Hando CantoAmelia acknowledges that it's not easy to persist in teaching her son to speak Cantonese, but she still feels it's very worthwhile. ❤️
A 24 minute Interview with Amelia in Cantonese. 🔊
Article's English Translation below 📰↓:
When Cantonese is mentioned, most people associate it with the native tongue of people from Hong Kong or Guangzhou; however, a significant number of ethnic Chinese in Vietnam also speak fluent Cantonese.
Amelia Chen is a content creator—an Australian-born ethnic Chinese of Vietnamese descent—for whom Cantonese is her native language. She uses Cantonese on social media platforms to share her daily parenting experiences, with the hope of helping to preserve and pass on the language.
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Yet, surprisingly, during her younger years, she actually felt resistant toward her Chinese identity and disliked speaking Cantonese.
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Amelia’s parents were ethnic Chinese who fled Vietnam after the war, eventually settling in Australia in 1980; Amelia herself was born in Australia. Cantonese was the language spoken at home—a rule strictly enforced for all family interactions—and thanks to a childhood spent avidly watching Hong Kong dramas and listening to Cantonese pop music, she has managed to maintain fluent command of the language.
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She candidly admits that, as a child, she disliked acknowledging her Chinese heritage and resisted speaking Cantonese anywhere outside the home. She even went so far as to tell classmates that her family didn't eat Chinese food—claiming she subsisted solely on meat pies and sandwiches—and once told her family she didn't want to bring dumplings to school for lunch.
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Presumably, this stemmed from a childhood desire for a sense of belonging—a longing to share the same tastes as her friends and to gain their acceptance—as she was convinced that this was the only way to truly fit in with the crowd.
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As a child, she felt self-conscious about her appearance, describing herself as not fitting the stereotypical image of a Chinese person in the eyes of the general public; she had large eyes and a relatively darker complexion. However, as she matured, her perspective shifted completely—she even began to feel a desire to explore her roots—and she now takes pride in being bilingual, fluent in both Cantonese and English.
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Since becoming a #mother, she has embraced her #identity even more fully, realizing that if she herself remains self-conscious about her own appearance and heritage, how can she possibly serve as a positive role model for her child? Nowadays, whenever she is out and about with her son, she makes a conscious effort to speak to him in #Cantonese as much as possible.
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Amelia believes that the uniqueness of Cantonese lies in its tones and pitches, as well as its distinctive vocabulary; indeed, when certain expressions are translated into English, their underlying nuance and imagery are completely lost. Cantonese is a language worth preserving and Amelia hopes her children will use it with their elders, finding it fosters a greater sense of warmth and intimacy—a sentiment that serves as a primary motivation for her to have her kids learn the language.
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Living in the West, Amelia admits that maintaining the discipline to teach her son Cantonese is not easy. She is grateful, however, that there are now numerous resources available—such as online videos—though she ultimately believes that direct interaction with parents remains the most crucial factor. She strives to integrate Cantonese into their daily routine, hoping to make the learning process feel fun and engaging for her son, thereby sparking his interest in mastering the language.
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Amelia also notes that other parents—many of whom are themselves second-generation immigrants—have confided in her about their desire to teach their children Cantonese, yet harbor various reservations. These concerns often include worries about their own accents or the perceived difficulty of maintaining the effort within an English-speaking environment.
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However, Amelia contends that the most important step is self-acceptance. She observes that many people spend a lifetime trying to eradicate their accents, potentially missing the critical window for teaching their children Cantonese in the process; since one's upbringing and background cannot be altered, she suggests, the best approach is simply to embrace them wholeheartedly.
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She emphasizes that if we do not want Cantonese to disappear, we must learn it alongside our children as we teach them. As she puts it: "I would much rather my children speak Cantonese with a slight Vietnamese accent than have them be completely unable to speak it—or worse, resistant to learning it."
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Her content on social media has evolved from sharing calligraphy and role-playing skits to actively promoting the Cantonese language; some of her posts are even accompanied by both Chinese and English subtitles.
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She notes that the majority of her followers are overseas-born ethnic Chinese, many of whom reside in places such as the #UnitedStates and #Canada. She frequently receives messages from fans telling her that they use her short videos to practice their #Cantonese —feedback that has inspired her to create even more content dedicated to the language.
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In addition to speaking Cantonese, Amelia also possesses excellent calligraphy skills.
(Article presented by Hiu Ching Lam, via SBS Cantonese) – 15/15