“What’s your mother tongue?” I sometimes get this question from friends and others, who are curious as to why I was previously not able to speak Mandarin, and am unable to speak in other Chinese dialects (unless, of course, one wishes to include “flowery language” in Hokkien or Hakka, which I happen to know some…
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Watch What Thou Sayest
We sometimes assume that certain folks do not understand what we say, especially when we use a foreign language in their presence. This sometimes happens when we are in the company of friends or acquaintances who belong to the same ethnic group as we do, and some of us find it easier or more comfortable…