{"id":221,"date":"2014-07-08T14:47:03","date_gmt":"2014-07-08T19:47:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/wong2014\/?page_id=221"},"modified":"2024-05-23T11:03:52","modified_gmt":"2024-05-23T16:03:52","slug":"language","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/ain\/language\/","title":{"rendered":"Language"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_fullwidth_header title=”Language” text_orientation=”center” background_overlay_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0.34)” _builder_version=”4.25.0″ title_font_size=”50px” background_color=”rgba(255, 255, 255, 0)” background_image=”https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/ain\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/368\/2024\/03\/Language_upright-e1710877927868.jpg” parallax=”on” custom_padding=”100px||100px|” text_shadow_style=”preset3″ global_colors_info=”{}” button_one_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_size__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_text_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_width__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_border_radius__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_letter_spacing__hover_enabled=”off” button_one_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off” button_two_bg_color__hover_enabled=”off”][\/et_pb_fullwidth_header][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”|||” custom_width_px=”695px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.24.2″ text_font_size=”15px” text_line_height=”2em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”42px||50px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

\"asialogo\"<\/p>\n

For Asian immigrants who now\u00a0call the United States home,<\/strong> learning English is often more complex than simply acquiring a second set of linguistic skills. While knowing the language remains necessary for effective communication, finding jobs, and interacting with communities across the country, it does lead many immigrant families to a difficult cultural crossroad. As our storytellers reveal, some may strongly encourage their children to speak English, just like Americans. Others may feel that by switching to English they forfeit a profound connection to their roots, ultimately creating an identity crisis, out of which each individual must navigate oneself: Does the usefulness of English outweigh the loss of a heritage language? Can they have it both ways?<\/p>\n

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[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#e2e2e2″ custom_padding=”|15px||15px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.1″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

Pei Yang\u00a0<\/strong>– “[My children asked] why do I have to learn Chinese? Other people don\u2019t have to learn Chinese; why do I have to do that? Because it is quite hard to learn…. Then I said learning Chinese would give you an advantage… This is our secret code.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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Pei Yang Transcription<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
Everyone going through the so called adolescence, teenagers are always rebellious, relatively rebellious. Why do I have to learn Chinese? Other people don\u2019t have to learn Chinese; why do I have to do that? Because it is quite hard to learn…. Then I said learning Chinese would give you an advantage; don\u2019t you know? You… just think for a minute… When you did something wrong, do you want me to use English to scold you in front of your friends? Isn\u2019t it better to use Chinese? They don\u2019t know … what I scolded you for, whatever I said, this… this is our secret code. So there are advantages in speaking Chinese. Otherwise, you will lose face in front of your friends; you can\u2019t stand that.<\/span><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_video src=”https:\/\/youtu.be\/uQq43z-Fu7E” _builder_version=”4.25.1″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_video][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#ffffff” custom_padding=”|15px||15px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_video src=”https:\/\/youtu.be\/N4DGX61sZMY” _builder_version=”4.25.1″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_video][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]Naomi Munggai<\/strong> – “I know that there’s kind of resistance sometimes. It’s like…’I have to keep to my language. I’m not going to study your language because that will make me something else.’ It’s as if learning a… language will make you any less Asian, or whatever that is.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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Naomi Munggai Transcription<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
I think… I guess the first advice I have for anybody who comes into this country is to learn the language. You gotta be… willing… to learn… how to speak English. I mean how can you survive in this country and you don\u2019t speak English? I know that there\u2019s kind of resistance sometimes. It\u2019s like ‘I have to keep, I have to, I have to keep to my language. I\u2019m not going to study your language because that will make me something else.’ It\u2019s as if learning a… the language will kind of make you any less Asian, or whatever that is, you know. And this is what I don\u2019t understand. This is my question to a lot of my friends. Why is it that they can never learn to speak English properly? I don\u2019t understand that. Some of them have been here since 1975. They\u2019ve been here longer than I have. But their English is like: What? I didn\u2019t even understand what you\u2019re saying. How long have you been here? I am not belittling people. But my question is why is it that there\u2019s some of us… even though we have been in this country for years they cannot speak proper English. And because of that… I think, probably… people will say, like, you never really wanted to be an American did you? You, you, you\u2019re still holding onto your… identity. That you don\u2019t, you don\u2019t want to assimilate fully, or you\u2019re, you\u2019re holding onto it, and so you don\u2019t want to learn to speak like us. I mean, I don\u2019t know. That\u2019s just me.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>
\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#e2e2e2″ custom_padding=”|15px||15px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.1″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n

Hsiang-Lin Shih <\/strong>– “My worry would be more about my English expressions<\/span> […]. P<\/span><\/span>reviously that was more about fear, but recently it’s more about a learning opportunity.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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Hsiang-Lin Shih Transcription<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
My worry would be more about my English expressions. When I first came here, I was surprised because I was a TA in Seattle as a graduate student. But I never, I should say, if never, that seldom was criticized by my students, that my English was that good. But when I first came here for the first two years, I received evaluations saying that my English… was not good. And so I was mainly worried about that. I didn’t take that as discrimination, but I was very uneasy about that. But after a while, at St. Olaf, one, my English probably improved over time. And second, I became very comfortable in that I dare to make mistakes, and then even interact with my students to negotiate how you say this and how you say that.\u00a0 And how my Chinese Thinking is different from yours. So I became like self assertive that I don’t need to worry about that. And that is, can be considered as a good opportunity for both cultures to learn from one another. So I think that\u2019s also my change of mindset. Previously that was more about fear, but recently it’s more about a learning opportunity<\/span><\/span>. <\/span><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_video src=”https:\/\/youtu.be\/FnIU5dPYhXM” _builder_version=”4.25.1″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_video][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|15px||15px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_video src=”https:\/\/youtu.be\/LRIAVQxbryE” _builder_version=”4.25.1″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_video][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

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Toui Mohlke\u00a0<\/strong>– “It’s good to be proud of your heritage, but…, you know, you also have to learn the language and do your best to succeed here.”<\/span><\/div>\n
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Toui Mohlke Transcription<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
It\u2019s good to be proud of your heritage, but, but, you know, you also have to… learn the language and do your best to succeed here. One of my regrets is, is my loss of my, you know, native language. That\u2019s a big regret for me, but at, at the time when we came here my parents really emphasized doing well in school and that meant, you know, learning English. I walked into kindergarten not knowing a word of English. I was not yet five years old, but they… they did some tests on me and I knew French, so they figured that was good enough, I guess. So, kindergarten was a blur to me, but you know, ever- I mean my parents always said just keep speaking English. You\u2019re…\u00a0going to be successful in that way. And… and when we came to Minnesota there wasn\u2019t a, a very big Asian population. So, all my friends were American and so I spoke English all the time. So, I, that\u2019s one of my regrets is, is not keeping my language skills.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#e2e2e2″ custom_padding=”|15px||15px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.1″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

Jane Murakami\u00a0<\/strong>– “Learning English is vital. … And I don’t say that to take away their native language. But … Americans don’t seem to be very tolerant if you can’t communicate.”<\/p>\n

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Jane Murakami Transcription<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
Learning English is vital. Um… that… and I don\u2019t say that to take away their native language. But… Americans don\u2019t seem to be very tolerant if, if you can\u2019t communicate. I… Fargo\/Moorhead is where I, I moved down here from. And they have a large… new American population. That they… have quite a few refugees that they, that Lutheran Social Services brought in. And that\u2019s the one… barrier that I think… they struggle with. A friend of mine is a teacher in… an elementary school and said there were 27 different languages. And to try to, to try to get the kids assimilated and… you know and then to have young children serving as interpreters for medical or legal or…, I think would be very, very difficult.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_video src=”https:\/\/youtu.be\/EmhxrSXr9vg” _builder_version=”4.25.1″ global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_video][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For Asian immigrants who now\u00a0call the United States home, learning English is often more complex than simply acquiring a second set of linguistic skills. While knowing the language remains necessary for effective communication, finding jobs, and interacting with communities across the country, it does lead many immigrant families to a difficult cultural crossroad. As our […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":849,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"

For Asian immigrants who now\u00a0call the United States home,<\/strong> learning English is often more complex than simply acquiring a second set of linguistic skills. While knowing the language remains necessary for effective communication, finding jobs, and interacting with communities across the country, it does lead many immigrant families to a difficult cultural crossroad. As our storytellers reveal, some may strongly encourage their children to speak English, just like Americans. Others may feel that by switching to English they forfeit a profound connection to their roots, ultimately creating an identity crisis, out of which each individual must navigate oneself: Does the usefulness of English outweigh the loss of a heritage language? Can they have it both ways?<\/p>

Jane Murakami\u00a0<\/strong>- \"Learning English is vital. ... And I don't say that to take away their native language. But ... Americans don't seem to be very tolerant if you can't communicate.\"<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

[iframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/DM-JGkce8qs?rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen]<\/p>

Jane Murakami Transcription<\/p>

Learning English is vital. Um... that... and I don\u2019t say that to take away their native language. But... Americans don\u2019t seem to be very tolerant if, if you can\u2019t communicate. I... Fargo\/Moorhead is where I, I moved down here from. And they have a large... new American population. That they... have quite a few refugees that they, that Lutheran Social Services brought in. And that\u2019s the one... barrier that I think... they struggle with. A friend of mine is a teacher in... an elementary school and said there were 27 different languages. And to try to, to try to get the kids assimilated and... you know and then to have young children serving as interpreters for medical or legal or..., I think would be very, very difficult.<\/p>

[iframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/B1JXgOYkEjQ?rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen]<\/p>

Naomi Munggai<\/strong> - \"I know that there's kind of resistance sometimes. It's like...'I have to keep to my language. I'm not going to study your language because that will make me something else.' It's as if learning a... language will make you any less Asian, or whatever that is.\"<\/span><\/p>

Naomi Munggai Transcription<\/p>

I think... I guess the first advice I have for anybody who comes into this country is to learn the language. You gotta be... willing... to learn... how to speak English. I mean how can you survive in this country and you don\u2019t speak English? I know that there\u2019s kind of resistance sometimes. It\u2019s like 'I have to keep, I have to, I have to keep to my language. I\u2019m not going to study your language because that will make me something else.' It\u2019s as if learning a... the language will kind of make you any less Asian, or whatever that is, you know. And this is what I don\u2019t understand. This is my question to a lot of my friends. Why is it that they can never learn to speak English properly? I don\u2019t understand that. Some of them have been here since 1975. They\u2019ve been here longer than I have. But their English is like: What? I didn\u2019t even understand what you\u2019re saying. How long have you been here? I am not belittling people. But my question is why is it that there\u2019s some of us... even though we have been in this country for years they cannot speak proper English. And because of that... I think, probably... people will say, like, you never really wanted to be an American did you? You, you, you\u2019re still holding onto your... identity. That you don\u2019t, you don\u2019t want to assimilate fully, or you\u2019re, you\u2019re holding onto it, and so you don\u2019t want to learn to speak like us. I mean, I don\u2019t know. That\u2019s just me.<\/p>

Pei Yang\u00a0<\/strong>- \"[My children asked] why do I have to learn Chinese? Other people don\u2019t have to learn Chinese; why do I have to do that? Because it is quite hard to learn.... Then I said learning Chinese would give you an advantage... This is our secret code.\"<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\u00a0<\/p><\/div>

\u00a0<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

[iframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ixPwXDu0n-M?rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen]<\/p><\/div>

Pei Yang Transcription<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Everyone going through the so called adolescence, teenagers are always rebellious, relatively rebellious. Why do I have to learn Chinese? Other people don\u2019t have to learn Chinese; why do I have to do that? Because it is quite hard to learn.... Then I said learning Chinese would give you an advantage; don\u2019t you know? You... just think for a minute... When you did something wrong, do you want me to use English to scold you in front of your friends? Isn\u2019t it better to use Chinese? They don\u2019t know ... what I scolded you for, whatever I said, this... this is our secret code. So there are advantages in speaking Chinese. Otherwise, you will lose face in front of your friends; you can\u2019t stand that.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\u00a0<\/p>

[iframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uiFPWY9vuBQ?rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen]<\/p>

Toui Mohlke\u00a0<\/strong>- \"It's good to be proud of your heritage, but..., you know, you also have to learn the language and do your best to succeed here.\"<\/span><\/p>

Toui Mohlke Transcription<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

It\u2019s good to be proud of your heritage, but, but, you know, you also have to... learn the language and do your best to succeed here. One of my regrets is, is my loss of my, you know, native language. That\u2019s a big regret for me, but at, at the time when we came here my parents really emphasized doing well in school and that meant, you know, learning English. I walked into kindergarten not knowing a word of English. I was not yet five years old, but they... they did some tests on me and I knew French, so they figured that was good enough, I guess. So, kindergarten was a blur to me, but you know, ever- I mean my parents always said just keep speaking English. You\u2019re...\u00a0going to be successful in that way. And... and when we came to Minnesota there wasn\u2019t a, a very big Asian population. So, all my friends were American and so I spoke English all the time. So, I, that\u2019s one of my regrets is, is not keeping my language skills.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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