Mandarin Mashup April 26, 2012

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  Dual language proposal still opposed - The Carrboro Citizen

  By Rose Laudicina
  Staff Writer

  CHAPEL HILL – There were so many people signed up to speak at last week’s Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education meeting that board Chair Mia Burroughs reduced comment time from three minutes to two minutes per person.

  However, the speakers didn’t seem to need the full three minutes to get their point across. They came to the standing-room-only meeting to show their opposition to recommendations to terminate the district’s Mandarin dual-language program and turn Frank Porter Graham Elementary School into a magnet school for the district’s Spanish dual-language program.

  Around 40 concerned parents, students and staff members spoke at last Thursday’s meeting to express concerns with the recommendations and criteria used to make them.

  “This is such a huge decision, but it seems that this information has been compiled in a small amount of time,” said May Mitchell, a counselor at FPG.
  “If Frank Porter Graham is chosen to be the magnet school, I’m afraid it will cut certain families off from their children’s education,” she added.

  The dual-language administrative team, formed by the school board, released a report on March 26 with recommendations on how to improve the school district’s dual-language programs. These included expanding the Spanish dual-language program, terminating the K-5 Mandarin program at Glenwood Elementary School and converting Frank Porter Graham Elementary to a Spanish dual-language magnet school for the 2013-14 school year.

  “We strongly support dual-language education, but based on the short timeframe and insufficient data we do not believe Frank Porter Graham should be a dual-language magnet school,” said Andrew Davidson, a member of the FPG School Improvement Team.

  Many parents and teachers discussed how the large Burmese refugee population at FPG sees it as their neighborhood school and the negative effects converting it to a magnet school could have on that “fragile community.”

  “We urge the board of education to recognize the fragile neighborhood situation,” Davidson said.

  Proponents of the Mandarin dual-language program also expressed their frustration with the report and the data used to make the recommendation, especially regarding the Chinese population.

  Jiarong Fu, vice president of the Chinese-American Friendship Association of North Carolina, told the board he was concerned with stereotypes in the report.
  “It says the Chinese students in the program are highly transitional, but only two out of our 60 families are on work visa,” Fu said.

  “We feel that the Asian community has been unfairly and incorrectly depicted by your staff, and we request an apology by the board,” he added.

  In other action last week, the board voted 6-0 to approve new math pathways for next year’s transition to the Common Core standards. Board member Jamezetta Bedford was absent from the meeting, as she was representing the district at another meeting.

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• Dog living in Chinese-speaking home shows affinity for the language: Ask Dog Lady - Cleveland Plain Dealer

  

  I have a fantastic rescue dog, Haley, who lives with me and my family. I speak only Chinese to my parents and aunt in my household. Haley must know Chinese too. When she meets dogs at the dog park or the street, she can become scared or aggressive. I have to stay right with her and try to keep her under control because she barks, growls or wants to hide behind me. But if the dogs are also from Chinese-speaking homes (and I ask), my dog is relaxed. She plays, sniffs freely, and runs around. Does this make sense? -- Wen

  Haley must sense a cultural kinship with other dogs accustomed to life in Chinese-speaking homes. Presumably, you and the other owners do not converse in Chinese out in the dog park or on the street. So Haley picks up the vibes from her four-legged kin. The only explanation is animal instinct, which is really the magic (Chinese: "moshu") of dogs. They are incredibly sentient creatures, with Buddha-like reserves of wisdom, knowledge and mystery.

  Occasionally, when Haley is comfortable with another dog and you pop the Chinese question, the owner might tell you Mandarin plays no part in the household. This is your opportunity for a teachable moment. Reward Haley for being calm with another dog that has no Asian inclination.

  In my small suburban neighborhood, there are now three female blond Labrador retrievers named Piper, including my own. I once thought the name was as special as my dog. But it's become a cliche. I would like to rename Piper to make her unique again. What name would you suggest? -- Danny

  Oh, you can rename her anything you want. But why would you want to? When you gave Piper the name, you thought it was a special moniker until the other Pipers moved in. You don't accuse them of being copycats, but let's assume they saw you out with your Piper and thought the name was the perfect fit. How about this solution? Attach the name "Pied" in front of "Piper" and call your darling "Pied Piper" because all blond Labs (and all dogs) follow her.

  I just purchased a new pricey bed from a catalog for Niko, my poodle puppy, but he keeps digging into it or biting it. What can I do to make him stop before he destroys it? He's a year and three months old. -- Janet

  Put the expensive bed away until Niko is old enough to handle such luxuries. Don't worry about his comfort because he won't know what he's missing.

  Throw an old blanket in a corner where you want Niko to hang out. Make sure the blanket is ratty enough so you won't care if the poodle mashes and mangles it. Leave the puppy with chew things -- indestructible toys and bully sticks are good -- so he has appropriate items to grind.

  At a year and change, Niko is still a puppy with deep primal chewing and teething needs. Make sure you give him plenty of chomp alternatives.

  Visit askdoglady.com or facebook.com/askdoglady to ask a question or make a comment.

  

• Character Set Hodge-Podge

  by John Pasden

  When I started studying Chinese at the University of Florida in 1998, we were allowed to choose to learn to write either traditional or simplified characters, but once we chose one set, we weren’t allowed to mix them together. Apparently the creator of this sign (spotted on 武夷路 in Shanghai) is not so restricted:

  

  The text (as is):

  外來車辆

  禁止仃放

  后果自負

  245弄

  The text in simplified characters:

  外来车辆

  禁止停放

  后果自负

  245弄

  The text in traditional characters:

  外來車輛

  禁止停放

  後果自負

  245弄

  If you carefully examine those characters, they should all make sense except maybe for this one: 仃 (停). It was part of the second round of simplified Chinese characters which was rescinded. (It still remains dear to the hearts of many “no parking” sign makers all over China, however.)

  There’s more on 仃 at Sinoglot.

• From Internet: 2009 Guidance from PRC Supreme Court to Courts on How to Handle Internet Censorship Cases

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