Leading Bi-Cultural Lives | Asian American Poll

LEADING BI-CULTURAL LIVES
(Updated Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:24:34 PM to reflect the 100 most recent valid responses.)

Is it possible to embrace both American and Asian cultures and find social acceptance with both Americanized and non-Americanized groups of friends?
Yes | 77%
No | 23%

Which of the following factors is most important in facilitating a successful bi-cultural life?
Familitarity with both cultures | 32%
Family upbringing | 28%
Fluency in both languages | 16%
Security in one's identity | 24%

Which of the following factors most discourages bi-cultural lives for U.S.-raised Asian Americans?
Inability to speak Asian languages | 28%
Outmarriage to non-Asians | 14%
Fear of seeming too Asian | 30%
Concern for kids' image with peers | 28%

Which segment of the Asian American population currently has the greatest positive impact on American society?
American-Born | 56%
Foreign-born, American-educated | 44%

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WHAT YOU SAY

[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]

to AC Dropout

Don't know, haven't heard her say the word schedule yet, but I will ask when I next see her. Y'all is "you all", as opposed to calling everybody "you guys" including the girls! I thought that was wierd when I first heard it. "All y'all" is "all of you guys" except you substitute all for guys to be less gender specific. heheehe...ain't the American language funny?

Poo,
What you say may not even be as important as what you don't say. If you ain't got nothing nice to say, don't say nuthin' at all. How's about that, eh?
MLK Monday, April 22, 2002 at 11:21:48 (PDT)

I agree with Poo, faking an accent is so pretentious! If you have true self-confidence you don't need to be a faker.
? Monday, April 22, 2002 at 09:07:41 (PDT)

Poo,

Actually, experts say a positive outcome can depend more on how you say it, then what you say.
thought you might want to know. Monday, April 22, 2002 at 06:37:39 (PDT)

AC Dropout:

"y'all" is a contraction of "you all", which is a plural form of "you." I realize that in PROPER ENGLISH "you" plural is the same word as "you" singular, but you're supposed to discern it from the context--which isn't always easy. A lot of Northerners say "yous" or "yous guys" which (to a lot of Southerners and Texans) is a lot more harsh on the ears than "y'all."

By the way, I have heard a good number of AAs and others in So-Cal with Valley Girl/Surfer Dudes saying "Hey y'all" to their groups of friends. So even though this is a Southern idiom, it's heard elsewhere.
Hank Lewis Monday, April 22, 2002 at 06:32:35 (PDT)

Poo,

I think most stand up comedians would disagree with you. Delivery of a "rift" has many factors of sucess behind it involved to invoke laughter in an audience. A delivery that may work on one audience, may not exactly work on another.
AC dropout Sunday, April 21, 2002 at 17:46:33 (PDT)

MLK :

Hi!!! I can fake a pretty good Indiana MidWest Belle (Hick) accent!!

My friend and I...we like to sing Pop and R&B sings with the country accent. Just to joke around. What's funny about it is that she's a Kentucky native...so it's not like she doesn't have a tendency to talk like that on regular bases.
Beijing Angelique Sunday, April 21, 2002 at 13:13:15 (PDT)

Its not HOW you say it, its WHAT you say. If you have something intelligent, interesting, or humourous to say, you don't need to fake an accent. How pathetic.
Poo Friday, April 19, 2002 at 11:41:23 (PDT)

MLK,

Depends on situation. I definitely don't talk ghetto or guido english unless I have to. I keep my accent pretty coastal. But there are certain words I will never loose my NYC accent in pronoucation, like "Hot Dog." You can spot another New Yorker just by the way they say dirty water dogs.

aluminum - I think history of that is that the USA books had a misprint from England. We're missing a syllable in the word.

Does your friend say "schedule" like school or "sedule"?

Okay since your a Texan Southern Belle can you explain the term "all y'all" and "y'all y'all" ^_^
AC Dropout Thursday, April 18, 2002 at 16:19:54 (PDT)

to AC Dropout
My family is from the deep south, and because I grew up in the south (Texas) I can do the southern belle accent to perfection. It shocks people when I do it, and I only do it for laughs nowadays. Of course, having lived in California for awhile, I've learned the Californian accent (there is a distinct accent for Californians...only no one realizes it's there except for those coming to California for the first time). I have never heard of an Asian with a Bronx accent, but if you insist you have it, hey, I'd love to hear you talk (call me sometimes)! I have a friend from Australia, and it's just so captivating to hear her talk with that strange accent (she calls my hardwood floor "floorboards", and all the freeways are routes (roots), and she pronounces "aluminum" ayloomee'neeum, with the accent on the meen). I love to listen to her talk. All the guys are in love with her too, probably because of her Brittish-Australian accent.
MLK Wednesday, April 17, 2002 at 23:38:21 (PDT)

MLK,

Having met asians with British or European English accents abroad. I must say it was disconcerting at first. I'm too acclimated to asian faces with coastal USA accents.

Everything else is distinctly foreign.

I remember meeting and asian male from TX, Houston. He was very eloquent and educated in a conversation. But in the back of my mind I kept saying "Why the F*** is a Asian-American man using the term 'y'all y'all' so fluently."

I've been told I speak with a distinct NYC accent. So when I'm abroad I find it easier to converse in Chinese, instead of explaining my NYC accent to other native english speakers from other countries.

AC Dropout Monday, April 15, 2002 at 15:58:05 (PDT)

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