Why talking two languages with my children creates a particular cultural connection between our Chinese language and English heritages.
From simpler journey experiences, higher cognitive talents, and elevated creativity and open-mindedness, having the ability to communicate two languages has its fair proportion of advantages. As well as, it creates a particular cultural connection between those that perceive the identical languages.
Right here’s a narrative of how one mom is educating her children to embrace their tradition by mixing languages, creating jokes, and having enjoyable with phrases.
Associated: How Watching Chinese language YouTube Movies Helped Our Household Study Our Native Language
Rising up bilingual
My dad and mom immigrated to Canada from Hong Kong within the Seventies. Till the age of 5, I solely spoke Cantonese. Then after I entered college, I began selecting up English. It was solely a matter of time earlier than I turned fluent in each languages.
Cantonese was the language I spoke at house and with household; English was the language I spoke in school and with mates. And my sisters have been the identical. So we liked making phrases up that mixed each languages.
Arising with a language my dad and mom could not perceive
We made up our personal Pin Yin system. Pin Yin means “Spell Sound”. It’s a way of spelling Chinese language phrases with the letters of the Latin alphabet based mostly on how they’re pronounced. Then we’d abbreviate sure phrases that our dad and mom didn’t need us saying reminiscent of slang and profanity.
As an example, once we talked about somebody we didn’t like, we’d say “PK”. PK (踣街) stands for “Puk Gai” and straight interprets to “fall on the road”. It’s a frequent Cantonese curse phrase that when stated to a different individual means they need them to drop useless.
It was an inside joke that our dad and mom by no means understood and created an eternal bond between us siblings.
Simply the opposite day, my sister texted me to say she was getting into for her efficiency overview at work. I responded with the phrases, “Add Oil” (加油, “ga yau”) which is a Chinglish (Chinese language + English) expression of help and encouragement. It references including gasoline to an engine to rev it up.
If I wrote that to somebody who didn’t perceive this, they’d have thought I used to be giving them a recipe for a stir-fry.
Carrying on the within joke for the following era
My husband and I each communicate Cantonese and English. We’ve got our shared language as effectively. His nickname for me is WJM which stands for “wu jo mau” (污糟貓) and interprets to “soiled cat”. It’s a phrase that folks name their youngsters after they don’t clear their rooms. I can tolerate messes a bit greater than he can.
My nickname for him is WSM which stands for “wai sik mau” (為食貓) and interprets to “grasping for meals cat”. He’s a foodie who likes to eat and is at all times craving one thing.
Once we had our youngsters, we needed to protect our native language so we solely spoke Cantonese to them. We have been elevating our youngsters in the identical atmosphere we grew up in; subsequently, we knew we’d have extra in frequent with them than our dad and mom did with us.
Nevertheless, I by no means anticipated I’d be carrying the particular cultural connection by way of laughter and jokes.
My husband and I each communicate Cantonese and English. We’ve got our shared language as effectively. His nickname for me is WJM which stands for “wu jo mau” (污糟貓) and interprets to “soiled cat”. It’s a phrase that folks name their youngsters after they don’t clear their rooms. I can tolerate messes a bit greater than he can.
My nickname for him is WSM which stands for “wai sik mau” (為食貓) and interprets to “grasping for meals cat”. He’s a foodie who likes to eat and is at all times craving one thing.
Once we had our youngsters, we needed to protect our native language so we solely spoke Cantonese to them. We have been elevating our youngsters in the identical atmosphere we grew up in; subsequently, we knew we’d have extra in frequent with them than our dad and mom did with us.
Nevertheless, I by no means anticipated I’d be carrying the particular cultural connection by way of laughter and jokes.
An evening of laughter and linguistics
Just lately, my daughter and I skilled a second the place I received to see my inside joke go full circle.
We have been studying a guide earlier than mattress about a bit monster who finds a misplaced pet. He brings him house and takes care of it. As I’m translating the English story in my head and studying it aloud in Cantonese, I by chance say that the pet turned his “pet” as an alternative of utilizing the Chinese language phrase for “pet”.
My daughter seems at me and begins to smile. I’m confused. I understand that I stated an English phrase as an alternative of a Chinese language phrase. However what was so humorous about that?
As she bursts into laughter, she says that I stated a foolish factor. I nonetheless don’t know what was occurring so ask her, “What did Mommy say?”
She’s now received tears streaming out of her eyes whereas she struggles to comprise herself, “You stated his pet turned his butt.”
I begin to snigger too as a result of if you say the English phrase “pet”, it sounds just like the Cantonese phrase “噼” which is a infantile time period for buttocks.
We’re each holding our bellies and laughing as I attempt to end studying the guide. I hand over. I put the guide down. We’re each laying on the mattress, taking turns saying the phrase “pet” and beginning the laughing match once more.
Embracing each my cultural influences
As I mirror on that night time, I spotted the importance of experiences like these for my children. I grew up divided between my Chinese language and Canadian upbringing, by no means feeling like I belonged in both. My dad and mom couldn’t empathize with my experiences as a result of they didn’t develop up in Canada. Though we may communicate the identical language, numerous these cultural nuances have been misplaced in translation.
Nevertheless, by way of elevating my children, I’m in a position to cement my sense of identification, recognize each cultural influences and create one which I’m happy with. Sharing this made-up language with my children has empowered them to be taught extra about their cultures.
The extra they perceive either side of the coin, the extra they will acknowledge the distinctive experiences of being a Chinese language Canadian and the stronger their sense of self-worth turns into. Not like me, they gained’t really feel like they want to decide on one tradition over one other. As a substitute, they will actually embrace the totally different components of who they’re.
And if which means I’ve to get artistic, make jokes, and snigger alongside the best way? I’m all in…no ifs, ands, or butts about it!