The Complexity of Bilingual and Bicultural Identity | Tryphena Duan | TEDxEdgemont School

The speaker recounts their childhood experience starting preschool at age three, where they encountered English for the first time. Having been raised speaking only Mandarin by their parents, who are from Mandarin-speaking parts of Asia, the speaker found it challenging to communicate. Their mother, an English educator, intentionally chose Mandarin as the home language, anticipating the difficulty of learning English in a predominantly English-speaking environment. This immersion experience in preschool marked the beginning of the speaker's journey to learn English fluently. As the speaker grew, they realized their experience involved more than just learning a second language. They were expected to be a fluent Mandarin speaker at home and then switch to English at school, and then back to Mandarin upon returning home. This constant code-switching between languages and cultures was a significant adjustment. The speaker notes that this experience is common for many Asian-Americans, who often grapple with navigating their multifaceted identities, interactions, and languages, especially when dealing with family, friends, and teachers from diverse backgrounds. The speaker then defines key terms to address the question of why it's difficult for young Asian-Americans to fully embrace their bilingual and bicultural identities. An Asian-American is defined as a person living in the US whose family originated from Asia, often with parents or grandparents being immigrants, though some families have longer histories in the US. Bilingualism refers to understanding and speaking two languages, acknowledging that not all Asian-Americans are bilingual, with some being multilingual or monolingual. Biculturalism describes individuals with two distinct cultures present in their lives, again noting that some may be multicultural. The speaker shares their personal experience as a bilingual and bicultural Asian-American, highlighting the confusion that arises from navigating these identities. Linguistically, they are familiar with both English and Mandarin, which are very different. Mandarin is tonal, while English is phonetic. Years of predominantly speaking English for studies have made them proficient in English, but at the cost of losing much of their Mandarin vocabulary. Their Chinese writing skills are limited compared to their ease with English writing. This creates a disconnect between their ability to express themselves in each language, despite both being integral parts of their identity. They also describe speaking a "made-up compound language" of Chinese and English, where they code-switch naturally, weaving elements of both languages together. This interweaving leads to confusion about where they fit within the definition of bilingual. Culturally, the speaker feels caught between American and Chinese/Taiwanese cultures, which differ significantly in daily life, language, and customs, such as the way elders are addressed. In Chinese culture, elders are referred to with familial terms like "auntie" or "grandma" out of respect, even if not biologically related. In American culture, it's common to use first names. The speaker observes how Asian-Americans often blend these cultural norms, using terms like "Auntie May" to combine respect with casualness. This blending of cultures also contributes to their confusion about their bicultural identity, as their experiences are not simply one or the other but a complex interweaving. The speaker suggests that many Asian-Americans are better described as "translingual" and "transcultural" due to their constant code-switching and blending of cultures, rather than being solely bilingual and bicultural. They argue that society often views these identities as parallel lines, but for Asian-Americans, these aspects conflict and are interwoven. Embracing these identities is challenging regardless of labels. Identity is presented as multifaceted and complex, and the journey of an Asian-American embracing their identity is a long one filled with hurdles. The speaker concludes by encouraging the audience to reflect on what makes it difficult for them to embrace their own identity, regardless of how they know an Asian-American.