubbish and recycling bins had large signs declaring them to be “LITTER CUM RECYCLABLES COLLECTION BIN”, until government officials finally got word about what people on the street were always sniggering about.
Eventually they affixed labels over the signs, replacing “cum” with “/” symbols.
But that lesson still hasn’t stopped the government from continuing to use the word, to the delight of immature Hongkongers (obviously, that does not include us).
The government proudly announced the “Ma On Shan old mine experience tour cum sharing with youth” in a press release on March 27.
The deputy director of home affairs, Patrick Li, visited a youth camp in Ma On Shan. Accompanied by local politicians and youngsters, he toured an old mining village and shared stories about the miners’ history.
So really, there is definitely no better way to describe it than “old mine experience tour cum sharing with youth activity”. Good job, government!
