Tibetan student interview 3

Kelsey
Sep 7
5 min read

Interviewee: "Lobsang" (Pseudonym), 15 years old, Tibetan from the Tibetan area of Sichuan. A student in the ninth grade at Rangtang County Middle School.

问：你认为自己的藏语和普通话哪一个更流利？

答：两个都流利。在学校用普通话和同学交流，在家用当地方言（藏语），两者对我来说差不多。

问：一般在什么场合会讲藏语？会在学校和朋友讲吗？

答：一般在家里面讲。在学校里面基本都是以普通话为主。

问：您的父母一辈或爷爷奶奶一辈普通话流利吗？

答：不怎么流利。

问：父母不会说普通话，和你之间会有语言隔阂吗？

答：不会，因为一般聊天时都是藏文汉文交杂着聊。

问：学校一般是用什么语言授课？

答：一般都是以普通话为主，藏文为辅。

问：学校允许你们课下讲藏语吗？

答：允许，因为这边全部都是少数民族。没有因为讲藏语被劝阻的情况。

问：你为什么会选择汉语学校？

答：主要是这边的学校以汉语辅导为主，是家长选择让他来这里读书。

问：在学校你喜欢上藏语课吗？

答：挺喜欢的。因为藏文老师会用藏语交杂着汉语来授课。

问：你长大以后会教自己的孩子说藏语吗？

答：应该会，毕竟是民族传承。

问：你是从几岁开始上寄宿学校的？你身边的同龄人情况？

答： 6 岁开始。身边的同龄人都差不多在这个年纪上寄宿学校了。

问：你们选学校的标准是什么？

答：看个人意愿，自己想去哪个学校就可以了。

问：上寄宿学校是自愿的还是家里安排的？

答：自愿的。

问：每天的课程表是什么样子的？

答：早上四节，晚上四节，然后晚上是自习。

问：一共有哪些学科？

答：主科是语文、数学、英语、政治、历史。还有物理、化学和藏文。

问：兴趣班每周有几节？感觉压力大吗？

答：每周有两节。压力适中。

问：学校管理是什么样子的？可以随时离开校园吗？

答：不可以。要经过老师的同意，请假之后才可以出去。

问：你们班上同学的第一语言（最流利的语言）是什么？私下用什么语言交流？

答：第一语言大部分是普通话。私下也用普通话交流，因为藏文里面的方言还是有点不通。

问：上寄宿学校有没有让你感到难过或者不习惯的地方？你会想家吗？

答：没有不习惯的地方。周中的时候会想家。

问：父母会在周中来看你吗，还是说你会回家？

答：周末学校放了就回去。

问：有人说寄宿学校会让孩子和家乡文化疏远，你会怎么看待？

答：对他来说没有多大影响。因为假期和手机发下来的时候会跟家长聊天、打视频。

问：在寄宿学校有没有遇到信任的朋友或者老师？

答：身边的人都挺好的。

问：感觉你们老师怎么样？

答：老师挺和善的。

English Transcript:

Q: Which do you think you are more fluent in, Tibetan or Mandarin?

A: Both are fluent. I use Mandarin to communicate with classmates at school, and the local dialect (Tibetan) at home. They are about the same for me.

Q: In what settings do you generally speak Tibetan? Do you speak it with friends at school?

A: I generally speak it at home. At school, I mostly speak Mandarin.

Q: Are your parents, grandparents, and that generation fluent in Mandarin?

A: Not very fluent.

Q: Do you feel a language barrier or communication gap between you and your parents since they don't speak Mandarin fluently?

A: No, because when we chat, we generally mix Tibetan and Mandarin.

Q: What language is generally used for instruction at school?

A: Generally, Mandarin is the main language, supplemented by Tibetan.

Q: Does the school allow you to speak Tibetan outside of class?

A: Yes, it is allowed because everyone here is from a minority ethnic group. There has been no instance of being discouraged from speaking Tibetan.

Q: Why did you choose a Mandarin-focused school?

A: Mainly because the school here focuses on Mandarin instruction, and my parents chose to send me here to study.

Q: Do you like taking Tibetan class at school?

A: I quite like it. Because the Tibetan teacher mixes Tibetan with Mandarin when teaching the lessons.

Q: Will you teach your own children Tibetan when you grow up?

A: I should, since it's part of our ethnic heritage.

Q: At what age did you start attending boarding school? What about your peers?

A: I started at age 6. Basically, all my peers started attending boarding school around that age.

Q: What are your criteria for choosing a school?

A: It depends on personal preference; I can go to whichever school I want.

Q: Was attending boarding school your own choice or arranged by your family?

A: It was my own choice.

Q: What is your daily class schedule like?

A: Four classes in the morning, four in the evening, and the evening is for self-study.

Q: What subjects do you have in total?

A: The main subjects are Chinese (Mandarin), Math, English, Politics, History. We also have Physics, Chemistry, and Tibetan.

Q: How many interest classes do you have per week? Do you feel a lot of pressure?

A: We have two per week. The pressure is moderate.

Q: What is the management like at your school? Can you leave the campus anytime?

A: No, I can't. I must get the teacher's permission and take leave before going out.

Q: What is the first language (most fluent language) of your classmates? What language do you communicate in privately?

A: The first language for most is Mandarin. Privately, we also speak Mandarin because the different Tibetan dialects are a little difficult to understand sometimes.