there are many asians at my school, and most of them speak their mother tongue, be it korean, chinese, japanese, or others. so it is generally safe to assume that these asians are immigrants who didn't born in the usa right? in oppose to the ones who are 2nd generation or 3rd who speak english to each other? and may not even know their own mother tongue?
They could be first generation Korean/Chinese/Japanese/Whatever-Americans due to the fact that their parents might not speak English they are usually raised bilingual with English being taught by their parents or the school.
I'm a first generation Australian and my parents while aren't that great they do speak English so I speak to them in both languages. It's better not to make any assumptions at all.
If I'm using the term first generation and so on incorrectly please tell me.
Accidental sage.
Just because there are whites here in Asia who speaks English is it safe to assume they're all American or English?
Maybe they don't want to speak English...
>>6
I know right. If I knew someone who knew my mother tongue, I would pretty much speak to them in the language all the time. It's a lot more personal and besides, you can speak on much more varied subjects, and in plenty of languages you can convey your emotions better than through english.
I dunno, I know a lot of Asian people who are born here [America] but speak their mother tongue. I think a lot of them very into that "Asian pride" thing, or maybe they just want to stick to their roots. Sometimes it's also a feeling of being in a group that is like you, being surrounded by people like you.
I am Chinese, born in America, but would prefer to speak Chinese to my Chinese friends, whether they were born here or in China or whatever.
really? here there are many asians, yet it seems to be the case that if they are born in america, a lot of them don't know their mother tongue. and then the ones that do know how to speak their mother tongue are those who have moved to the us recently and basically speak nothing but their own language.
We have a lot of those, too. I know a lot of Asians who are born here and speak zero of their mother tongue. I guess I was mostly refferring to those who do know their mother tongue...
Maybe it's just the thing in OUR school. Everyone has this obsession with speaking their mother tongue to other people who speak the same language. And if you're Asian and can't speak your mother tongue, well then, you're screwed, considered white-washed, and are looked down upon by the Asian community = =... Although I don't agree with that...
I think it's also because those who don't understand your language find it kinda cool and you get some attention from speaking your language. I dunno, but as an American-born Chinese who speaks Chinese and English and is friends with a lot of immigrants, this is what I gathered.
I'm an Australian born Laotian. I don't speak my native tongue unless I need to speak with my parents or relatives. I never speak my mother tongue especially when white people are around. It's generally safer if they think you've been white washed (as 10 said) and I get the feeling other people think it's rude to be speaking another language while they around. I don't want them to think I'm talking behind their back.
There are rare cases where I do speak Lao with other people but that is of course when I'm insulting them and don't want them to know.
Australian born Chinese. Many assumptions are made based upon our appearance. I think any ABCs can relate to that inevitable "Where are you from?" question from caucasian Aussies. And whilst most first gens do not know their mother tongue, there are quite a fair few who do. Although we don't really use it to speak to anyone other than family or overseas...perhaps the occasional gossip with a friend.