Young New Yorkers speaking Chinese
Name:James Young
Chinese Name:
杨元浩. “Yuan” means primary or the first. “Hao” means vast and grand. I believe my grandfather wanted the name to portray a person of limitless potential.
Age:
23
Occupation:
I am currently studying for my Master of Bio-medical Science degree at Rutgers University. I plan on applying to Dental schools after I receive my MBS.
What is your ethnic background? Are you ethnically Chinese and if you are, do you feel that learning Mandarin has enhanced your connection with Chinese culture?
Despite being born and growing up in New York, I still see myself equally tied to my Chinese background as to being American. Learning Mandarin definitely has helped me understand concepts that are sometimes lost in translation with the English language.
Why did you decide to study Chinese? Who or what has influenced you in choosing Mandarin?
Asides from the obvious benefits of knowing Chinese for professional reasons, I wanted to hold on to my Chinese roots, which I have noticed many Chinese-Americans lose site of.
Before coming to America, my grandparents lived most of their life in Taiwan, so the only way of truly communicating with them was through Chinese! My parents mainly spoke to me in Chinese when I was growing just so I wouldn’t lose an important skill.
How do you think Mandarin Chinese will benefit you?
I plan to open up my own dental clinic in the future. Like many other professions, dentistry requires a good deal of communication skills. By speaking Chinese, I hope that it will allow me to extend my care to a more diverse community.
How have you employed Chinese in real life, whether in conversation, in reading, or communicating via written form?
Humans are social beings. Any sort of connection, whether it be through common hobbies or school helps to form a bond. To me, Chinese is that common connection that opens up so many more doors in life. Something as simple as roaming the night markets of Taiwan can be made so much more enjoyable if you can speak the language. Tourists sometimes are treated differently and even given a separate menu at restaurants.
Has acquiring Mandarin Chinese forged an understanding or a deeper connection with Chinese culture?
That is definitely the case. Many ideals, such as “xiao shun” (filial piety), are not taught as well in the American education system. Chinese culture places much emphasis on respecting elders and teachers, which is something that I want to pass on to my children.
What would you say to those who say Chinese is too hard to learn?
The same can be said about playing an instrument or learning organic chemistry! With more practice and exposure, learning Chinese becomes easier. Knowing Chinese is definitely worth the few minutes set aside every day to learn.
Any tips for people who are learning Mandarin?
Repetition. Repetition. Repetition. At least that’s the case for the writing portion.
I found that watching Chinese movies with English subtitles was an important step to understanding the language, especially when it comes to having conversations with people.
What is one thing you would like people to know about you?
I think the most shocking thing that I tell people is that I have 6 Pekingese dogs. It’s always funny to see people’s reaction when I take them for a stroll in my neighborhood.
What is your proudest achievement thus far?
I used to be slightly overweight when I was younger. I have to say that I am proud of having the required discipline to lose the weight and keeping my body healthy. Your body is your temple and a lifelong partner, so it should be treated with the utmost care. I believe it is crucial to consistently have healthy thoughts and habits in my daily routine.
A quote you live by?
“You cannot dream yourself into a character; you must hammer and forge yourself one.”
-James A. Froude
Name:
Morgan Pauline Macklin
Chinese Name:
My teachers gave me my Chinese name: 晓美 – mai4xiao3mei3 – Beautiful Dawn. The surname “mai” is a transliterated sound from my English last name.
Age:
22 years old
Occupation:
I am finishing my final year as a senior at SUNY Stony Brook in Long Island. I will be graduating with dual majors in Applied Mathematics and Asian American Studies, with the intention of entering finance. I have been hired as a full time analyst at Goldman Sachs, beginning in July 2016.
What is your ethnic background? Are you ethnically Chinese and if you are, do you feel that learning Mandarin has enhanced your connection with Chinese culture?
I am wholly Caucasian of English, Celtic and French descent. Although not Chinese, I have felt that learning the language has given me insight into the culture at the very least.
Why did you decide to study Chinese? Who or what has influenced you in choosing Mandarin?
I was originally fascinated by ancient Chinese history—the fall of the Ming Dynasty in particular. From there, I began reading on my own and learning basic Chinese online. After high school, I moved to Spain to teach English. There I discovered a flare for language learning, and when I returned to the States, I applied to Cornell University’s Full-Year Asian Language Concentration Program with the intention of becoming a linguist. I studied Mandarin for 11 months, 7 of them at Peking University. Since then, my love of the language and culture surrounding it has only deepened, even though my aspirations have changed.
How do you think Mandarin Chinese will benefit you?
Mandarin has already benefited me tremendously in my personal life. As a native English speaker, I carry with me a stereotype that my proficiency in Mandarin automatically wipes clean. In my personal and professional communications with Mandarin speakers, I have found both gratitude and respect in those I attempt—even poorly—to converse with.
How have you employed Chinese in real life, whether in conversation, in reading, or communicating via written form?
The language quite honestly continues to surprise me with its usefulness from the simplest occurrences, such as speaking to staff at a venue or speaking to international students on campus; to more professional settings, where my language becomes not only an icebreaker but also a valued asset.
Has acquiring Mandarin Chinese forge an understanding or a deeper connection with Chinese culture?
Absolutely. I have a deep and abiding respect for the language, the culture, and the people of Chinese heritage. Mandarin, its strengths and weaknesses as a language and as a snapshot of culture and values, has been an invaluable tool in my study of contemporary China.
What would you say to those who say Chinese is too hard to learn?
I would say “too hard” is an inaccurate statement. Any language is difficult to learn—learning a language is not just about translation, i.e. “He loves to eat meat”, “El le encanta comer carne”, “他很喜欢吃肉”. Learning a language is taking on a new thought process, a new voice—most importantly, a different perspective.
Chinese is no more difficult to learn than a romance language like Spanish, the only difference is where the hard work appears. Romance languages begin very simply. A little Spanish will go a long way at the onset. But as you improve, the grammar becomes as difficult, complex and idiomatic as English.
For Chinese, the beginning is intimidating. No alphabet, just characters and memorization to introduce yourself to a new world. But after the first few months of training, Chinese grammar becomes very straightforward. The languages rigid nature lends itself well to disciplined study, compared to a language like Spanish.
Any tips for people who are learning Mandarin?
Flashcards and C-drama. Also, learn the characters and their radicals—it will help.
What is one thing you would like people to know about you?
That the more I travel and learn, the more I realize how little I know about people and their lives.
What is your proudest achievement thus far?
Personal growth. There was a time when I had very rigid standards of success. After traveling and seeing so many cultures and lives, I am most proud of my deep connection to my family. I think it is my bridge with them that has enabled me to connect with so many others around the world.
A quote you live by?
“Walk ten thousand miles, read ten thousand books.”
– Chinese scholar Gu Yanwu .
英文名：
James Young
中文名：杨元浩
“元”意为原始或本初。“浩”意为浩瀚或宏伟。我相信我的祖父是希望这个名字能够表达一个人的无限潜力。
年龄：23
职业：
我正在罗格斯大学攻读生物医药科学硕士学位。我计划在获得这个学位之后继续申请牙科学院。
1.你的民族背景是什么？从民族角度来讲你是一位华裔吗？如果是，你觉得学习中文增进了你与中国文化的联系吗？
除了在纽约出生长大，我一直认为自己是一个有着中国背景的美国人。学习中文绝对有助于我去理解中文在被翻译成英语之后丢失了的一些概念。
2.你为什么要决定学中文？是什么原因使你选择了学中文？
抛却懂中文在我的职业上的明显优势不谈，在许多其他美籍华人忘掉自己的根本的时候，我想继续保持自己在中国的根。我的祖父母在来中国之前，大半生都在台湾度过，所以与他们进行真正交流的唯一方法就是说中文。在我的成长过程中，我的父母也主要跟我说中文，所以我不想失去这个重要的技能。
3.你认为中文会如何让你受益？
我计划以后开自己的牙科诊所。就像许多其他的职业，牙医需要有良好的沟通技巧。通过学中文，我希望能够把我的医术带给更加多元的社区。
4.在生活中你运用中文吗？不管是在谈话中，阅读中，或者通过书写交流？
人类是社会性群体。任何的联系，不管是爱好或者学校都能够形成一个纽带。对于我来说，中文作为一种联系为我打开了非常多的门，举个简单的例子，如果你会说中文，那么在逛台湾的夜市时候你就能感受到更多的乐趣。游客也会被区别对待，甚至给他们的菜单都不一样。
5.学习中文是否塑造了你自身与中国文化之间更深层次的联系与理解呢？
绝对是这样。许多的思想，比如“孝顺”美国的教育体系并不教授。中国文化更强调要尊敬师长，这一点我想我的孩子们能够继承。
6.对于认为中文很难学的观点你怎么看？
学乐器和有机化学也可以这么说。多加练习和使用，中文就会变得简单。中文绝对值得每天抽出一些时间去坐下学习。
7.对于学中文的人有什么建议吗？
重复，重复，再重复。最起码写作方面是这样的。我发现看有英语字幕的中国电影对于理解中文是非常有帮助的，特别是对于提高中文会话水平。
8.你希望和别人分享你的哪一件事？
我想我告诉别人的最令人吃惊的事是，我养了6只京巴。当我带着它们在社区周围溜达的时候，看别人的反应真的很有趣。
9.你最值得骄傲的成就目前为止是什么 ？
在我年轻时我有些超重。我感到骄傲的是我坚持自律减肥成功并保持了体的健康。你的身体就是你的寺庙，也是你的终身伴侣，所以它需要被尽可能好的得到照顾。我相信在我的日常生活中保持健康的思想和习惯非常关键。
10.你的人生格言？
“你不能梦想成为一个人物；你必须把自己锻造成一个人物。”
—— 詹姆斯·A·弗劳德
英文名：
Morgan Pauline Macklin
中文名：
我的老师给我取的中文名字：麦晓美-美丽破晓。我的姓“麦”是我的英文姓的音译。
年龄：22
职业：
我是纽约州立大学石溪分校的大四学生。我主修应用数学和亚裔美国人研究两个专业，同时有意向进入金融领域。从2016年七月开始，高盛将会雇佣我为全职分析师。
你的民族背景是什么？从民族角度来讲你是一位华裔吗？如果是，你觉得学习中文增进了你与中国文化的联系吗？
我是一名纯粹的英格兰人，凯尔特人和法国人的后裔高加索人。虽然不是中国人，但是我觉得学习中文使我最终对中国文化有了更深的洞见。
你为什么要决定学中文？是什么原因使你选择了学中文？
我最初是着迷于古代中国的历史，特别是明朝的覆亡。从那时起，我开始在网上自学基础的中文。高中之后，我到西班牙去教英语。然后我灵机一动决定学语言，当我回到美国后，我申请了康奈尔大学的全年制亚洲语言集中项目，并有意想成为一名语言学家。我中文学习了11个月，其中7个月是在北京大学。虽然我的志向最终改变了，但从那之后我更加的热爱语言以及语言的文化内涵了。
你认为中文是如何使你受益的？
在我的个人生活中，中文已经使我受益匪浅了。作为一个母语为英语的人，我对自己的中文流利的自我印象也慢慢地消失了。在与说中文的人进行个人或职业上的交流时，我发现他们都心怀感激与尊重。
在生活中你使用中文吗？不管是在谈话中，阅读中，或者通过书写交流？
中文这门语言不断地以它的实用性让我感到惊讶，从最简单的场景，比如在会场上与工作人员交流，在校园里与国际学生交流；到职业化的交流，这时我的中文不仅仅是作为打破沉默来用，而且也是我的有价值的资产。
学习中文是否塑造了你对中国文化更深层次的联系与理解呢？
绝对是。我对中文这门语言，中国文化以及传承中华遗产的人们有着深刻而持续的敬意。中文作为一种语言以及文化与价值的投射，它的优势与弱点是我对当代中国进行研究的不可估量的工具。
对于认为中文很难学的观点你怎么看？
我会说“太难”是一个不准确的说法。任何语言都很难被学习，学习语言并不仅仅是关于翻译，比如，“He loves to eat meat”，“El le encanta comer carne”，“他很喜欢吃肉”。学习一门语言就像尝试一种新的思维程序，一种新的声音，更重要的是一种新的观点。
中文并没不像西班牙语这样的罗曼语难学，唯一不同的是它们的难点各自不同。罗曼语初始阶段很简单，但是在你提高之后，随之而来的语法就像英语一样变得困难，复杂和常用。
中文来讲，初始阶段令人恐惧。没有字母，只有靠一个一个字和记忆力把你带入这个新世界。但是到了几个月的训练之后，中文的语法就变得坦途一片。与西班牙语相较，中文严谨的特质使之非常适合严谨的研究。
对于学中文的人有什么建议吗？
抽认卡和电视剧。而且，学习文字和它们的偏旁部首，这很管用。
你希望和别人分享自己的一件事是什么？
那就是我旅行和学习得越多，我就会越发现我对其他人及他们的生活知之越少。
你最值得骄傲的成就目前为止是什么 ？
个人的成长。以前我有着非常严苛的成功标准。在旅行过看过如此多的文化和人们，我最感到自豪的是我与我的家庭的深厚的关系。我想正是我与他们之间的桥梁，促使我能够与世界各地的人们相连相通。
你的人生格言？
“读万卷书，行万里路。”
——中国古谚语