Singaporean Chinese have more in common with West than China
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More inherent in Chinese than elswhere, from what i can see from our history...Originally posted by dragg:this is common among all mankind. -
I got such a weird look from a PRC I met when he found out my fiance isn't chinese, and he thinks all Singaporeans should speak chinese since we are the majority race here. I was like, what the f?
People who don't know much tend to be overly jodgemental. -
Just like the Americans who think Singapore is in China and that France lies somwhere over the Southern Hemisphere...Originally posted by foxwalk:I got such a weird look from a PRC I met when he found out my fiance isn't chinese, and he thinks all Singaporeans should speak chinese since we are the majority race here. I was like, what the f?
People who don't know much tend to be overly jodgemental.
Sigh, big powers, big headed... -
but can you blame them?Originally posted by foxwalk:I got such a weird look from a PRC I met when he found out my fiance isn't chinese, and he thinks all Singaporeans should speak chinese since we are the majority race here. I was like, what the f?
People who don't know much tend to be overly jodgemental.
isnt it only right and normal to speak the language of the majority race in any country?
though many will defend our position by saying it was because of survival. but did we even try to change it? it is actually unacceptable.
isnt it funny for a chinese not to speak chinese or worst, cant speak chinese. then why be a chinese?
can you find a malay who cant speak malay or an indian who cant speak indian. but there are plenty of chinese who cant speak chinese. and they dont even want to learn it. in fact some even find it 'low class' to learn it. this is disgraceful. how can one be ashamed of his own heritage and race?
anyone can change his nationality but can never change his race. -
In Mauritius, people are actually pretty integrated. They celebrate all kinds of religious festivals together, but they don't ask people to put down their race on a form. Their cooking and food gelled together. Just the other day, I was down at Little India with my fiance, and I was thinking if his race was not Indian I would probably not be there. I bet most people are the same too. I would probably not have tried the Indian food. What most of us know is just prata for Indian food, and maybe briyani? But it's so much more.Originally posted by dragg:but can you blame them?
isnt it only right and normal to speak the language of the majority race in any country?
though many will defend our position by saying it was because of survival. but did we even try to change it? it is actually unacceptable.
isnt it funny for a chinese not to speak chinese or worst, cant speak chinese. then why be a chinese?
can you find a malay who cant speak malay or an indian who cant speak indian. but there are plenty of chinese who cant speak chinese. and they dont even want to learn it. in fact some even find it 'low class' to learn it. this is disgraceful. how can one be ashamed of his own heritage and race?
anyone can change his nationality but can never change his race.
Race is a dumb theory. We are all homo sapiens, unless some of us are actually neandethals in disguise. We just look different because we have lived for generations in different climates. We developed our own cultures because of the climate and natural barriers. But I don't see much point in segregation because at the end of the day, we can procreate with each other, therefore affirming the fact that we are same, and any differences that we view one another in, is merely a product of ignorance. -
So what is the supposed language of any race?
I am sure we only grunt during the cave days, the Egyptians are now speaking Arabic, the Italians speaking Italian instead of Latin, so on and so forth
If this guy assume i can speak chinese because i look chinese, i'll forgive him. But if i cant, then give me the dirty looks like foxwalk said happened to her? That is pretty shallow thinking to wanting people to do something one ownself think is appropriate, again, back to the pride i said most chinese people have.. -
of course if you are not chinese and want to be angry you have the right because he made a wrong assumption.Originally posted by laurence82:So what is the supposed language of any race?
I am sure we only grunt during the cave days, the Egyptians are now speaking Arabic, the Italians speaking Italian instead of Latin, so on and so forth
If this guy assume i can speak chinese because i look chinese, i'll forgive him. But if i cant, then give me the dirty looks like foxwalk said happened to her? That is pretty shallow thinking to wanting people to do something one ownself think is appropriate, again, back to the pride i said most chinese people have.. -
[quote]Originally posted by laurence82:
[b]So what is the supposed language of any race?
isnt this a funny question? -
not reallyOriginally posted by dragg:[quote]Originally posted by laurence82:
[b]So what is the supposed language of any race?
isnt this a funny question?
many dont know PRC dont just speak Pu Tong Hua
How abt dialects, tribal languages and some like Shanghainese? -
those are their languages too.Originally posted by laurence82:not really
many dont know PRC dont just speak Pu Tong Hua
How abt dialects, tribal languages and some like Shanghainese?
like in hong kong, they speak cantonese not chinese.
in taiwan, they speak chinese and minnanhua. -
thats what i mean....some people assume...Originally posted by dragg:those are their languages too.
like in hong kong, they speak cantonese not chinese.
in taiwan, they speak chinese and minnanhua. -
This is our Singaporean identity and it is up to us to enlighten those with such a mindest that we are not like them, a racially homogeneous island.We may be the majority in numbers but our culture should not be oppressive over the rest.Originally posted by dragg:but can you blame them?
isnt it only right and normal to speak the language of the majority race in any country?
though many will defend our position by saying it was because of survival. but did we even try to change it? it is actually unacceptable.
isnt it funny for a chinese not to speak chinese or worst, cant speak chinese. then why be a chinese?
can you find a malay who cant speak malay or an indian who cant speak indian. but there are plenty of chinese who cant speak chinese. and they dont even want to learn it. in fact some even find it 'low class' to learn it. this is disgraceful. how can one be ashamed of his own heritage and race?
anyone can change his nationality but can never change his race.
Well, you can't blame the PRCs too much, they never had a chance to practise holding back on hegemony. -
whyy ppl from china say you ,i am from china ,i think becos many of you also can speak chinese ,i suggest you do not learn chinese again,and if not so many ppl can speak chinese ,all is english ,even you are chinese race ,ppl will not say you again,
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oh no, the PRC supremo guy has just infiltrated Club 30....
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got news for you.Originally posted by dragg:I strongly agree with Mr Leon Tham on first being a Singaporean, then a Chinese (ST Oct 24).
I've had the opportunity to live in Shanghai for about three months and found myself wrestling with the question of identity, be it national or cultural.
From my stay in China, I found myself to be so different from the local Chinese. We grew up with different experiences and are shaped by different cultural and linguistic backgrounds even though we are essentially from the same gene pool.
To prove a case in the linguistic context, terms like 'lu' and 'kai' popped up in work meetings which I found to mean aluminium and calcium respectively.
I've never heard of such terms before I was in China. I cannot even fathom the names of other common elements like silicon or common everyday terms like 'desktop shortcut' in Chinese.
However, it was more than the language. Once, a Chinese colleague was trying to tell me how to write her name and mentioned the 'Jin' in 'Ba Jin'. I asked her what was 'Ba Jin'. She was in disbelief and asked me if I had never heard of the famous Chinese author Ba Jin or read his books. The fact is I had not read any of his books or a book by any famous Chinese author. Identity crisis was setting in.
Most of us grew up reading Enid Blyton, Hardy Boys and Roald Dahl. Children even during my time grew up watching Sesame Street, which is virtually unknown in China.
This presents a unique problem, one I term 'The dichotomy of identities facing Singaporean Chinese'.
Chinese culture has a huge impact on Singaporean society but at the same time, our upbringing, outlook and identity aren't that Chinese. This is a difficult issue to resolve, perhaps one which is unresolvable.
Many Chinese Singaporeans may resist this notion but I think we share more cultural experiences with the West than with the Chinese per se, even though the Asian mentality may be very prevalent in our society.
For me, this is indeed an odd situation to be in and it tugs at my cultural identity in different directions.
Eng Zhen-Hui
westerners don't share your sentiments -
it seems only one ,by the way ,how about my english ?Originally posted by laurence82:oh no, the PRC supremo guy has just infiltrated Club 30.... -
What about your English?Originally posted by eric shang:it seems only one ,by the way ,how about my english ? -
I'm surprised by the negative feelings towards the mainland chinese. It is important to realise that every race/country/religion has its fair share of black sheep. I for one, do not think that identifying oneself as westernised gives you a stronger claim to be the fairer species.
The chinese may be ignorant, but that is the result of having had a closed society/economy for decades. For things they have not seen or experienced, they can only make assumptions. Of course when the reality is beyond their expectations, they show surprise. It is only natural.
Moreover with the Singaporean government trumpeting on a daily basis the claim that this island state is the bridge between the East and the West, who would not expect the Chinese in Singapore to speak mandarin?
Are the western nations also not intend or ruling the world and grabbing resources for themselves? If not, why was Singapore a colony and the US still in Iraq? -
you got it all right!!!Originally posted by golani_bde:I'm surprised by the negative feelings towards the mainland chinese. It is important to realise that every race/country/religion has its fair share of black sheep. I for one, do not think that identifying oneself as westernised gives you a stronger claim to be the fairer species.
The chinese may be ignorant, but that is the result of having had a closed society/economy for decades. For things they have not seen or experienced, they can only make assumptions. Of course when the reality is beyond their expectations, they show surprise. It is only natural.
Moreover with the Singaporean government trumpeting on a daily basis the claim that this island state is the bridge between the East and the West, who would not expect the Chinese in Singapore to speak mandarin?
Are the western nations also not intend or ruling the world and grabbing resources for themselves? If not, why was Singapore a colony and the US still in Iraq? -
Must we give a total damn to what they think too?Why can't we just straddle the middle ground and not suck up either the East nor the West?Originally posted by boy in blues:got news for you.
westerners don't share your sentiments -
That will be the ideal situation, but cultural and economic dominance goes hand in hand. For Singapore with limited natural resources, sucking up is unavoidable, unless Singaporeans can be content with low economic growth rate and see your neighbours surpass you in terms of economic wealth in the coming years.Originally posted by LazerLordz:Must we give a total damn to what they think too?Why can't we just straddle the middle ground and not suck up either the East nor the West? -
Which is why we are trying to engage nations from all sides of the fence.Originally posted by golani_bde:That will be the ideal situation, but cultural and economic dominance goes hand in hand. For Singapore with limited natural resources, sucking up is unavoidable, unless Singaporeans can be content with low economic growth rate and see your neighbours surpass you in terms of economic wealth in the coming years. -
we are chinese when it benfits/suits us, we can be Iran's best friends for the same reason if need be.Originally posted by charlize:It's like 40 years of nation building and national identity gone down the drain when even people at the top claim we are "relatives" to the people in China.
I seriously doubt PRC considers us in the same vein. -
no, we don't have what it takes, economically... so let's all carry balls!Originally posted by LazerLordz:Must we give a total damn to what they think too?Why can't we just straddle the middle ground and not suck up either the East nor the West?
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Thing is....how many balls can we carryOriginally posted by ilovemyrolex:no, we don't have what it takes, economically... so let's all carry balls!
Eg. We carry China's balls and Taiwan goes limp on us
Anyway if we choose to sit on the fence, sooner or later someone will shoot the guy on the fence