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Does the language you speak shape who you are, or does who you are decide which language you keep?
Many Western Born Chinese (WBC) were born into Chinese families but grew up in other languages, and for some, Chinese slipped away along the way.
We sit down with Thomas (MTK), who grew up between China and France and speaks Mandarin, French, and Wenzhounese as his native languages. Together we explore language as a tool, as part of who we are, or even who we cannot be.
Multilingual Chinese upbringing is not always pretty. We talk about the years we pushed our Chinese side away to fit in, and the “ching chang chong” that made us want to disappear. The miscommunication with our families. And we talk about what changed: realising that language is a key, one that opens doors to culture, to information, to our own heritage, and to the people we love.
Language really shapes who we are. Are you more polite, more emotional, more confrontational? Does anger feel different in Chinese than in French? And what do you do with the words that no translation can carry?
Key takeaways:
• Language is a key. It gives access to culture, nuance, information, and family connection.
• Each language can bring out a different version of you, and each one shows you something real.
• Dialects carry a layer of intimacy and heritage that a standard language can’t replace.
• Losing a language changes our relationship to family and culture.
• Parents may give us a language, but keeping it is a choice. What does choosing it mean to you now?
