Its actually used to describe chinese people who are unable to speak their root lang.
I knew the meaning of this word when i was 13. That time i went loitering in my mum's office and one of her collegues asked me if i were a banana and thus explained the word to me. He said its chineses' responsblilities to pick up with their mother-tongue. He asked me not to be like my mum who speaks english and have no idea about writing her chinese name at all. Well, at least my mum is improving as she can easily speak mandarin now.
Back to the point. So to me, this is definitely very sarcastic and i dont think people like it when they're called as 'banana'. However, that was the past.
Last week when my sister attended her class, she get to know this girl who is banana. The conversation of theirs which told by my sis really shocked me.
Sister The girl
"Hi, where do you live?"
"I stay at Pandan Indah."
"Ooo, i thought the people over there cant speak english. How come your english so fluent?"
( means we are low standard. is that what your trying to say, miss? )
"Oh, family influence." (my sister had no patient to talk to such arrogant person )
"Ohh, me too. I live in damansara. I speak english with my family and friends. We do not speak chinese. We are banana you know?"
"Oh oh oh..."
Have you notice the sentence goes like this "We are banana you know" ?
I guess you know what the hidden meaning. These youngsters are really PROUD to be a bananas. I was freaking shock! They dont feel a single shameness at all. Is that because they look down on their own culture and thought they are 'upgrated' person compared to those who speak chinese?
Obviously, if chinese dont speak their own language, i wonder how the hell this chinese culture with the age of over 5000 years could survive then? If chinese dont appreciate the chances they get in touch with chinese, to love it, feel it and live it, definitely they're digging the grave for their own culture. Though we live in Malaysia, the opportunity of using chinese is actually very limited.
I feel proud of my mum. Even though she has no idea in chinese matters, i'm glad that she sent me to chinese private school to experience the beauty of it. Now who says students in chinese school cant speak well english? It seems that everyone notice the importance of the international language and even chinese school's students are practising now.
In my point of view, if you could strongly pick up with a multi-lingual, then you are eligible to 'sai meng' to others. But what do you have now? RICH AND SPEAKING FLUENT ENGLISH, thats all?
If you concern about latest news, i'm sure you'll read about the rapid growing of China especially in business industry. Stop dreaming in your own castle. Accept the truth that your no longer the one who being eliminated if you retain this conservative thinking. Soon, chinese will become one of the international languages.
You might be thinking that since i'm fully support chinese, why'd i still write my blogs in english? As what i've said. I do work hard to improve it and eventhough we're not good enough but we definitely not the losers in future. I speak chinese in school, at home and in my blog my speak both.
Take time to realise. Learn more languages is really beneficial in future. Dont waste time living in your own dreamland.
Woah, i've written a lot man!
Guess its time for me to do revision as i have merely 2 WEEKS TIME to prepare for the coming exam.
While your chasing for better tomorrows, dont ever forget where you came from.
p/s: Are you proud to be a BANANA?
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