DAD audio

The speaker, who is an American citizen primarily fluent in Laotian, didn't face any obstacles with language as they grew up learning both Laotian and English simultaneously. Growing up in the 90s and 80s, there were racial stereotypes, but being bilingual helped in connecting with the older generation who struggled with English. Speaking respectfully to elders in Laotian is important, while in English, there is no specific word used more than others. Overall, being bilingual has been beneficial. So, as my first question, I'll ask, as an American citizen who speaks primarily Laos, what obstacles regarding language did you have to experience? Actually, I came here when I was six months old, so I didn't know any different from learning one language from another. I kind of had to grow up talking both languages at the same time. So, whether it's at home learning Laotian with my parents or my family or, you know, learning English at school or growing up with the kids in the neighborhood, just picking it up slowly and just doing a sponge and taking it all in. So, I didn't see any advantage or disadvantage because I just thought that that's the way how it was for me growing up. So, it might be a little different from other people, but that's how I was growing up, learning both languages at the same time. Yeah, for sure. So, when it comes to obstacles in that time of growing up, what type of obstacles did you have to face where it came to your multilingual ability that happened to change your identity? Well, I grew up in the 90s and the 80s where you grew up with mostly racial profiling. So, you grew up with the stereotypical, as in today, you know, with the racial stereotypical stuff. You grow up and kind of brush it off. It makes you have a bigger skin. But the ability of having multilingual, being bilingual helps you, you know, with dealing with your parents' generation where they don't have that ability to learn English or hold up English as fast as, say, my generation or their generation. You can help allow community and the elders in that way. So, it has a benefit to the child as well. So, for me, it's something that, you know, my parents, my generation, my generation and the older generation was probably what I benefited most from being bilingual. Yeah, for sure. Those are some really good pieces there that you've had to incorporate into this, and I really appreciate you sharing. Just for fun, as a last question, what words do you notice you say more in Laos than English, and when do you happen to use these words? In Laotian, when you speak to elders, you have to be more respectful. So, you know, when you say yes or in Laotian, you say it in a respectful way of saying yes or yes sir or yes ma'am to the elders. So, I say that a lot when I speak to, you know, my parents or the elders in Laotian. I use that word a lot in Laotian. In English, there's a variety. It's just one type of situation, there's not one word I don't say. I use more than another, per se. Yeah, for sure. I definitely know what it's like growing up having to learn the use of the word and using that towards the elders. Well, thank you for joining me today, Dad, on my podcast. I really appreciate it. All right, thanks for having me, son.