A Story

廣 = wide/vast (广 shelter + 黃 yellow (sound))
東 = East
話 = word/talk/speak/language
(言 speech + 舌 tongue)

廣東 Guangdong is the province and origin of the Cantonese language. It is also where both sets of my grandparents came from.

In Cantonese, 廣東 directly translates to Canton. The sounds of the words spoken in Cantonese is romanized/transliterated in English as “Guangdong.” The two are synonymous. Both Guangdong and Canton refer to the same, southern most province of 廣東 in China. So when you add 話 which means word/talk/language, you get 廣東話 "Guangdong talk" or “Guangdong language” / “Canton talk” or “Canton language” and how one can refer to the Cantonese language.

Adding to that, when 廣東 Canton is paired with 人, meaning person – you get 廣東人 which means "Canton person" or Cantonese (people).

粵語 Yuht Yúh
I say all this about 廣東 Guangdong, and actually 廣東話 is an informal and colloquial manner of referring to the Cantonese language. The formal way is 粵語. Pronounced as, “yuht yúh”, using the Yale system of romanization. 粵 “yuht”, also refers to Guangdong province. 語 “yúh”, also refers to language, speech, words, speak, talk. Can you imagine. Perhaps you can begin to pick up on how building this dictionary, my ’til now lifelong journey of learning Cantonese, will be – a lifelong quest.

廣東花園 Guangdong Fa Yun
As I learn over time, the bits and pieces of the personal history of my ancestors – I often find that it is a deep reflection of war, political conflict and global migration patterns. It’s a history that is survived by individuals whose families have been separated and displaced generation after generation. For me, it’s a story of survival and resilience.

This history, as far back as I know, begins in 廣東花園Guangdong Fa Yun. Where my grandfather was born and where my great-grandfather had a farm. The farm was destroyed in World War II during the Japanese invasion / occupation and my grandfather left in search of earning a living. In Cantonese we say, 搵食 (to find something to eat). He went first to Hong Kong, which was too difficult with also many others trying to find any economic opportunity. Then he went to Saigon, where he eventually settled. A BBQ pork cart and wonton mein cart gradually turned into a successful butcher shop and restaurant. Kids are born, my father is born. On the other side of the same neighborhood of Cho Lon in Saigon, my mother is born. Her mother and father having also made the journey from 廣東 Guangdong and actually the same place of 花園 Fa Yun. My grandfather on my mother’s side found success in making and fixing film projectors as well as distributing film. My mother and father grow up in the backdrop of the Vietnam War. Eventually they meet, marry and have kids. The war ends with warfare hitting home and any business or home that survives is lost to the transition of government. Begins the 3.5 year journey of my parents’ and siblings’ escape and survival. Now here we are, from 廣東 Guangdong to 西貢 Saigon, to 美國 the States. A film on this later.

Patterns
廣東 Guangdong province is where 80% of the Chinese ship hands on the Spanish trade route came from. The Manilla Galleon trade route with trading ships known as "La Nao de la China" attracted many Filipino and Chinese laborers in the 1500s. Due to the poor conditions and poor pay, many sailors metaphorically jumped ship where they could, including along the Pacific Coast in cities and pueblas like Acapulco, Jalisco etc. Known as "los chinos”, there were Chinese and other Asian populations that settled in modern day U.S., Mexico, Peru, Panama and eventually all over the world. In so many words, this is how you later come to have Cantonese-speaking "Chinatowns" and in general, a Cantonese diaspora in cities all over the world.

Date Added: 3/14/2021