Japanese American Identity & Self-Image | Asian American Poll

JAPANESE AMERICAN IDENTITY & SELF-IMAGE
(Updated Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:13:58 PM to reflect the 100 most recent valid responses.)

In relating with other Asian American groups, Japanese Americans most exhibit which of the following attitudes?
More Americanized than thou | 51%
More rooted in ancestral heritage | 0%
More anxious to be low key | 49%
More embracing of other AA | 0%

Which of the following has the most impact on the Japanese American identity?
Smallest percentage of recent immigrants | 36%
World War II internment | 51%
Japan's economic success | 6%
Smaller population than other AA groups | 7%

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WHAT YOU SAY

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Observer and Hannybunbun

I thought it was obvious that my post was dripping with sarcasm.

But I don't expect curious girl to change. She insists that she can learn Chinese easily, despite the fact that American Born Chinese have an extremely difficult time in the language of just one generation ago.

But her people has a history of thinking that they are intellectually superior than others so it comes as to no surprise that even though Chinese Americans like Observer and others are struggling, she would think that it is a piece of cake endeavor that can be learned overnight.

Navy LCDR airdale Monday, June 17, 2002 at 12:40:38 (PDT)

Hannybunbun,

Just watch a bunch of Chinese Soap Operas that interest you. You'll begin to pick it up eventually. At least the listen comprehension part. I would say modern Soap Operas because the vocabulary is pretty easy and repetivitive. And you can even practice your reading comprehension with the chinese subtitles on the bottom.

The enouciation part will require you to practice with your tongue moving and mouth flapping. Don't get embarrassed and keep muddling through. After trying to pronouce the phrase 1000 time, you'll sound like a native.
AC Dropout Monday, June 17, 2002 at 07:56:12 (PDT)

Navy LCDR airdale, you make learning Chinese sound so easy.

I'm Chinese American, speak fluent Cantonese, and was still struggling in my Chinese courses in college.

Observer Saturday, June 15, 2002 at 09:39:49 (PDT)

Having only your spouse to practice a language on doesn't guarantee any progress at all. For example, John Derbyshire, a columnist over at National Review (yeah, the same guy who advocated Chinese-American internment camps in the event of Sino-US war a few years back), points out that despite his extensive study abroad and teaching experience in China, and a decent command of the language, the "Chinese Language on Tuesdays" rule he tried to establish in his own household with his wife, a native Chinese speaker, fell flat on its face after a few months, cuz his wife got tired of repeating stuff three times. Couples will naturally revert to whatever language is most efficient for them to communicate in. I personally know an ABC guy in Hong Kong who goes out with a Japanese girl. She now speaks pretty good English, and he still stumbles over "itadakimasu" and "oyasumi nasai."

Parents really don't matter all that much in teaching languages to kids beyond around age 6 anyway. Once they get the initial push from at least one parent, from there on you really have to rely on finding them some friends to speak the language with, otherwise they're gonna spend the rest of their lives speaking like a kid who grew up 20 years before they were born. (In high school, after 10 years of only having the chance to speak Hakka with people age 45 and older, friends told me I sounded like a 7 year old except I used the same slang their grandparents did).
T.H. Lien Friday, June 14, 2002 at 14:26:35 (PDT)

Where can I get this book? The 15 minute one? I am doing an online study course now, and studying with my husband. It was too much of a hassle to take the baby with me to night college classes, so anything I can do at home to learn better is good. My husband is impressed with my Chinese, but then again...he is my husband and wants to encourage me :)

Hannybunbun Friday, June 14, 2002 at 13:19:16 (PDT)

MLK,

Hannybunbun said that s/he has problems learning this tricky language even after having studied it for a few years.

Learning the Chinese that this boyfriend and his family speaks just for personal enrichment is wise. Coupled with the fact that one does not learn it overnight, why not learn it now? What harm would that cause?

Despite the hardships that Hannybunbun faced firsthand, curious girl is the best person to judge her grasp of language capability. Since she said that she has the ability to learn languages easily, We will just have to take her word at face value and accept that she is right when she will begin serious learning when (if) she marries the guy.

Therefore, I suggested the book "Chinese in 15 minutes a day". She can read the entire book in 3 hours and she will know all the Chinese she will ever need, ever. No practicing, no memorizing, no studying!

Oh, don't forget the writing! It matters not what dialect his family speaks. The characters are all the same. When the family writes letters in Chinese to her family, she will have to read it and to teach her children to respond back in Chinese.

There are thousands of characters to learn. No matter though! The book I recommended incorporates all of the several thousands of characters as well as guaranteed fluency and in the 3 hours it takes to go from cover to cover. Curiousgirl will know each and every character as well as fluency in speech, just by reading this book!

Hannybunbun, you should have bought this book from the get go a long time ago.

Navy LCDR airdale Friday, June 14, 2002 at 08:18:35 (PDT)

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