There's a roughly even amount of Asians and whites at my school, so naturally we hurl good-natured jokes back and forth at each other, particularly about the subject of education. A lot of Asians at my school tend to pick double maths and double science in years 11 and 12 (I think that most of the whites who do that are boys) and most if not all of the students who aspire to become doctors are Asian. This leads to both Asians and whites making jokes about "pushy Asian parents!"
There are a few pushy white parents around too. My friend's mum insists on her revising around exam time, and if she wants to take a break or whatever, her mum sends her little sister outside her bedroom with a big sign reminding her to study, and if she closes her blinds, then her little sister will slip the sign under the door and generally be annoying!
And before you accuse me of being racist, I'm half-Asian.
Du Shu Lang is a Chinese children's song. The lyrics go something like this (loosely translated):
Schoolboy Bag on back, enters the classroom. Fears not the scorching sun, Fears not the raging wind and rain- Only fears that the teacher will scold him for laziness, For without knowledge, how will he face his parents? Lang li ge lang li ge lang li ge lang (nonsense syllables) Without knowledge, how will he face his parents?
Schoolboy Bag on back, enters the classroom Not to become an official, Or to become enlightened. Only to break the cycle of poverty, Not to let anyone bully him or treat him like cattle Lang li ge lang li ge lang li ge lang, Not to let anyone bully him or treat him like cattle
According to my dictionary, "lang" is a particle that can used to signify that the person in question is male- a bit like how we have different suffixes to certain occupations to signify gender. I guess "du shu lang" could then be literally translated to mean "reading book boy" but it usually gets translated as "schoolboy."
My daughter graduated from a selective regional magnet STEM high school. Our region has a very strong Asian population. Thanks for putting a humorous spin on this! But for many of these children, the pressure heaved on them by their parents is anything but funny.
There's a roughly even amount of Asians and whites at my school, so naturally we hurl good-natured jokes back and forth at each other, particularly about the subject of education. A lot of Asians at my school tend to pick double maths and double science in years 11 and 12 (I think that most of the whites who do that are boys) and most if not all of the students who aspire to become doctors are Asian. This leads to both Asians and whites making jokes about "pushy Asian parents!"
ReplyDeleteThere are a few pushy white parents around too. My friend's mum insists on her revising around exam time, and if she wants to take a break or whatever, her mum sends her little sister outside her bedroom with a big sign reminding her to study, and if she closes her blinds, then her little sister will slip the sign under the door and generally be annoying!
And before you accuse me of being racist, I'm half-Asian.
Another video that may be of interest is this one, especially if you're learning Chinese:
ReplyDeleteDu Shu Lang
Du Shu Lang is a Chinese children's song. The lyrics go something like this (loosely translated):
Schoolboy
Bag on back, enters the classroom.
Fears not the scorching sun,
Fears not the raging wind and rain-
Only fears that the teacher will scold him for laziness,
For without knowledge, how will he face his parents?
Lang li ge lang li ge lang li ge lang (nonsense syllables)
Without knowledge, how will he face his parents?
Schoolboy
Bag on back, enters the classroom
Not to become an official,
Or to become enlightened.
Only to break the cycle of poverty,
Not to let anyone bully him or treat him like cattle
Lang li ge lang li ge lang li ge lang,
Not to let anyone bully him or treat him like cattle
Hienuri, thanks for that! I've heard the song before -- we have it on a CD of Chinese children's songs.
ReplyDeleteWhat is "Lang" in "Du Shu Lang"? (I presume "du shu" is "read books"?)
According to my dictionary, "lang" is a particle that can used to signify that the person in question is male- a bit like how we have different suffixes to certain occupations to signify gender. I guess "du shu lang" could then be literally translated to mean "reading book boy" but it usually gets translated as "schoolboy."
ReplyDeleteMy daughter graduated from a selective regional magnet STEM high school. Our region has a very strong Asian population. Thanks for putting a humorous spin on this! But for many of these children, the pressure heaved on them by their parents is anything but funny.
ReplyDelete