I have wondered if some of the speech patterns aren't precursors
to code-switching (something I have noted in the Hispanic community in
which I live, as well as the Latvian emigre community I sometimes find
myself involved with).
Also, even though English is privileged over Cantonese, I am
assuming that these children you speak of are actually in position of
privilege compared to other Cantonese speakers. Having watched the
Taiwanese film "Eat man, drink woman" (I hope that title is correct.) I
was interested in the use of English words the way I have noted English
speakers to incorporate French vocabulary, as a way of establishing
social prestige.
When I was in Latvia two years ago, friends there complained
about the sudden growth of English words. For my first week there, I saw
very little evidence of English, because I was looking about for English
words, in English. The next week I noted that within Latvian texts there
was a lot of English embedded - in order to give the text social
prestige and a certain 'au courant' elegance.
Anyway, just a thought.
Phillip White
Cotton Creek Elementary
Westminster, CO