Left, Emmett Chen-Ran and his mother, Yanfei Ran. Right, siblings Max and Isabella Bloom play together.
Courtesy of the Chen-Ran and Bloom families
Today on the show, we’re bringing you the stories of two families grappling with how to communicate across languages. In the first story, a young man sorts through how to talk to his parents about gender in Chinese, where the words for “he” and “she” sound exactly the same. Then, we follow a family who was advised to stop speaking their heritage language, Japanese, based on some unsound advice and outdated research.
These stories were reported by Elena Neale-Sacks and Isabella Bloom. Both are journalists and recent graduates of UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism.
For more information on the linguistics of gender and pronouns in Chinese, check out the Gender in Language Project.
The Code Switch version of this piece was edited by Leah Donnella and produced by Kumari Devarajan and Leah Donnella
Felecia Phillips Ollie DD (h.c.) is the inspiring leader and founder of The Equality Network LLC (TEN). With a background in coaching, travel, and a career in news, Felecia brings a unique perspective to promoting diversity and inclusion. Holding a Bachelor’s Degree in English/Communications, she is passionate about creating a more inclusive future. From graduating from Mississippi Valley State University to leading initiatives like the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Equal Employment Opportunity Program, Felecia is dedicated to making a positive impact. Join her journey on our blog as she shares insights and leads the charge for equity through The Equality Network.
