As a second-generation parent, my Mandarin is more zombie than living language. But the language we pass down is more than grammar and vocabulary – it’s a bridge through time
My seven-month-old daughter lay on her play mat, each chubby fist clutching one puny foot. It was a perfect demonstration of the “happy baby” yoga pose. I wanted to tell her so in Mandarin.
“Zhè shì kuàilè yīng’ér–,” I said.
Continue reading… As a second-generation parent, my Mandarin is more zombie than living language. But the language we pass down is more than grammar and vocabulary – it’s a bridge through timeGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailMy seven-month-old daughter lay on her play mat, each chubby fist clutching one puny foot. It was a perfect demonstration of the “happy baby” yoga pose. I wanted to tell her so in Mandarin.“Zhè shì kuàilè yīng’ér–,” I said. Continue reading… Parents and parenting, Australian lifestyle, Linguistics, Life and style, Language, Family
