The Challenge of My Mother Tongue
By: Eric Wang, CAS ’21
DAS Marketing Service, Siegel+Gale – Shanghai, China
Growing up in a Chinese family, I have learned Mandarin as my first language. I attended public elementary school in China, but I have not spoken Mandarin often ever since I left China at the age of eleven. In America, the only time I use the language is when I communicate with my parents, and the context of the conversation is usually focused around school and daily life– something that did not require fancy vocabulary or sophisticated grammar. Working in Siegel+Gale in Shanghai, I have encountered the challenge of using Mandarin in a professional setting.
While Siegel+Gale is a American company, the official language in the Shanghai office is Chinese. Although all six people in the strategy team have some type study abroad experience, they are all native Chinese. Getting to know the team after my first meeting, the notion of practicing my Chinese in a professional environment exhilarated me but also scared me. Having small conversations during lunch did not appear to be a challenge, but I struggled when I was assigned to conduct a detailed brand audit for a company in Chinese on my first day.
Although I was able to write out the brand positioning and how the brand is delivering its story, my supervisor quickly pointed out that my grammar felt awkward and the diction seemed childish. I was frustrated because it had taken me such a long time to produce something I could have written it in English much easier, faster, and better. Noticing my disappointment, my coworker next to me leaned over and cheered me up. “Don’t worry, feel free to ask my any questions about Chinese!” She smiled at me, “This is very good for a first assignment by the way.” Her words boosted me up and reignited my motivation to improve my Chinese.
Everyday at work, I ask my coworker about Chinese diction, syntax and grammar, and she has always been happy to help me. Gradually I have become more confident in my Chinese writing ability, and my work has become more coherent and elegant. My supervisor complemented me on my improvement, and I feel very fortunate to have this unique opportunity to improve my mother tongue and this incredible team to work with.
The Global Research and Internship Program (GRIP) provides outstanding undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to intern or conduct research abroad for 8 to 12 weeks over the summer. Participants gain career-enhancing experience and global exposure that is essential in a global workforce. Placements and funding awards are available.