口音和外形-听GM CFO Ray Young的采访有感
文章来源: RootLessGrass2009-06-03 09:36:06

昨天早上我上班的路上,NPR听到了一段采访GM CFO Ray Young的对话。我以前孤陋寡闻,不知Ray Young何许人也。听他讲的话,我觉得有一点点亚洲口音。到了办公室以后,我古狗了一把,才找到Ray Young的照片,看到他的确是亚裔的长相,原来Ray Young是第二代华人移民。

1. Early Years and Education

Young was born in Port Elgin, Ontario to immigrant parents from Guangzhou, China. He studied at the University of Western Ontario and later at the University of Chicago.

2. Rise through GM

He began his career at GM as a financial analyst in 1986 and promoted in 1988 to GM's offices in New York. Since then Young has held a number of positions within GM:

  • Director of capital markets and foreign exchange services

  • Treasurer of GM Europe (Belgium)

  • Vice president of finances for CAMI

  • GM Liason with Suzuki

  • VP and CFO of GM North America

  • President and Managing Director of GM do Brasil

  • CFO GM

我之所以好奇,是因为我一直在想一个问题,口音和外形是不是相衬更好呢?我有几个欧裔的朋友都是第二代移民,他们从小的时候父母决定为了他们的美式英语没有口音,彻底放弃了和他们讲德语和法语。亚裔的移民就很少这么做,当然主要是因为文化背景,是不是和外形上有区别也有一点关系呢?

 

我们公司的同事很多都是常在电话会议上见,却没见过面。我有两三次见到同事的面大吃一惊。比如没想到一位嫁了欧裔美国人的女同事是第二代的亚裔移民,或一点也没想到有一位同事原来是非裔美国人。不知道这种意料之外是好还是不好。

 

对于我们这些第一代移民,把英语说好就不容易了。我聊这些主要是想着我们的儿女。他们因为也说中文,所以尽管是在美国长大的,他们多少也带一点口音。我现在想,也许这也不错吧?听Ray Young讲话就觉得和他的口音和他的外形挺和谐。所以是不是对于第二代,第三代亚裔移民来说,也不一定口音越少越好呢?