>> Date: Thursday, November 11, 1999 5:09PM >> >> Aiya! & Something to Think About >> >> >> I had a craving for a sweet taste of childhood the other day; so I >> went shopping for a can of grass jelly. I was putting said treat into >> my cart and looking for my Ranch 99 VIP card when a woman with three >> kids in tow ran into my cart. At that moment, both of us said, "Aiya." >> The children giggled, she apologized, and I quickly replied, >> "M'sai...No apology needed." >> >> Although it was a minor exchange, I later realized that Aiya is more > >> than just two characters; it is part of the spirit of being >> Chinese...in a moment of surprise I could've said just about anything- >> my reaction was to say Aiya. I was surprised that I would >> instinctively use my mother's tongue because I've always known that I >> don't speak Cantonese well. No matter how far removed I've become as >> an American, there is something at my core that is Chinese. >> >> I decided to conduct informal research about Aiya. First, I went to >a >> national bookstore chain to review its Chinese language materials. I >> thumbed through all the Chinese language materials, but couldn't find >> any vocabulary drill including Aiya. Seeing that the publishers of >> tourist books were not going to be helpful, I decided to observe its >> use in the community. I clipped my cell phone to my belt, grabbed a >> couple of bakery pink boxes and sat around San Francisco's Portsmouth >> Square drinking 7-Up and eating dim sum. Lo and behold, the heard Aiya >> used in a variety of ways. Based on my personal experience and this >> observation, I've developed a personal understanding of Aiya. >> >> Aiya is 24-carat Chinese gold. Aiya is more than just two >characters; >> it is part of the spirit of being Chinese and may even go back to >> antiquity. It is used wherever the Chinese have been in the diaspora of >> thelast sesquicentennial. >> >> >> How you say Aiya can say volumes about your state of mind. For >> example, when the problem is minor, I can say "Aiya" in a short/curt >> manner. However when I am extremely stressed, I can draw it out to >> nearly five seconds. (I'm planning an experiment where I get a room >> full of people to meditate using it as a mantra. With practice, I >> might get them to draw out Aiya even longer.) >> >> To explain more deeply how to use Aiya, imagine a worker slaving on >> the Great Wall when he accidentally drops a brick (a quickie Aiya)...on >> the work foreman (Aiya!!)- which gets him thrown into the wall to >> perish an agonizing death (AIYA!!!!) >> >> As you read the following ways Aiya can be used, the mental image to >> solicit is to picture any of the mothers from Amy Tan's The Joy Luck >> Club. For those who have met anyone in my family, you can picture one >> of my relatives instead: >> >> >> Surprise: "Aiya! A surprise party for me?" >> >> >> Joy: "Aiya! You got 5 out of 6 in Lotto!" >> >> >> Distaste: "You expect me to drink that herbal medicine >> concoction of yours? Aiya!" >> >> Doubt: "Do I have to wear that lemon yellow/lime green >> sweater my mother made? I wonder if she would notice if I >> 'accidentally' donated it to Goodwill? Aiya." >> >> >> Awe: "Your son got accepted into Harvard Law School!?! >> Aiya!" >> >> >> Irritation: "Clean your room. Aiya! Why you live like a >> pig?" >> >> >> Large astonishment: "Aiya! She switch majors from Business >> to Art History!" >> >> >> Disapproval: "Report Card-5 A, 1 B? Always a B in Math. >> Aiya." (Actual quote from my mother when I was a sophomore in high >> school.) >> >> >> Shock: "What? Ketchup on Yang Chow Fried Rice...Aiya!" >> >> >> Lamentation: "Aiya...why me...ungrateful child... Aiya." >> (Probably what my mother is thinking when she reads this.) >> >> >> Outrage: "Never clean your rice cooker with that steel >> scouring pad! Aiya!" >> >> >> Verge of internal combustion: "I can't deal with the >> family asking when and if I'm getting married! Ai-yaaa!" >> >> >> Aiya is an all-purpose phrase that comes from deep in the soul. Aiya >> is both simple and complex: on one hand it is a couple of Chinese >> characters, on the other hand it can be a whole speech describing the >> state you are in. Aiya says "I'm afraid", "I'm in pain", "I don't >> believe it." It is an exclamation of exuberance, a shout of hurt, a cry >> of fear, and the reflex of being startled, and the embrace of joy. >> >> It is unfortunate that English has no equivalent to Aiya. It saddens > >> me that American English doesn't afford me a fun phrase to emote. >> "Shucks", "Darn" and the plethora of swear words cannot convey what >> Aiya can. So, I'm going to propose that we start an initiative for >> American English should grab on Aiya or the Yiddish "Oy" for our use. >> >> So the next time you go to a teahouse for dim sum or decide to go >> shopping at an Asian market, listen to the lively banter as friends >> and families meet. It's a wonderfully vibrant, alive community out >> there. Who knows, you just might get caught up the lyrical rhythm of >> the people. Aiya, what fun!